The Exodus - Joseph in Egypt
Introduction
We have all heard the story of Joseph in the bible at some age. If we take a step back and look at this story form a distance, it becomes one of the most incredible
Videos
Ron Wyatt Archaeology - The Exodus
History of the Israelites from post flood when Noah was still alive up until the death of Joseph. Another great work by Ark Discovery.
Time 16:36
Archaeological Evidence for the Biblical Exodus - Proof of Israelite Migration and Story of Joseph
Archaeological Evidence for the Biblical Exodus – Proof of Israelite Migration and Story of Joseph
Time 3:53
Strong evidence for Joseph's Tomb and Palace in Egypt!
Joseph moves his family to Egypt as told in Genesis 45: 9. We know the region that they settled in, Goshen in the Nile Delta; the most fertile land in Egypt that produced the food. But where town did they live in? The answer may surprise you.
Time 9:45
Evidence for Ancient Israel, the Hebrew Slaves and Joseph's Tomb in Egypt
Jacob in the land of Egypt. More evidence
Time 5:30
Dr. Douglas Petrovich - Joseph and Jacob at Avaris (Egypt)
Were the Israelites really in Egypt? An hour long talk on Avaris.
Time: 1:22:12
EGYPT: Saqqara, Djoser's mortuary complex (4600 years)
Tour of Saqqara Egypt
Time: 10:38
Joseph's Grain Pits
First Hand tour of the Grain Bins that were used during the famine in ancient Egypt. Skip to 5:47 if this video starts from the beginning.
Time: 10:38
Scriptures
The Coat of many Colors
And Jacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan wherein his father sojourned. And these are his generations: Joseph, when he was sixteen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being but a boy: and he was with the sons of Bala and of Zelpha his father’s wives: and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime. Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had him in his old age: and he made him a coat of divers colors. And his brethren seeing that he was loved by his father, more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.
Joseph’s Dreams
Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream, that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the more. And he said to them: Hear my dream which I dreamed. I thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my sheaf arose as it were, and stood, and your sheaves standing about, bowed down before my sheaf. His brethren answered: Shalt thou be our king? or shall we be subject to thy dominion? Therefore this matter of his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy and hatred. He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping me. And when he had told this to his father and brethren, his father rebuked him, and said: What meaneth this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy mother, and thy brethren worship thee upon the earth? His brethren therefore envied him: but his father considered the thing with himself.
Joseph sold into Slavery
And Ruben, returning to the pit, found not the boy: And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appear and whither shall I go? And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid, which they had killed: Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son’s coat, or not. And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son’s coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph. And tearing his garments, he put on sackcloth, mourning for his son a long time. And all his children being gathered together to comfort their father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort, but said: I will go down to my son into hell, mourning. And whilst he continued weeping, The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar, an eunuch of Pharao, captain of the soldiers.
Overseer in the house of Potiphar
And Joseph was brought into Egypt, and Putiphar an eunuch of Pharao, chief captain of the army, an Egyptian, bought him of the Ismaelites, by whom he was brought. And the Lord was with him, and he was a prosperous man in all things: and he dwelt in his master’s house, Who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found favour in the sight of his master, and ministered to him: and being set over all by him, he governed the house committed to him, and all things that were delivered to him: And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph’s sake, and multiplied all his substance, both at home, and in the fields. Neither knew he any other thing, but the bread which he ate. And Joseph was of a beautiful countenance, and comely to behold.
