Moses And The Ten Plagues

And The Lord said to Moses, after He saw that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, that Moses must take Pharaoh to the water the next morning. He must then say to to Pharaoh: 'The Lord God of the Hebrews had sent me unto thee, and He said to thee to let His people go, so that they can serve Him in the wilderness; but thee wouldn't hear.'

First Plague: Water Turn Into Blood

And The Lord spoke unto Moses: 'Say to Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand upon all the waters of Egypt, that they may become blood, and that there may be blood throughout Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.'  

And Moses and Aaron did as God commanded, and all the waters in Egypt turned into blood, and everything happened as The Lord had said.  

But the magicians of Pharaoh also did so with their enchantments, and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to God's message.  The Egyptians digged around the river for drinkable water, and the plague went on for seven days.

Second Plague: Frogs

And The Lord then said to Moses to warn Pharaoh that if he doesn't let the Hebrews go to serve Him, that God would smite Egypt's borders with frogs ... 'And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thy house, thy bed chamber, upon thy bed, into the house of thy servants, upon thy people, into thy ovens, and into thy kneading troughs.'

And The Lord spoke unto Moses: 'Say to Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand upon all the waters of Egypt, and cause the frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.'  Aaron did so, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. But the magicians of Pharaoh also did so with their enchantments.

Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and told them that if God take the frogs away, he would let the Israelites go so that they may sacrifice unto The Lord.  Moses and Aaron then went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried unto The Lord because of the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh.  And the Lord did according to the word of Moses, and all the frogs died in the houses, the villages and the fields, except in the river.  The Egyptians gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.  But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and went back on his word.

Third Plague: Lice

And The Lord spoke unto Moses: 'Say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'  

And they did so, and the dust of the earth became lice in man, and in beast.  And the magicians tried to bring forth lice, but they could not.  They then said unto Pharaoh: 'This is the finger of God.'  

But Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he wouldn't listen, after God took the lice away.

Fourth Plague: Flies

And The Lord said to Moses: 'Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, 'Thus saith The Lord ... Let My people go, that they may serve me. Else, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee and the whole of Egypt, but not in the land of Goshen where My people dwell.'  

And The Lord did so, and the land was corrupted by the reason of the swarms of flies.  And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said to them: 'Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.'

Moses and Aaron then went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried unto The Lord because of the flies that He had brought against Pharaoh.  And the Lord did according to the word of Moses, but when the flies was gone, Pharaoh hardened his heart again and went back on his word.

Fifth Plague: Pestilence

Then The Lord said unto Moses: 'Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him: 'So saith The Lord ... Let my people go, that they may serve Me.  For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like Me in all the earth.  For now I will stretch out My hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou shall be cut of the earth.'  There was great death in the land of Egypt.  But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened once again.

Sixth Plague: Boils

And The Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron: 'Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.  

And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt., and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.  

They did as The Lord commanded, and it became as The Lord said.  And the magicians could not stand before Moses, for the boils was upon the magicians as well.  Man and beast suffered greatly.  And The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh.

Seventh Plague: Hail And Fire

And The Lord told Moses to stretch forth his hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt.  

And Moses did so, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground, and fire mingled with the hail.  

And the hail destroyed everything in it's path ... man, beast and plant.  Except for Goshen where the Israelites lived.

Pharaoh promised again to let the Israelites go, but as soon as the skies cleared up, he hardened his heart.

Eigth Plague: Locusts

The Lord sent the plague of locusts ... so much locusts that the earth was not visible, and they ate everything in their path.

Again Pharaoh promised to let the Israelites go, and again he sinned and hardened his heart, as soon as the locusts was gone.

Nineth Plague: Darkness

Then The Lord hit the land of Egypt with darkness. It was a thick darkness that made everything invisible.  It went on for three days.

Again Pharaoh promised to let the Israelites go, and again he sinned and hardened his heart, as soon as the darkness was gone.

The Lord finally had enough of Pharaoh.

Tenth Plague: Death Of The Firstborn

And Moses said to the people: 'Thus sayeth The Lord, 'When the time comes, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh unto the firstborn of the maid servant, and all the firstborn of the beasts, but not again the children of Israel.'  

He furthermore instructed Moses that every house of Israel [12] must slay a  year old male lamb without blemish ... on the fourteenth day ... take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. They must eat it in the night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs, but the meat must not be raw.

The Lord also said to Moses: 'And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste ... it is the Lord's passover.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and will smite all the firstborn, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am The Lord.  When I see the blood upon the houses, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you.

And it came to pass, that at midnight The Lord smote all of the firstborn, of man and beast, in the land of Egypt ... and there was a great cry in Egypt. But the firstborn of Israel were spared.

