Study Desk

Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed.

When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes.

He returned to his brothers, and said, "The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?"

Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father bewailed him.

It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar.

But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother's wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother.

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"—for he feared that he too would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father's house.

In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died; when Judah's time of mourning was over, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

He went over to her at the roadside, and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her.

While she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson thread, saying, "This one came out first."

But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore he was named Perez.

Afterward his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands.

So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.