Study Desk

"So let the king choose a man who is very wise and understanding and set him over the land of Egypt.

So the king said to Joseph, "God has shown you all this. There is no one as wise and understanding as you are, so

The king gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. He also gave Joseph a wife named Asenath, who was the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. So Joseph traveled through all the land of Egypt.

Joseph stored much grain, as much as the sand of the seashore—so much that he could not measure it.

Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, so he said to his sons, "Why are you just sitting here looking at one another?

I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us to eat, so that we will live and not die."

So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

Now Joseph was governor over Egypt. He was the one who sold the grain to people who came to buy it. So Joseph's brothers came to him and bowed facedown on the ground before him.

Then Reuben said to them, "I told you not to harm the boy, but you refused to listen to me. So now we are being punished for what we did to him."

When Joseph talked to his brothers, he used an interpreter, so they did not know that Joseph understood what they were saying.

So the brothers put the grain on their donkeys and left.

And bring your youngest brother to me so I will know you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give you back your brother whom you leave with me, and you can move about freely in our land.'"

Then Judah said to his father Jacob, "Send Benjamin with me, and we will go at once so that we, you, and our children may live and not die.

So the brothers took the gifts. They also took twice as much money as they had taken the first time, and they took Benjamin. They hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

So the brothers went to the servant in charge of Joseph's house and spoke to him at the door of the house.

Then Joseph hurried off because he had to hold back the tears when he saw his brother Benjamin. So Joseph went into his room and cried there.

So they served Joseph at one table, his brothers at another table, and the Egyptians who ate with him at another table. This was because Egyptians did not like Hebrews and never ate with them.

Joseph's brothers were seated in front of him in order of their ages, from oldest to youngest. They looked at each other because they were so amazed.

So the servant caught up with the brothers and said to them what Joseph had told him to say.

We brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in our sacks. So surely we would not steal silver or gold from your master's house.