Study Desk

Judah said, "Sir, there is nothing we can say. There is no way to explain. There is no way to show that we are not guilty. God has judged us guilty for something else we have done. So all of us, even Benjamin, will be your slaves."

"I took responsibility for the young boy. I told my father, ‘If I don't bring him back to you, you can blame me for the rest of my life.'

Now don't be worried. Don't be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God's plan for me to come here. I am here to save people's lives.

This terrible famine has continued for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest.

So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them good wagons just as Pharaoh had promised. And Joseph gave them enough food for their trip.

Joseph also sent gifts to his father. He sent ten donkeys with bags full of many good things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back.

Joseph learned that his father was coming. So he prepared his chariot and went out to meet his father, Israel, in Goshen. When Joseph saw his father, he hugged his neck and cried for a long time.

They said to Pharaoh, "The famine is very bad in Canaan. There are no fields left with grass for our animals, so we have come to live in this land. We ask you to please let us live in Goshen."

You can choose any place in Egypt for them to live. Give your father and your brothers the best land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if they are skilled shepherds, they can also care for my cattle."

Surely we will die while you are watching. But if you give us food, we will give Pharaoh our land, and we will be his slaves. Give us seed so that we can plant. Then we will live and not die, and the land will grow food for us again."

So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. All the people in Egypt sold Joseph their fields. They did this because they were very hungry.

The only land Joseph didn't buy was the land that the priests owned. The priests didn't need to sell their land because Pharaoh paid them for their work. So they used this money to buy food to eat.

Joseph said to the people, "Now I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. So I will give you seed, and you can plant your fields.

At harvest time, you must give one-fifth of your crops to Pharaoh. You can keep four-fifths for yourselves. You can use the seed you keep for food and planting the next year. Now you can feed your families and your children."

I will not join their secret meetings. I will not take part in their evil plans. They have killed people out of anger and crippled animals for fun.

"Zebulun will live near the sea. His seacoast will be a safe place for ships. His land will continue as far as the city of Sidon.

" Lord , I am waiting for your salvation.

"Asher's land will grow much good food. He will have food fit for a king!

People attacked him and made life hard for him. Men with arrows became his enemies.

These are the twelve families of Israel. And this is what their father said to them. He gave each son a blessing that was right for him.