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JANUARY 21
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which surrounded them. Joseph gathered 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized
very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until them, but he acted as a stranger to them and
he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them,
50 And to Joseph were born two sons before “Where do you come from?”
the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the And they said, “From the land of Canaan to
daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to buy food.”
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him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn 8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but
9
Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all they did not recognize him. Then Joseph re-
my toil and all my father’s house.” And the membered the dreams which he had dreamed
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name of the second he called Ephraim: “For about them, and said to them, “You are spies!
God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of You have come to see the nakedness of the
my affliction.” land!”
53 Then the seven years of plenty which were 10 And they said to him, “No, my lord, but
in the land of Egypt ended, and the seven your servants have come to buy food. We are
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11
years of famine began to come, as Joseph had all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your
said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the servants are not spies.”
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land of Egypt there was bread. So when all 12 But he said to them, “No, but you have
the land of Egypt was famished, the people come to see the nakedness of the land.”
cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said 13 And they said, “Your servants are twelve
to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever brothers, the sons of one man in the land of
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he says to you, do.” The famine was over all Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our
the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all father today, and one is no more.”
the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to
15
And the famine became severe in the land of you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ In this manner
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Egypt. So all countries came to Joseph in you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you
Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was shall not leave this place unless your youngest
16
severe in all lands. brother comes here. Send one of you, and let
When Jacob saw that there was grain him bring your brother; and you shall be kept
42 in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why in prison, that your words may be tested to see
2
do you look at one another?” And he said, “In- whether there is any truth in you; or else, by
deed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!” So
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go down to that place and buy for us there, he put them all together in prison three days.
that we may live and not die.” 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day,
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3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy “Do this and live, for I fear God: If you are hon-
4
grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Jo- est men, let one of your brothers be confined to
seph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for your prison house; but you, go and carry grain
he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” And for the famine of your houses. And bring your
5
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the sons of Israel went to buy grain among youngest brother to me; so your words will be
those who journeyed, for the famine was in verified, and you shall not die.”
the land of Canaan. And they did so. Then they said to one
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6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; another, “We are truly guilty concerning our
and it was he who sold to all the people of the brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul
land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed when he pleaded with us, and we would not
down before him with their faces to the earth. hear; therefore this distress has come upon
us.”
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did
I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against
42:6 bowed down. Without his brothers’ the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore
23
appreciating it at the time, Joseph’s dream behold, his blood is now required of us.” But
became reality (37:5–8).Recognition of Joseph they did not know that Joseph understood
was unlikely because: 1) over 15 years had them, for he spoke to them through an inter-
24
elapsed and the teenager sold into slavery had preter. And he turned himself away from
become a mature adult; 2) he had become them and wept. Then he returned to them
Egyptian in appearance and dress; 3) he treat- again, and talked with them. And he took
ed them without a hint of familiarity (vv. 7,8); Simeon from them and bound him before
and 4) they thought he was dead (v.13). their eyes.
25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their
sacks with grain, to restore every man’s
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