Source:  Exodus Chapters 8-12

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Moses and Aaron Speak To Pharaoh ... The Israelites Suffer

Moses and Aaron then went to Pharaoh and told him that God demanded that he must set the Israelites free.

Pharaoh refused and said to them that he didn't acknowledge God's authority and that he will never set them free.

Instead he turned the nation's life into a hell.

He commanded his taskmasters to deny them straw to build bricks.  He further doubled their working hours, so that they don't have time to praise or talk to God.  The Israelite overseers were beaten every day for not getting the workers to make more bricks for Egypt.

When they spoke to Pharaoh over the injustice, he told them that although there was no more straw, that they must deliver their daily quota.  The Israelites were scattered all over Egypt to gather straw.

They complaint to Moses and Aaron about how they were treated since Moses spoke to Pharaoh to release them in God's name, and Moses went to speak to God.

The Lord the said to Moses: 'Now thou shalt see what I do to Pharaoh ... for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.'

The Lord further said to Moses: ' I am the Lord ... and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob [Israel] by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.  And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of

their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.'

'And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant ... and I will give Canaan to you as an heritage ... I am The Lord.'

When Moses told the Israelites what God had said, they didn't hear, because of their cruel bondage and their anguish of spirit.

And The Lord spoke unto Moses again: 'Go, and speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go, out of this land.'

Moses then asked The Lord that if the Israelites didn't hear him, how will Pharaoh hear him?

And The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and put them in charge of the whole nation of the Israelites ... and He put them in charge of Pharaoh to release the children of Israel of their bondage.

Moses then said before The Lord: 'Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?'

The Lord said unto Moses: 'See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh ... and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.'

The Lord further said that He will harden Pharaoh's heart and He will multiply His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt ... so that the Egyptians would know the He is The Lord, and that He was going to free the children of Israel from their bondage.

Moses and Aaron did as God commanded them, so did they.

Moses was 40 years of age and Aaron 43 years of age, at that time, when they spoke unto Pharaoh.

The Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, saying: 'When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, 'Shew a miracle' to you ... then thou shalt say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh', and it shall become a serpent.'

.

Moses and Aaron then went to Pharaoh, and did as The Lord had commanded ... Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.

Pharaoh called his wise men and sorcerers, and they did the same thing with their enchantments.

Every one cast down his rod and the rods became serpents ... but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't hear unto them ... as The Lord had said.

And then God sent His 10 plagues ...

Source: Exodus Chapter 6

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The Conversation Between God and Moses ... Moses Returns To Egypt

And God said moreover unto Moses: 'Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you, saying: I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.

'And I have said that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.'

'And they shall hearken to thy voice; and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us; and now let us go, we beseech thee, three day's journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.'

'I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.  And I will stretch out my hand with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof; and after that he will let you go.

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not be empty. But every woman shall borrow from her neighbour, and of her that so journeth in her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

'I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.  And I will stretch out my hand with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof; and after that he will let you go.

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not be empty. But every woman shall borrow from her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

And Moses answered and said: 'But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say: The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.'

And The Lord said unto him: 'What is it in thine hand?'  And he said: 'A rod.' And He said: 'Cast it on the ground.'  And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent ... and Moses fled before it.  And The Lord said unto Moses: 'Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail.'  And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand ... 'so that they may believe that The Lord God of their fathers hath appeared unto thee.'

And The Lord said furthermore unto him: 'Put now thy hand into thy bosom.'  And he put his hand into his bosom ... and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.  God then ordered him to put his hand again into his bosom.  And he put his hand again into his bosom, and plucked it out of his bosom, and behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

'And it shall come to pass it they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.'

And The Lord said furthermore: 'If they do not believe these two signs, you must take water from the river, and pour on dry land ... and the water will become blood.'

Moses said to The Lord: 'Oh my Lord, I am not eloquent, slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.'

The Lord then said to Moses: 'Who hath made man's mouth? Or who hath maketh the dumb, or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I The Lord?'

Again Moses murmured against the Will of The Lord, and He became angry with Moses.  He then told Moses: 'Is not Aaron, the Levite, thy brother?  I know that he can speak well.  And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee ... and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.  Thou shall speak unto him, and put words in his mouth ... and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.  And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people ... and he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.'

Moses then went and returned to his father-in-law Jethro, and said to him: 'Let me go, I pray thee, and return to my brothers which are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.' Jethro answered Moses: 'Go in peace.'

The Lord then said to Moses in Midian: 'Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead which sought thy life.'

Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt ... and Moses took the Rod of God in his hand.

And The Lord said unto Moses: 'When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand ... but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.'

'And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith The Lord: Israel is My son, even My firstborn.  And I say unto thee: Let My son go, so that he may serve Me ... and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.'

