Reciting the Dead Sea Scrolls

 

Gen 39-42

Chapter 39

Gen 39:1LEB

 

1; And Joseph was carried down to Egypt. And Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, the chief of the executioners, an Egyptian man, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had carried him down there.

 

2; And YAHWEH was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. And he was in the house of the Egyptian, his master.

 

3; And his master saw that YAHWEH was with him, and Joseph was prospering in his hand everything which he did.

 

4; And Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. And he appointed him over his house, and he gave all he owned into his hand.

 

5; And it came about that from the time he appointed him over his house and over all he owned, YAHWEH blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. And the blessing of YAHWEH was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.

 

6; And he left all he owned in Joseph's hand. And he did not know anything that he had, except the bread which he was eating. And Joseph was beautiful in form and beautiful of appearance.

 

7; And after these things, it happened that his master's wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph, and said, Lie with me.

 

8; And he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master does not know what is in the house with me, and all that he owns he has given into my hand.

 

9; No one in this house is greater than I, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, because you are his wife. And how should I do this great evil and sin against Elohim?

 

Gen 39:10LEB

 And it happened, as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her, to lie beside her, to be with her.

 

11; And it happened on this day, that he went into the house to do his work. And none of the men of the house were there in the house.

 

12; And she caught him by his robe, saying, Lie with me! And he left his robe in her hand and fled, and went outside.

 

13; And it happened, when she saw that he had left his robe in her hand, and had fled outside,

 

14; she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, Behold! He has brought to us a Hebrew man in to mock at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

 

15; And it happened when he heard that I raised my voice and cried, he left his robe by me and fled, and went outside.

 

16; And she kept his robe beside her until the coming of his master to his house.

 

17; And she spoke these same words to him, saying, The Hebrew slave whom you brought in to us came in to mock at me.

 

18; And it happened at my raising my voice and crying out, he left his robe beside me and fled outside.

 

19; And it happened, when his master heard his wife's words which she spoke to him, saying, According to these words your slave did to me, his anger glowed.

 

Gen 39:20LEB

20; And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison house, the place where the king's prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison house.

 

21; And YAHWEH was with Joseph, and extended kindness to him. And He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison house.

 

22; And the warden of the prison house gave all the prisoners in the prison house into Joseph's hand. And all which they did there, he was doing.

 

23; There was no looking of the warden of the prison house to anything in his hand, in that YAHWEH was with him, and YAHWEH was prospering what he was doing.

 

Chapter 40

Gen 40:1LEB

 And after these things, it happened, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt sinned against their master, against the king of Egypt.

 

2; And Pharaoh was angry against his two eunuchs, against the chief of the cupbearers and against the chief of the bakers.

 

3; And he gave them into custody, in the house of the chief of the executioners, into the prison house, the place where Joseph was bound.

 

4; And the chief of the executioners appointed Joseph to be with them, and he served them. And they were in custody many days.

 

5; And they dreamed a dream, both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker who belonged to the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison house.

 

6; And Joseph came in to them in the morning. And he looked at them, and, behold, they were sad.

 

7; And he asked the officers of Pharaoh who were with him in custody, in the house of his master, saying, Why are your faces sad today?

 

8; And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is not one to open it. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to Elohim? Now tell it to me.

 

9; And the chief of the cupbearers told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me.

 

Gen 40:10LEB

 And in the vine were three branches. And at its budding, it went Genesis up into blossom, its clusters ripened into grapes.

 

11; And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and press- ed them into the cup of Pharaoh; and I gave the cup into the hand of Pharaoh.

 

12; And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation: the three branches, they are three days.

 

13; Yet within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will return you to your place. And you will give the cup of Pharaoh into his hand according to the former custom when you were his cupbearer.

 

14; But make mention of me along with yourself, when it is well with you; and please do kindness with me and mention me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.

 

15; For truly I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have not done anything that they should have put me into the dungeon.

 

16; And the chief of the bakers saw that the interpretation was good. And he said to Joseph, I also in my dream saw three baskets of white bread on my head.

 

17; And in the top basket some from all the food of Pharaoh, the work of a baker. And the birds were eating them from the basket off my head.

 

18; And Joseph answered and said, This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.

 

19; Yet within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.

 

Gen 40:20LEB

 And it happened, on the third day, the day of Pharaoh's birth, he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief of the cup-bearers and the head of the chief of the bakers in the midst of his servants.

 

21; And he restored the chief of the cupbearers to his cupbearer office; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

 

22; And he hanged the chief of the bakers, as Joseph interpreted to them.

 

23; And the chief of the cupbearers did not mention Joseph, but forgot him.