Tempted then framed by Potiphar’s Wife
And after many days his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and said: Lie with me. But he, in no wise consenting to that wicked act, said to her: Behold, my master hath delivered all things to me, and knoweth not what he hath in his own house: Neither is there any thing which is not in my power, or that he hath not delivered to me, but thee, who art his wife: how then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God? With such words as these day by day, both the woman was importunate with the young man, and he refused the adultery. Now it happened on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house, and was doing some business without any, man with him: And she catching the skirt of his garment, said: Lie with me. But he leaving the garment in her hand, fled, and went out. And when the woman saw the garment in her hands, and herself disregarded, She called to her the men of her house, and said to them: See, he hath brought in a Hebrew, to abuse us: he came in to me, to lie with me: and when I cried out, And he heard my voice, he left the garment that I held, and got him out. For a proof therefore of her fidelity, she kept the garment, and shewed it to her husband when he returned home: And said: The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought, came to me to abuse me. And when he heard me cry, he left the garment which I held, and fled out. His master hearing these things, and giving too much credit to his wife’s words, was very angry.
Joseph imprisoned
And cast Joseph into the prison, where the king’s prisoners were kept, and he was there shut up. But the Lord was with Joseph and having mercy upon him gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison: Who delivered into his hand all the prisoners that were kept in custody: and whatsoever was done was under him. Neither did he himself know any thing, having committed all things to him: for the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper.
Joseph Interprets the Dreams of the Baker and Butler in Prison
After this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord. And Pharao being angry with them (now the one was chief butler, the other chief baker). He sent them to the prison of the commander of the soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner, But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and he served them. Some little time passed, and they were kept in custody. And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves: And when Joseph was come in to them in the morning, and saw them sad, He asked them, saying: Why is your countenance sadder to day than usual? They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed. The chief butler first told his dream: I saw before me a vine, On which were three branches, which by little and little sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe grapes: And the cup of Pharao was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I gave the cup to Pharao. Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three branches are yet three days: After which Pharao will remember thy service, and will restore thee to thy former place: and thou shalt present him the cup according to thy office, as before thou wast wont to do. Only remember me, when it shall be well with thee, and do me this kindness: to put Pharao in mind to take me out of this prison: For I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here without any fault was cast into the dungeon. The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, That I had three baskets of meal upon my head: And that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the birds ate out of it. Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three baskets are yet three days: After which Pharao will take thy head from thee, and hang thee on a cross, and the birds shall tear thy flesh.
Fulfillment of the Dreams of the Baker and Butler
The third day after this was the birthday of Pharao: and he made a great feast for his servants, and at the banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker. And he restored the one to his place to present him the cup: The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the interpreter might be shewn. But the chief butler, when things prospered with him, forgot his interpreter.
The Dreams of Pharoah
After two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by the river, Out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat: and they fed in marshy places. Other seven also came up out of the river, ill favoured, and leanfleshed: and they fed on the very bank of the river, in green places: And they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful and well conditioned. So Pharao awoke. He slept again, and dreamed another dream: Seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk full and fair: Then seven other ears sprung up thin and blasted, And devoured all the beauty of the former. Pharao awaked after his rest: And when morning was come, being struck with fear, he sent to all the interpreters of Egypt, and to all the wise men: and they being called for, he told them his dream, and there was not any one that could interpret it. Then at length the chief butler remembering, said: I confess my sin: The king being angry with his servants, commanded me and the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain of the soldiers: Where in one night both of us dreamed a dream foreboding things to come. There was there a young man a Hebrew, servant to the same captain of the soldiers: to whom we told our dreams, And we heard what afterwards the event of the thing proved to be so. For I was restored to my office: and he was hanged upon a gibbet. Forthwith at the king’s command, Joseph was brought out of the prison, and they shaved him, and changing his apparel, brought him in to him. And he said to him: I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one that can expound them: Now I have heard that thou art very wise at interpreting them.