The Lord then instructed Aaron to go into the wilderness to meet Moses.  Aaron went and met Moses in the mount of God, and kissed him.  Moses then told Aaron all the words of The Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.

Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.  Aaron spoke all the words that God had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

And the people believed ... and when they heard that The Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that He looked upon their afflictions, they bowed their heads and worshipped Him.



Exodus: Chapter 4

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Moses Fled Egypt ... The Burning Bush

And it came to past, when Moses became an adult, that he one day went out to visit his Hebrew brothers, and he saw how they suffered.

He saw an Egyptian swearing at one of his brothers, and he became so angry that he killed the Egyptian, when they were alone, and buried him in the sand.

On the second day, when he went out to his brothers, he saw that two of his Hebrew brothers fighting with each other.  He asked the one why he would talk in such a manner to his brother.  His brother replied: 'Who made you prince and judge over us? Are you going to kill me too, like you killed the Egyptian?'  Moses got scared, because he didn't know that anybody saw him, and he knew that it was not a secret.

The story of the killing reached Pharaoh, and he was extremely angry at Moses. He sought to slay Moses.

So Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and went to dwell in the land of Midian.  Then, one day, he sat down at a well to rest.

Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters, whom would go this well to drew water for their father's throughs, to water their father's flock.

And the sheperds came and wanted to drive them away, but Moses stood up to them and helped the daughters, and watered their flock.

When they came to Reuel, their father, he said: 'How is it that you came so soon today?

So they answered: 'An Egyptian delivered us out of the hands of the sheperds, and he also drew enough water for us and the flock.'

And he said to his daughters: 'And where is he?  Why is it that you left the man? Call him that he may eat bread.'

And Moses was content to dwell with Reuel [Jethro], and the priest gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as his wife.

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange land.'

And as time went on, it came to pass that the king of Egypt died.

And the children of Israel sighed by reason of their bondage, and they cried, and their cry came unto God by reason of His bondage with Israel [Jacob].

And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

Now, Moses kept the flock of his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

And the angel of The Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush ... and he looked, and, behold, the bush burning to fire, and the bush was not consumed.

And Moses said: 'I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.'

And when The Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush ... and said: 'Moses, Moses.'  And he said: 'Here I am.'

And The Lord said: 'Draw not thy hither ... put off thy shoes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.'

Moreover, He said: 'I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

And The Lord said: 'I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters ... for I know their sorrows.  And I come to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them up of that land unto a good land and a large,

unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites.

Now, therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me ... and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Come now therefore, behold, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.'

And Moses said unto God: 'Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?'

And The Lord said: 'Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee ... when thou hast brought forth the

people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.'

And Moses said unto God: 'Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and say unto them ... The God of thy fathers hath sent me unto you ... and they shall say to me: 'What is his name?' ... what shall I say unto them?'

And God said unto Moses: 'I AM THAT I AM.' ... and He said: 'Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent Me unto you.'

Source: Exodus 2-3

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Jacob and Joseph died ... Israel became slaves ... Moses was born

And Israel grew into a strong and wealthy nation in the land of Egypt. All 12 tribes with all their offspring and possessions lived in the best part of Egypt, called Rameses, as Pharaoh commanded.

At the time of his death, Jacob already lived for 17 years in Egypt, and his children buried him in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, where Jacob's wife Leah, Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Rebecca were also put to rest.

And then it came to pass that the 12 sons of Jacob and that generation all died.

And the children of Israel (Jacob) were fruitful, and increased and multiplied abundantly.  The land was filled with them.

But Pharaoh died and the new king that came to power didn't know anything about Joseph and the Israelites history.

He was deeply worried about their astonishing numbers, in case of war times.  So he tasked his taskmaster to turn the Israel nation into slaves, and made the Israelites built the treasure cities Pithon and Raamses. They cruelly made the Israelites built everything that the Egypt king commanded, like the pyramids.

But the more the Egyptians tried to destroy Israel, the more their numbers grew.  They treated the Israelites like animals, and commanded the midwives to kill all the newborn Israel boy babies, but not the girls, as a last resort to get control over the nation.

But the midwives feared God and saved the boys as well.

The new Pharaoh (new king) was extremely angry over this, and then he commanded all his people to kill every newborn Israel boy baby that they know off, but not the girls.

But there was a man of the house of Levi (one of the 12 tribes of Isreal) that took a daughter of Levi as his wife, and she conceived a boy, and she kept him hidden for 3 months.

When he grew to big to hide, she built a little ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch.  She then put the child in it, and laid it in the flags by the river's bank.  And his sister watched over him all the while to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came to the river to wash herself, while her maidens walked on the riverbank.  She suddenly saw the little ark among the flags, and she sent her maidens to fetch it. She opened it and saw the baby boy, and he started to cry.  She knew it was a Hebrew (Israel) child.

