Study Desk

So Israel blessed them that day and said, "When a blessing is given in Israel, they will say: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" In this way he made Ephraim greater than Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, "Look at me; I am about to die. But God will be with you and will take you back to the land of your fathers.

but he aims his bow well. His arms are made strong. He gets his power from the Mighty God of Jacob and his strength from the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.

Your father's God helps you. God Almighty blesses you. He blesses you with rain from above, with water from springs below, with many babies born to your wives, and many young ones born to your animals.

He said to us, ‘You have done wrong and have sinned and done evil to Joseph. Tell Joseph to forgive you, his brothers.' So now, Joseph, we beg you to forgive our wrong. We are the servants of the God of your father." When Joseph received the message, he cried.

Then Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Can I do what only God can do?

You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will take care of you. He will lead you out of this land to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

But the nurses feared God, so they did not do as the king told them; they let all the boy babies live.

God was good to the nurses. And the Hebrew people continued to grow in number, so they became even stronger.

Because the nurses feared God, he gave them families of their own.

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel groaned, because they were forced to work very hard. When they cried for help, God heard them.

God heard their cries, and he remembered the agreement he had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

One day Moses was taking care of Jethro's flock. (Jethro was the priest of Midian and also Moses' father-in-law.) When Moses led the flock to the west side of the desert, he came to Sinai, the mountain of God.

When the Lord saw Moses was coming to look at the bush, God called to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."

Then God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.

I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

But Moses said to God, "I am not a great man! How can I go to the king and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

God said, "I will be with you. This will be the proof that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me on this mountain."

Moses said to God, "When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you.' What if the people say, ‘What is his name?' What should I tell them?"