Joseph Interprets Pharoah’s Dreams
Joseph answered: Without me, God shall give Pharao a prosperous answer. So Pharao told what he had dreamed: Methought I stood upon the bank of the river, And seven kine came up out of the river exceeding beautiful and full of flesh: and they grazed on green places in a marshy pasture. And behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so very ill favoured and lean, that I never saw the like in the land of Egypt: And they devoured and consumed the former, And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again, And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk, full and very fair. Other seven also thin and blasted, sprung of the stock: And they devoured the beauty of the former: I told this dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can expound it. Joseph answered: The king’s dream is one: God hath shewn to Pharao what he is about to do. The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning of the dream. And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come: Which shall be fulfilled in this order: Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt: After which shall follow other seven years of so great scarcity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten: for the famine shall consume all the land, And the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty. And for that thou didst see the second time a dream pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the certainty, and that the word of God cometh to pass, and is fulfilled speedily. Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt: That he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years, That shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up under Pharao’s hands and be reserved in the cities. And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity. The counsel pleased Pharao and all his servants.
Joseph is made overseer of Egypt
And he said to them: Can we find such another man, that is full of the spirit of God? He said therefore to Joseph: Seeing God hath shewn thee all that thou hast said, can I find one wiser and one like unto thee?
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above thee. And again Pharao said to Joseph: Behold, I have appointed thee over the whole land of Egypt. And he took his ring from his own hand, and gave it into his hand: and he put upon him a robe of silk, and put a chain of gold about his neck. And he made him go up into his second chariot, the crier proclaiming that all should bow their knee before him, and that they should know he was made governor over the whole land of Egypt. And the king said to Joseph: I am Pharao; without thy commandment no man shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And he turned his name, and called him in the Egyptian tongue, The saviour of the world. And he gave him to wife Aseneth the daughter of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis. Then Joseph went out to the land of Egypt: (Now he was thirty years old when he stood before king Pharao) and he went round all the countries of Egypt And the fruitfulness of the seven years came: and the corn being bound up into sheaves was gathered together into the barns of Egypt. And all the abundance of grain was laid up in every city. And there was so great abundance of wheat, that it was equal to the sand of the sea, and the plenty exceeded measure.
Jacob Sends Ten Sons to Egypt
And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless? I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want. So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt: Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey. And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan. And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him, And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life. And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them. And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come o view the weaker parts of the land. But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil. And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land. But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living. He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies. I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come. Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies. So he put them in prison three days. And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God. If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses. And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said. And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us. And Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required.
Simeon left as hostage
And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning he spoke to them. And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man’s money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so. But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went their way. And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack’s mouth; And said to his brethren: My money is given me again, behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God hath done unto us? And they came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen them, saying: The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country. And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot. We are twelve brethren born of one father: one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan. And he said to us: Hereby shall I know that you are peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your ways. And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will. When they had told this, they poured out their corn and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together, Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me. And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee. But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell.
Jacob sends his sons to Egypt
In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land. And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food. Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you. If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee. But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother. Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother. But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you? And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish. I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever. If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time. Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds. And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake. And take also your brother, and go to the man. And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children. So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
The brothers are entertained in Joseph’s home
And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon. He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house. And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses. Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door, They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food: And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight. And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags. But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them. And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses. But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there. Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground. But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living? And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him. And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son. And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept. And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table. And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane:): They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much: Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Joseph sends his brothers home
And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack. And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done. And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses. And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast vertaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good? The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing. He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words. And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact? The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver? With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord. And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack. Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack. Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town. And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place,) and they altogether fell down before him on the ground. And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
Judah volunteers to take Benjimen’s place
And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found. Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father. Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art, My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother? And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly. And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him. We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die. And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more. Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said. And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat. And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face. Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two. One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not. If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,) And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever. Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren. For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
Joseph reveals his identity
Joseph could no longer refrain himself before many that stood by: whereupon he commanded that all should go out, and no stranger be present at their knowing one another. And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians and all the house of Pharao heard. And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: is my father yet living? His brethren could not answer him, being struck with exceeding great fear. And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation. For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping. And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the earth, and may have food to live. Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and lord of his whole house, and governor in all the land of Egypt.