Then his sister approached her and asked Pharaoh's daughter if she should fetch a Hebrew midwife to take care of the baby.  The princess agreed and his sister brought his mother to the princess.  And his mother took him and nursed him.

When he grew, she took him to the princess, and he became her son.  She called him Moses.

Source: Exodus 1

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Joseph Sees His Father Again ... How It Came To Pass That The Israelites Lived In Egypt

Joseph's brothers left for their journey to bring Israel to his son, Joseph, whom then lived in Egypt and whom was the right hand to Pharaoh.

They finally reached Canaan and came unto Israel [Jacob], their father.  And then they told him the amazing news, saying: 'Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.'

And Jacob's heart fainted, for he didn't believe them.

So they told all the words that Joseph had spoken to them, and when Jacob saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob revived, and he said: 'It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive, and I will go and see him before I die'.

So Israel began his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

That night God came to him in a vision and called to him: 'Jacob, Jacob'.  And Jacob answered: 'Here am I'.  The Lord then said to him: 'I am God, the God of thy father.  Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation.  I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will also surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.'

Joseph rose up from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt ... Jacob, and all his seed with him.  All the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt were 310.

Jacob then sent Judah before him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen ... Jacob was to meet Joseph there.

When Joseph got word that it was time to meet his father again, after all the years that had gone by, he made his chariot ready, and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen, and presented himself unto him;  and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

And Israel said unto Joseph: 'Now, let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.'

Joseph said to his family that he would go to Pharaoh to inform him that they had arrived.  He also told them to tell Pharaoh, when they meet him, that they had raised and traded cattle, because sheperds were an abomination in Egypt.

Then Joseph went to meet with Pharaoh and told him that his family had reached Goshen.  He even took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.

When Pharaoh asked them about themselves they told him what Joseph had told them to tell him.

Pharaoh then turned to Joseph and said to him: 'Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee.  The land of Egypt is before thee;  in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell;  and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.'

And Joseph brought in his father and set him before Pharaoh;  and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh said unto Jacob: 'How old art thou?'

And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: 'The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years;  few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.'

And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

And Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh commanded.

And Joseph nourished his father, and his brothers, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.

Source: Genesis 46

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Jacob Allow Benjamin To Go To Joseph

And Jacob [Israel] informed his sons that there is no way that Benjamin is going with them to Egypt, because they have already cost him one son, Joseph.  He was not prepared to loose another son.  Reuben then said to his father that he can kill both Ruben's sons if he didn't bring Benjamin back to his father.  But Jacob denied him his request.  He told Ruben that losing another son would surely kill him.

But famine was sore in the land.  And when all the corn was eaten that they brought from Egypt, Jacob ordered them to go back to Egypt to get more food.  They reminded him that Joseph insisted that Benjamin must come with them, otherwise travelling to Egypt would be for nothing.  They also told them that Joseph also queried if their father was still alive.

Israel gave in and told them if that was the only way to get food, then it was how it must be.  They could take Benjamin with them.  He also ordered them to take gifts to Joseph and double their money, including the money that was returned to them on the previous occasion.  He also spoke the Lord's mercy over them.

And so they took off with the presents, the money and Benjamin and travelled to Egypt.  They finally stood before Joseph.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house: 'Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon.'

And the men did as Joseph said, and brought his brothers into the house.

But they were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house, and his servants gave them water and washed their feet, and they gave their donkeys food. 

And the brothers made ready to present Joseph at noon, for they have heard that they would eat bread there.

And when Joseph came home, they offered him the presents that they brought with them, and they bowed before his feet.

He, in return, ask them about their welfare and their father's welfare ... asking if he was still alive.

They replied that Jacob was in good wealth and bowed again before Joseph.

Joseph then lifted up his eyes and then he saw Benjamin, his mother's son.  He then ask the other brothers if Benjamin was the younger brother that they have spoken of.

Joseph then quietly went to his chambers and weep.  After he washed his face, he went out told them to eat.

The next morning, before they leave, Joseph ordered that his personal silver cup should be hidden in Benjamin's sack.  While they were deep into their journey, Joseph's servants caught up with them, informing them that Joseph's cup was stolen and that they are going to search the brother's sacks.  And then they found the cup in Benjamin's sack.

They returned the men to the city.  The brother's pleaded with Joseph to let Benjamin go with them, that he was innocent.  They told Joseph that if they had to get home without Benjamin, their father would die of sorrow, because he had already lost one son.

And then Joseph could not hold the truth to himself anymore.  He ordered his men to leave him, until he was alone with his brothers.  He made himself known to his brothers: 'I am Joseph, and is my father still alive?'  He brothers couldn't answer him, and just look at him in disbelief.

