Study Desk

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."

And He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you (your descendants) a great nation there.

Then Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz (Bethel) in the land of Canaan and blessed me,

Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here [in Egypt]." So he said, "Please bring them to me, so that I may bless them."

Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face, but see, God has shown me your children as well."

Then Jacob (Israel) blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked [in faithful obedience], The God who has been my Shepherd [leading and caring for me] all my life to this day,

Then Jacob blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce a blessing, saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" And he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to [Canaan] the land of your fathers.

By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of the heavens above, Blessings lying in the deep that couches beneath, Blessings of the [nursing] breasts and of the [fertile] womb.

'You are to say to Joseph, "I beg you, please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong."' Now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? [Vengeance is His, not mine.]

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up out of this land to the land which He promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob [to give you]."

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel (Jacob) swear [an oath], saying, "God will surely visit you and take care of you [returning you to Canaan], and [when that happens] you shall carry my bones up from here."

But the midwives feared God [with profound reverence] and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but they let the boy babies live.

So God was good to the midwives, and the people [of Israel] multiplied and became very strong.

And because the midwives feared God [with profound reverence], He established families and households for them.

Now it happened after a long time [about forty years] that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel (Jacob) groaned and sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out. And their cry for help because of their bondage ascended to God.

So God heard their groaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel).

God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice [of them] and was concerned about them [knowing all, understanding all, remembering all].