Genesis

1约瑟进去告诉法老说：「我的父亲和我的弟兄带着羊群牛群，并一切所有的，从迦南地来了，如今在歌珊地。」

2约瑟从他弟兄中挑出五个人来，引他们去见法老。

3法老问约瑟的弟兄说：「你们以何事为业？」他们对法老说：「你仆人是牧羊的，连我们的祖宗也是牧羊的。」

4他们又对法老说：「迦南地的饥荒甚大，仆人的羊群没有草吃，所以我们来到这地寄居。现在求你容仆人住在歌珊地。」

5法老对约瑟说：「你父亲和你弟兄到你这里来了，

6埃及地都在你面前，只管叫你父亲和你弟兄住在国中最好的地；他们可以住在歌珊地。你若知道他们中间有什么能人，就派他们看管我的牲畜。」

7约瑟领他父亲雅各进到法老面前，雅各就给法老祝福。

8法老问雅各说：「你平生的年日是多少呢？」

9雅各对法老说：「我寄居在世的年日是一百三十岁，我平生的年日又少又苦，不及我列祖在世寄居的年日。」

10雅各又给法老祝福，就从法老面前出去了。

11约瑟遵着法老的命，把埃及国最好的地，就是兰塞境内的地，给他父亲和弟兄居住，作为产业。

12约瑟用粮食奉养他父亲和他弟兄，并他父亲全家的眷属，都是照各家的人口奉养他们。

饥荒

13饥荒甚大，全地都绝了粮，甚至埃及地和迦南地的人因那饥荒的缘故都饿昏了。

14约瑟收聚了埃及地和迦南地所有的银子，就是众人籴粮的银子，约瑟就把那银子带到法老的宫里。

15埃及地和迦南地的银子都花尽了，埃及众人都来见约瑟，说：「我们的银子都用尽了，求你给我们粮食，我们为什么死在你面前呢？」

16约瑟说：「若是银子用尽了，可以把你们的牲畜给我，我就为你们的牲畜给你们粮食。」

17于是他们把牲畜赶到约瑟那里，约瑟就拿粮食换了他们的牛、羊、驴、马；那一年因换他们一切的牲畜，就用粮食养活他们。

18那一年过去，第二年他们又来见约瑟，说：「我们不瞒我主，我们的银子都花尽了，牲畜也都归了我主。我们在我主眼前，除了我们的身体和田地之外，一无所剩。

19你何忍见我们人死地荒呢？求你用粮食买我们和我们的地，我们和我们的地就要给法老效力。又求你给我们种子，使我们得以存活，不至死亡，地土也不至荒凉。」

20于是，约瑟为法老买了埃及所有的地，埃及人因被饥荒所迫，各都卖了自己的田地；那地就都归了法老。

21至于百姓，约瑟叫他们，从埃及这边直到埃及那边，都各归各城。

22惟有祭司的地，约瑟没有买，因为祭司有从法老所得的常俸。他们吃法老所给的常俸，所以他们不卖自己的地。

23约瑟对百姓说：「我今日为法老买了你们和你们的地，看哪，这里有种子给你们，你们可以种地。

24后来打粮食的时候，你们要把五分之一纳给法老，四分可以归你们做地里的种子，也做你们和你们家口孩童的食物。」

25他们说：「你救了我们的性命。但愿我们在我主眼前蒙恩，我们就作法老的仆人。」

26于是约瑟为埃及地定下常例，直到今日：法老必得五分之一，惟独祭司的地不归法老。

雅各最后的吩咐

27以色列人住在埃及的歌珊地。他们在那里置了产业，并且生育甚多。

28雅各住在埃及地十七年，雅各平生的年日是一百四十七岁。

29以色列的死期临近了，他就叫了他儿子约瑟来，说：「我若在你眼前蒙恩，请你把手放在我大腿底下，用慈爱和诚实待我，请你不要将我葬在埃及。

30我与我祖我父同睡的时候，你要将我带出埃及，葬在他们所葬的地方。」约瑟说：「我必遵着你的命而行。」

31雅各说：「你要向我起誓。」约瑟就向他起了誓，于是以色列在床头上敬拜 神。

Jacob Settles in Goshen

1So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”

2And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

3“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”

4Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

5Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you,

6the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

7Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8“How many years have you lived?” Pharaoh asked.

9“My travelshave lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

10Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.

11So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

12Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.

The Famine Continues

13There was no food, however, in all that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine.

14Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace.

15When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

16“Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.”

17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. Throughout that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18When that year was over, they came to him the second year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord that our money is gone and all our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.

19Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

20So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s,

21and Joseph reduced the people to servitudefrom one end of Egypt to the other.

22However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.

23Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land.

24At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

25“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

26So Joseph established a law that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh, and it is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

The Israelites Prosper in Goshen

27Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.

28And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years.

29When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,

30but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

31“Swear to me,” Jacob said. So Joseph swore to him, and Israel bowed in worship at the head of his bed.