He asked them to came closer and said to them: 'Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me.  For God did send me before you to preserve life.  So it was not you that sent me, but God'.  'Now go back to my father and tell him that I'm still alive, and that God made me lord of all of Egypt. and that all of you and everything that you have must come to me.  I will give you the the land of Goshen to dwell in.  And I will take care of you for the next 5 years until the famine will be over'.

Joseph then fell upon Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

When Farao heard that Joseph had reunited with his family, he and his house was very pleased.  He promised Joseph that he would take the best of care of Joseph's family, sending the best of wagons to go get Joseph's family, with presents for all.


Source:  Genesis Chapter 45

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Joseph's Brothers Came To Him For Food

When Jacob [Israel] saw that there were food in Egypt, he turn to his sons and ask them why are they just standing around and looking at each other, doing nothing.

He then said to them: 'Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt.  Get down there and buy food for us, so that we won't die.'

So 10 of Joseph's brother started their journey to Egypt to buy food.

But Jacob didn't send Benjamin with them, because he feared for Benjamin's safety.

And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for famine was in the land of Canaan.

And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he that sold to all the people of the land ... and Joseph's brothers came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

Joseph immediately recognised his brothers, but made himself strange unto them.

He said unto them: 'From where are you?.'  And they say: 'From the land of Canaan to buy food.'

Joseph remembered his dream where his brother would bow down to him, and said unto them: 'You are spies.  You came to see the nakedness of the land that you came to.'

And they said to him: 'No, my lord, we are only here to buy food, as your servants. We are are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are not spies.'

And he said unto them: 'No, you are here as spies.'

And they said: 'Thy servants are 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.'

And Joseph said unto them: 'You will prove to me that you are not spies.  You will go nowhere until your youngest brother comes to me.  Send of you to fetch your brother, and the rest of you will be put in prison, that your words may be proved, if there is any proof in what you say ... or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.'

And he put them all together in a ward for 3 days.

And Joseph said unto them the 3rd day: 'This will do, and live ... for I fear God.  If you are true men, let one of your brother be bound in the house of your prison ... go, carry corn for the hunger of your houses.  But bring your youngest brother to me; so shall your words be verified, and you shall not die.'

And they said one to another: 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.'

And Reuben answered them: 'Did I not spoke unto you, saying: Do not sin against the child, and you would not hear? Therefore, behold also his blood is required.'

They didn't know that Joseph could understand every word they say, because he was using an interpreter to speak to them.

And Joseph turned away from them and wept bitterly.

When he came back, he choose Simeon and bound him before his brother's eyes. He set the other brothers free.

The Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way.

So they started their journey back to Canaan.

Along the way the brothers stopped to feed there donkeys, and as one of them open his sack to feed his donkey, he nearly got a heart attack!

There in his sack were all his money, easy to see for anybody that would have looked.

He immediately alerted his brother and a great fear was in all their hearts.  And they said to one another: 'What is this that God hath done unto us?'

The dreaded journey eventually ended as they reached their father, and then they told him the whole story: 'The man, who is the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

And we said unto him that we are true men and not spies ... that we are 12 brothers, sons of our father; that one is not, and that the youngest stayed home with our father in the land of Canaan.

And the man said to us: 'Hereby shall I know that you are true men; leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.

And bring your youngest brother to me, then I shall know that you are not spies, but true men. So shall I deliver your brother, and you shall freely travel the land.'

And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.



Source: Genesis 42

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Joseph Became Pharaoh's Right Hand Man

Everything returned to normal, after the execution of Pharaoh's chief baker, and Joseph remained in prison ... for another 2 full years.

At the end of the 2 years, Pharaoh one night dreamed.

He dreamed that he was standing next to a river.  And, behold, there came up out of the river 7 well favoured oxen and fatfleshed ... and they fed in the meadow.

And, behold, 7 other oxen came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed, and stood by the other oxen upon the brink of the river.

And the ill favoured and leanfleshed oxen did eat up the 7 well favoured and fat oxen. Just then Pharaoh woke up. He went back to sleep and he dreamed for the second time.

And, behold, 7 ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

And, behold, 7 thin ears devoured the 7 rank and full ears.

Pharaoh again woke up, and was very glad that it was just a dream.

But when he woke the next morning, he was troubled by the dreams. So he sent for all the magicians in Egypt, as well as all the wise men.

He told them his 2 dreams, but none of them could tell him what it meant.

Suddenly the chief butler spoke unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Pharaoh was angry at me and the chief baker and had put us in prison, two years ago. We dreamed a dream one night, I and he ... we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

And there was with us a young man, a Hebrew ... servant to the captain of the guard.  We told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams, to each manaccording to his dreams he did interpret ... and it came to pass.'

Pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph ... Joseph shaved himself and changed his rainment, before his meeting with Pharaoh.

Upon their meeting, Pharaoh immediately told Joseph about his 2 dreams.

When Pharaoh finished his story, Joseph answered him:

'The dream of Pharaoh is one.  God had shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

The 7 good oxen are 7 good years, and the 7 good ears are 7 years ... the dream is one.

And the 7 thin and ill favoured oxen and the 7 empty ears shall be 7 years of famine.

Behold, there come 7 years of great plenty thoughout Egypt, and then shall arise after them 7 years of famine.

And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of the famine following.'

Joseph then continued: 'Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.  Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the 5th part of the land of Egypt in the 7 plenteous years.

Let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

And that food shall be for store to the land against the 7 years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine.'

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made Joseph his overseer over the Egyptians and said to him: 'Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled.  Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.'

Pharaoh then took of his ring and gave it to Joseph, and from thereon Joseph always rode at Pharaoh's side.

He also called Joseph by the name Zaphnath-Paaneah and gave him a wife called Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On.  He had 2 sons and he called them Manasseh and Ephraim.  At that time Joseph was 30 years old.

So Joseph made sure that Egypt gather all the food possible in the 7 fat years, and before the famine hit the land.

And when the hunger came all over the earth, Egypt had food ... and all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn ... because the famine was so sore in all the countries.

Source: Genesis 41

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Joseph Got Thrown Into Prison [Pothiphar's Wife Lied] ... And He Interpreted His First Two Dreams In Prison

So, his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites, and they in return sold Joseph to Potiphar ... Pharaoh's right hand man.

But The Lord was with Joseph and made him a prosperous man ... while he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

Potiphar saw that The Lord was with Joseph and that everything that Joseph touched, turned into gold for him.

So Joseph found grace in his master's eyes ... and Potiphar made Joseph the overseer of his house, and all that he had put into his hand ... and The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake.  And the blessing of The Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

Potiphar trusted Joseph completely, because Joseph was a goodly person and well favoured.

But when Potiphar's wife saw the handsome Joseph, she immediately wanted him, and she tried her best to seduce him.  When she grasped his robe, he tore loose from her grip and ran like hell.

She then called the guard and cried that Joseph was trying to rape her.

He was thrown into prison ... but God made everybody in the prison like him, even the keeper of the prison found grace in God's eyes.

While Joseph was in prison, the baker and the butler of the king of Egypt offended their king ... and Pharaoh's wrath was against his two head officers, the chief of the butlers, and the chief of the bakers.

So he threw them both in prison ... the same prison where Joseph was.

And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them ... and they continued a season in ward.

Then, one night they both dreamed a personal dream.

When they woke up the next morning, Joseph could see that they both were very sad, and he asked them what was going on.

They told him about their dreams, and that they couldn't understand what it meant, and that they were worried.

He then urged them to tell their dreams to him, because only The Lord could answer them to the meaning of the dreams.

The chief butler then told his dream to Joseph: 'In my dream, behold, a vine was before me.  And in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes.  And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, and pressed them in Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.'

And Joseph said unto him: 'This is the interpretation of it:  The three branched are three days.  Yet, within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, restore thee unto thy place ... and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

But think on me when it shall be well with thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house ... for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.'

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph: 'I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head.  And the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh ... and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.'

And Joseph answered and said: 'This is the interpretation thereof ... The three baskets are three days.  Yet, within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from thee.'

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

But he hanged the chief baker ... as Joseph interpreted to them.


Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgave him.



Source: Genesis 40

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Joseph Got Sold By His Jealous Brothers

The Twelve Tribes of Israel [Jacob] were as follows:

The sons of Israel and Leah ... Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun,
The sons of Israel and Zilpah, Leah's handmaid ... Gad and Asher,
The sons of Israel and Rachel ... Joseph and Bejamin,
The sons of Israel and Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid ... Dan and Naphtali.

Esau had five sons that was bared to him in the land of Canaan ... Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam and Korah.

Esau later left Canaan and moved on to Mount Seir, because the land could no longer bear to feed the number of cattle that Esau and his brother

Israel had together.

As time passed, Israel's son Joseph grew into a fine young man that made his father proud.

When Joseph was 17 he took care of the flocks, together with his brothers, the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah. 

He told his father everything that they did ... and they got very angry at him for putting them in a bad light in Israel's eyes.

Israel loved Joseph the most and he lovingly made a coat of many colors for Joseph, which Joseph proudly wore wherever he went ... he loved his coat that his father made especially for him.

When his brothers saw that Israel loved Joseph more than anything else, they started to hate Joseph even more.

Then Joseph dreamed a dream ... and told it to his brothers.