 

Chapter 41

Gen 41:1LEB

 And it happened at the end of two years of days, Pharaoh was dreaming. And, lo, he was standing by the River.

 

2; And, behold! Seven cows were going up from the River, beautiful of appearance and fat of flesh; and they were eating in the reeds.

 

3; And, behold, seven other cows were going up after them from the River, evil of appearance and lean of flesh. And they were standing beside the cows on the lip of the River.

 

4; And the evil-appearing and lean- fleshed cows were eating the seven cows of beautiful and fat appearance. And Pharaoh awoke.

 

5; And he slept and dreamed a second time. And, behold, seven ears of grain were coming up on one stalk, fat and good.

 

6; And, behold, seven ears of grain, being lean and blasted by the east wind, sprouting forth after them.

 

7; And the seven lean ears were swallowing the seven fat and full ears. And Pharaoh awakened; and, behold, it was a dream.

 

8; And it happened in the morning, his spirit was troubled. And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dream, and there was no interpreter of them to Pharaoh.

 

9; And the chief of the cupbearers spoke with Pharaoh, saying, I mention my sin today.

 

 

Chapter 41

Gen 41:10LEB

 Pharaoh was angry against his servants, and gave me into custody in the house of the chief of the executioners, me and the chief of the bakers.

 

11; And we dreamed a dream in one night, he and I; we each dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream.

 

12; And a Hebrew youth was with us, a slave to the chief of the executioners. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams to us; he interpreted to each according to his dream.

 

13; And it happened, as he had interpreted to us, so it was; he returned me to my position, and he hanged him.

 

14; And Pharaoh sent and called Joseph; and they rushed him from the dungeon. And he shaved and changed his clothing and came in to Pharaoh.

 

15; And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it; and I have heard about you, saying, you hear a dream to interpret it.

 

16; And Joseph replied to Pharaoh, saying, Not I! Elohim will answer the peace of Pharaoh.

 

17; And Pharaoh said to Joseph, In my dream, lo, I was standing on the lip of the River.

 

18; And, behold, seven cows were going up from the River, fat of flesh and beautiful of form, and were feeding in the reeds.

 

19; And, behold, seven other cows were going up after them, poor and very evil of form, and lean of flesh; I have not seen any like them in all the land of Egypt for badness.

 

Gen 41:20LEB

 And the cows, the lean and the evil, ate the first seven fat cows.

 

21; And they went into their stomachs, and it could not be seen that they had gone into their stomachs; and their appearance was as evil as at the beginning. And I awakened.

 

22; And I looked in my dream. And, behold, seven ears of grain were coming up on one stalk, full and good.

 

23; And, behold, seven ears, withered, lean, blasted by the east wind, sprouting forth after them.

 

24; And the lean ears were swallowing the seven good ears. And I spoke to the magicians, but not one is making known the meaning to me.

 

25; And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one. Elohim has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

 

26; The seven good cows, they are seven years and the seven good ears, they are seven years; the dream is one.

 

27; And the seven thin and evil- appearing cows going up after them, they are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted by the east wind will be seven years of famine.

 

28; This is the word that I spoke to Pharaoh: what Elohim is about to do, He has made Pharaoh see.

 

29; Behold! Seven years of great plenty are coming in all the land of Egypt.

 

Gen 41:30LEB

 And seven years of famine will arise after them and all the plenty of the land of Egypt will be forgotten; and the famine will consume the land.

 

31; And the plenty in the land will not be remembered because of that famine afterwards; for it will be very severe.

 

32; And as to the dream being repeated to Pharaoh twice, the thing is settled because it is from Elohim, and Elohim is hastening to do it.

 

33; And now let Pharaoh look for a man who is intelligent and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

 

34; Let Pharaoh act and let him appoint rulers over the land and take a fifth of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty.

 

35; And let them gather all the food of these coming good years. And let them heap up grain under Pharaoh's hand as food in the cities, and let them keep it.

 

36; And let the food be for a store for the land, for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt and let not the land be cut off by famine.

 

37; And the word was good in Pharaoh's eyes, and in the eyes of all his servants.

 

38; And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find any man like this, in whom the Spirit of Elohim is in?

 

39; And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since Elohim has taught you all this, there is no one wise and intelligent like you.

 

Gen 41:40LEB

 You shall be over my house, and at your mouth shall be ordered all my people. Only in respect to the throne will I be greater than you.

 

41; And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.

 

42; And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it on the hand of Joseph; and he clothed him with fine linen robes, and put a golden chain on his neck.

 

43; And he caused him to ride in a chariot which was the second to him. And they cried before him, Bow the knee! And he put him over all the land of Egypt.

