Study Desk

Jacob's sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons, as the king had ordered, and food for the trip.

He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best Egyptian goods and ten donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for the trip.

"My son Joseph is still alive!" he said. "This is all I could ask for! I must go and see him before I die."

Joseph got in his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father. When they met, Joseph threw his arms around his father's neck and cried for a long time.

When the king calls for you and asks what your occupation is,

"We have come to live in this country, because in the land of Canaan the famine is so severe that there is no pasture for our flocks. Please give us permission to live in the region of Goshen."

Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all the rest of his father's family, including the very youngest.

Joseph answered, "Bring your livestock; I will give you food in exchange for it if your money is all gone."

So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. That year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

Don't let us die. Do something! Don't let our fields be deserted. Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will be the king's slaves, and he will own our land. Give us grain to keep us alive and seed so that we can plant our fields."

Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for the king. Every Egyptian was forced to sell his land, because the famine was so severe; and all the land became the king's property.

Joseph said to the people, "You see, I have now bought you and your lands for the king. Here is seed for you to sow in your fields.

At the time of harvest you must give one-fifth to the king. You can use the rest for seed and for food for yourselves and your families."

So Joseph made it a law for the land of Egypt that one-fifth of the harvest should belong to the king. This law still remains in force today. Only the lands of the priests did not become the king's property.

When the time drew near for him to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "Place your hand between my thighs and make a solemn vow that you will not bury me in Egypt.

Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future:

You are like a raging flood, But you will not be the most important, For you slept with my concubine And dishonored your father's bed.

I will not join in their secret talks, Nor will I take part in their meetings, For they killed people in anger And they crippled bulls for sport.

"Zebulun will live beside the sea. His shore will be a haven for ships. His territory will reach as far as Sidon.

"Dan will be a ruler for his people. They will be like the other tribes of Israel.