He told them his dream: 'For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright ... and behold, your sheaves stood round about, making abeisance to my sheaf.

His brothers didn't like this dream at all. They asked him what he meant ... that they will have to bow before him?

So they took the story to their father, Israel ... and Joseph told the dream again to his father and brothers.

His father rebuked Joseph and said to him: 'What is this dream that thou hast dreamed?  Shall I and thy mother and thy brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?'

And his brother envied him, but his father observed what was said, and he was thinking about the dream.

Still fuming, Joseph's brother went to Shechem to feed their father's flock.

After a few days Israel called Joseph, confirming with him that his brothers was at Shechem to feed the flock. He then asked Joseph to go to his brothers and the flock to see how things are going ... and then he must get back to Israel to report.

So Joseph immediately started his journey from the safety of Hebron to Shechem.

When he got to Shechem, he started looking for his brothers and the flock, but he couldn't find them.  He eventually came upon a lone man and asked him if he had seen his brothers.

The man confirmed that he had ... they went on further to Dothan, where there is more feed for the animals.

Joseph went to Dothan and he found them there.

When his brothers saw him coming from afar, they were fed up with him and decided to kill him and throw him in the first pit they could find ... they wanted to get rid of the pest in their lives ... they would then tell Israel that some wild animal had killed Joseph and eaten him. 

They snickered and wandered what would then become of his dreams.

Luckily Reuben overheard this conspiracy and stopped them from killing Joseph.

He said to them: 'Let us not kill him.  Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.' ... that he might rid Joseph out of their hands, to come back for him later and take Joseph back to his father. They then throw Joseph in a pit

So when Joseph reached them, they grabbed him and took of his coat of many colors.  They then cast him in the pit ... but the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

They then satisfied sat down to eat a little something, and when they looked up, they saw a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels, bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

And Judah said to his brothers: 'What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?  Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.' ... and his brothers accepted his proposal.

So they got Joseph out of the pit ... and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmeelites and they took Joseph with them to Eqypt.

When Reuben later returned to get Joseph out of the pit, to take him back to his father, he found that Joseph was missing. He demanded from his brothers to tell him where Joseph was, but they covered up what they did by dipping Joseph's coat of colors in lamb's blood and brought it back to their father.  They told him that it was all that they have found.

Israel confirmed that it was the coat of many colors that he made for Joseph and said a wild beast must have killed his beloved son. 

Israel was beyond himself with grieve ... he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins ... and mourned for his son for a very long time.

All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him ... but he was beyond comfort.

He told them that he would go to his grave mourning for his lost child.

And Joseph was sold, in Egypt, to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.



Source: Genesis 37

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Jacob's Daughter Dinah Got Ravaged By Shechem ... And Her Brothers Revenged Her

So, while Esau was on his way back to Seir, Jacob decided to set up house in a place called Succoth.

Then one day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit other young girls of the land.

Shechem, the son of Hamor which was the prince of that particular country, saw her walking.  So he grabbed her and deflowered her ... and took her with him.

He started to learn to know her and he fell in love with her.

So he went to his father, Hamor, and said to him: 'Get me this damsel to wife.'

Jacob has heard, in the meantime, that his daughter was raped, but he held his peace, because his sons was still out with the cattle in the field.

Hamor went to Jacob to talk about the situation ... and at that time Jacob's sons was back from the field.

When they heard the story of what happened to Dinah they were vivid with anger for what Shechem did to the daughter of Jacob.

Hamor then said to Jacob and his sons: 'My son Shechem likes the daughter of your house very much.  Give her to him as a wife and then we can become family and share everything we have.  We can then marry into each other's families.  You can even choose a piece of ground as your own.'

He furthermore told them that he would pay any price they want. He even promised them gifts beyond their imagination ... they must just give Dinah to Shechem to be his wife.

And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully ... because he had defiled Dina, their sister ... and said: 'We cannot do this thing ... to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised ... for that were reproach unto us.

But in this will we consent unto you ... if you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised ... then we will give our daughters unto you, and we will dwell with you and we will become one people.

If you don't do it, we will take our daughters and move on.'

So they had an accord.

Shechem and Hamor went back to the city and told the men of the city what has been arranged.

All the men then lined up to be circumcised ... the women of the Israelites were beautiful and well bred.

They were drowing in pain for the next three days ... and this was the time that Jacob's 2 sons Simeon and Levi made their move.

They took their swords and went into the city boldy ... they killed every man in the city, including Hamor and his son Shechem.

They then found their sister, Dinah, and took her back to her father, Jacob.

Jacob was not happy about the way his 2 sons handled the situation ... he was worried that the Canaanites and the Perizzites would come for revenge ... and Jacob and his would be totally outmanned.