 

44; And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without a word from you not a man shall lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.

 

45; And Pharaoh called Joseph by the name of Tzaphnath-Paaneah. And He gave him Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, for a wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

 

46; And Joseph was a son of thirty years as he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the face of Pharaoh and passed over in all the land of Egypt.

 

47; And the land produced by handfuls in the seven years of plenty.

 

48; And he gathered all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and he put food in the cities, the food of the field which is around each city he put in among it.

 

49; And Joseph heaped up grain like the sand of the sea, exceedingly much, until he ceased to count it, because it was without number.

 

Gen 41:50LEB

 And two sons were born to Joseph before the year of the famine came in, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore to him.

 

51; And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh; for Elohim has made me forget all my toil, and all the house of my father.

 

52; And the name of the second he called Ephraim; for Elohim has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

 

53; And the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt were ended.

 

54; And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said. And the famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

 

55; And all the land of Egypt hungered and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all Egypt, Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.

 

56; And the famine was on the face of all the land. And Joseph opened all which was in them, and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine was strong in the land of Egypt.

 

57; And all the earth came to Egypt to buy, to Joseph. For the famine was strong in all the earth.

 

Chapter 42

Gen 42:1LEB

1; And Jacob saw that grain was in Egypt. And Jacob said to his sons, Why do you look at each other?

 

2; And he said, Behold! I have heard grain is in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there, that we may live and not die.

 

3; And Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

 

4; And Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he said, Lest harm happen to him.

 

5; And among those coming, the sons of Israel came to buy. For the famine was in land of Canaan.

 

6; And Joseph was the governor over the land, the one selling to all the people of the earth. And Joseph's brothers came in and bowed to him, face down to the earth.

 

7; And Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them; but he remained a stranger to them and spoke harsh things to them, and said to them, From where have you come? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

 

8; And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

 

9; And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them. And he said to them, You are spies! You have come in to see the bareness of the land.

 

Gen 42:10LEB

 And they said to him, No, my master, but your servants have come to buy food.

 

11; We are all of us sons of one man; we are honest; your servants are not spies.

 

12; And he said to them, No, but you have come to see the bareness of the land.

 

13; And they said, Your servants are twelve brothers; we are sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, lo, the youngest is with our father today; and one is not.

 

14; And Joseph said to them, This is that which I have spoken to you, saying, You are spies!

 

15; By this you shall be tested. As Pharaoh lives you shall not go out from here except your younger brother comes in here.

 

16; Send one of you and let him bring your brother; and you be bound, and let your words be proven, whether truth is with you. And if not, as Pharaoh lives, surely you are spies.

 

17; And he gathered them into custody three days.

 

18; And on the third day Joseph said to them, Do this and live. I revear Elohim.

 

19; If you are honest, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison house, and you go bring grain for the famine of your houses.

 

Gen 42:20LEB

 And you bring your youngest brother to me, and let your words be true, and you shall not die. And so they did.

 

21; And they said each to his brother, We are truly guilty because of our brother whom we saw in distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we did not hear. So this distress has come to us.

 

22; And Reuben replied to them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the youth, and you did not listen? And, behold, his blood is also required.

 

23; And they did not know that Joseph heard, for the interpreter was between them.

 

24; And he turned away from them and wept, and returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

 

25; And Joseph commanded, and they filled their vessels with grain and returned their silver, each into his sack, and gave to them food for the way; and he did so to them.

 

26; And they lifted their grain on their donkeys and walked from there.

 

27; And one opened his sack to give fodder to his donkey in the camp, and he saw his silver. And, behold! It was in the mouth of his sack!

 

28; And he said to his brothers, My silver has been put back, and also look in my sack. And their hearts went out, and they were each terrified, saying to his brother, What is this Elohim has done to us?

 

29; And they came to their father Jacob to the land of Canaan. And they told him all that met them, saying,

 

Gen 42:30LEB

 The man, the master of the land, spoke harsh things to us and considered us as spies in the land.

 

31; And we said to him, We are honest; we are not spies.

 

32; We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; the one is not, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.

 

33; And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, By this I shall know that you are honest; leave your one brother with me, and take and go for the famine of your houses.

 

34; And bring your youngest brother to me, and I may know that you are not spies, but you are honest. I will give your brother to you and you may trade in the land.

 

35; And it happened. They were emptying their sacks, and, behold, each one's bundle of silver was in his sack; and they saw the bundles of their silver, and they were afraid.

 

36; And their father Jacob said to them, You have bereaved me. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and will you take Benjamin? All of these are against me.

 

37; And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him to you. Give him into my hand, and I will return him to you.

 

38; And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. And if harm should happen to him in the way in which you go, you would bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.