But Simeon and Levi stood by what they did ... they answered their father: 'He should not have treated our sister as a harlot.'

When Jacob was alone, God said to him: 'Pack up and go to Beth-el and stay there.  Build an altar there for Me, because I am the God that met with you when you were running away from your brother.

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him: 'Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.

And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.'

So everybody gave all the strange gods and all their earrings to Jacob, and he hid it under the oak which was by Shechem.

And while they journeyed to Beth-el, God terrosised the cities that they passed, and the people kept clear from the Israelites.

Eventually Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is Beth-el ... he and all the people that were with him.

He built there an altar and called the place El-beth-el.

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him, saying unto him: 'Thy name shall not be called Jacob anymore ... but Israel shall be thy name.'

It came to pass that Rebekah became pregnant again ... but she died during labour ... Israel [Jacob] called his son Benjamin.

At last Israel [Jacob] reached his father, Isaac, in Mamre ... and Isaac was 140 years old by this time.

Not long after that Isaac gave up the ghost and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Genesis 34-35

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Jacob Met With Esau For The First Time After Stealing His Birthright, 20 Years Back

Laban came into sight of Jacob in the mount Gilead.  Laban decided to confront Jacob the next day.  So they camped for the night.

That night God came to Laban in a dream and said to him: 'Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.'

So Laban did take heed and when he met with Jacob the next morning, they sorted their differences in a calm and reasonable way ... and after friendly farewells Laban and Jacob parted for the first time after Jacob had come to Laban to work and live with him, 20 years earlier.

Jacob was well on his way to Canaan, when he caught sight of angels of The Lord.  When he saw them he said: 'This is God's host', and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

When he found that he was getting close to Esau, he sent messengers before him to Esau, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

He then commanded them, saying: 'You shall speak with my lord Esau.  Say to him that I, his servant Jacob, has been with Laban until now.  Tell him about my wealth, and that I humbly try to find grace in his eyes.'

The messengers went, but returned with disturbing news.  They informed Jacob that while they were on their way to Esau, they had met with Esau.  Esau was on his way to Jacob and he had 400 men with him.

Jacob was stressed out of his mind.  He was not sure if Esau was carrying a grudge because Jacob stole his blessing 20 years ago, or if he was out for revenge.

He divided everything he had ... animals and people ... into 2 groups, thinking that if Esau were to kill one group, the other group had a chance to get away and survive.

He then prayed to God to deliver him from the hand of his brother, Esau.

He saw that the day was gone, and decided to wait until the next morning, to plan his next move.

The next morning he put together a gift for Esau out of his stock ... 200 she goats and 20 he goats, 200 ewes and 20 rams, 30 milch camels with their colts, 40 kine, 10 bulls, 20 she donkeys and 10 horses.

He then instructed his slaves to take the animals to meet Esau before he would reach Jacob. He said to them to tell Esau ... upon his probable question of who they were and where they came from ... that they must say to him: 'We are the servants of Jacob, your servant. This is a gift to you from him ... and he is travelling behind us.'

Jacob then knew that there is nothing more that he could do to keep him and his save.  He will know by the expression on Esau's face what his reaction was on Jacob's gift.

So the slaves got prepared for their journey and they left right away to meet with Esau.

That night Jacob was so worried that he couldn't sleep.  He rose during the night and moved his caravan over the ford Jabbok to the other side for more safety.

Eventually he was standing alone on the bank, when he was attacked by a man.  They wrestled through the night until morning broke.  When the man saw that he couldn't overcome Jacob, he touched Jacob in the hollow of his thigh and Jacob's leg was suddenly handicapped, while he wrestled with the man.

Jacob was getting the overhand and the man finally asked Jacob to let him go.

Jacob told the man that he will only let him go if the man was to bless him.

The man then asked: 'What is your name?'  Jacob answered: 'Jacob'.  And the man said to Jacob: 'You will no longer be called Jacob.  You will be called Israel.'

Jacob blessed and called the place Peniel ... for he had seen God face to face, in the form of a man, and lived to talk about it.

Just when they past Peniel, the sun came up ... and Jacob saw Esau on the horizon, coming towards them.

 When the 2 brothers were within reach at last, Jacob bowed 7 times before Esau.  Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him and fell on his neck ... and kissed him ... and they wept.

Jacob then introduced his family to Esau and had to insist that Esau took the gift that Jacob sent him ... Esau was a very wealthy man himself, but he at last accept the gift from his brother.

They then started the journey to Edom ... Esau and his men hastily departed first, while Jacob decided on a more relaxed travel pace with the small children, women and baby animals.

So, while Esau was on his way back to Seir, Jacob decided to set up house in a place called Succoth.

He later built an altar in Shalem, a city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram ... and called it El-elohe-Israel.



Genesis 32-33

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