Joseph invites his family to Egypt
Make haste, and go ye up to my father, and say to him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of the whole land of Egypt: come down to me, linger not. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gessen: and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, thy sheep, and thy herds, and all things that thou hast. And there I will feed thee, (for there are yet five years of famine remaining,) lest both thou perish, and thy house, and all things that thou hast. Behold, your eyes, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaketh to you. You shall tell my father of all my glory, and all things that you have seen in Egypt: make haste and bring him to me. And falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he embraced him and wept: and Benjamin in like manner wept also on his neck. And Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept upon every one of them: after which they were emboldened to speak to him. And it was heard, and the fame was abroad in the king’s court: The brethren of Joseph are come: and Pharao with all his family was glad. And he spoke to Joseph that he should give orders to his brethren, saying: Load your beasts, and go into the land of Chanaan. And bring away from thence your father and kindred, and come to me: and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, that you may eat the marrow of the land. Give orders also that they take wagons out of the land of Egypt, for the carriage of their children and their wives: and say: Take up your father, and make haste to come with all speed: And leave nothing of your household stuff: for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours. And the sons of Israel did as they were bid. And Joseph gave them wagons according to Pharao’s commandment: and provisions for the way. 22 He ordered also to be brought out for every one of them two robes: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver with five robes of the best: 23 Sending to his father as much money and raiment, adding besides ten he asses to carry off all the riches of Egypt, and as many she asses, carrying wheat and bread for the journey. 24 So he sent away his brethren, and at their departing said to them: Be not angry in the way. 25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan to their father Jacob. And they told him, saying: Joseph thy son is living: and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. Which when Jacob heard, he awaked as it were out of a deep sleep, yet did not believe them. They, on the other side, told the whole order of the thing. And when he saw the wagons and all that he had sent his spirit revived, And he said: It is enough for me, if Joseph my son be yet living: I will go and see him before I die.
Jacob and Family move to Egypt
And Israel taking his journey, with all that he had, came to the well of the oath, and killing victims there to the God of his father Isaac, He heard him by a vision in the night calling him, and saying to him: Jacob, Jacob. And he answered him: Lo, here I am. God said to him: I am the most mighty God of thy father: fear not, go down into Egypt, for I will make a great nation of thee there. I will go down with thee thither, and will bring thee back again from thence: Joseph also shall put his hands upon thy eyes. And Jacob rose up from the well of the oath: and his sons took him up, with their children and wives in the wagons, which Pharao had sent to carry the old man, And all that he had in the land of Chanaan, and he came into Egypt with all his seed: His sons, and grandsons, daughters, and all his offspring together. And these are the names of the children of Israel, that entered into Egypt, he and his children. His firstborn Ruben, The sons of Ruben: Henoch and Phallu, and Hesron and Charmi. The sons of Simeon: Jamuel and Jamin and Ahod, and Jachin and Sohar, and Saul the son of a woman of Chanaan. The sons of Levi: Gerson and Caath and Merari. The sons of Juda: Her and Onan and Sela and Phares and Zara. And Her and Onan died in the land of Chanaan. And sons were born to Phares: Hesron and Hamul. The sons of Issachar: Thola and Phua and Job and Semron. The sons of Zabulon: Sared and Elon and Jahelel. These are the sons of Lia, whom she bore in Mesopotamia of Syria, with Dina his daughter. All the souls of her sons and daughters, thirty-three. The sons of Gad: Sephian and Haggi and Suni and Esebon and Heri and Arodi and Areli. The sons of Aser: Jamne and Jesua and Jessuri and Beria, and Sara their sister. The sons of Beria: Heber and Melchiel. These are the sons of Zelpha, whom Laban gave to Lia his daughter. And these she bore to Jacob, sixteen souls. The sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. And sons were born to Joseph, in the land of Egypt, whom Aseneth the daughter of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis bore him: Manasses and Ephraim. The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Bechor and Asbel and Gera and Naaman and Echi and Ros and Mophim and Ophim and Ared. These are the sons of Rachel, whom she bore to Jacob: all the souls, fourteen. The sons of Dan: Husim. The sons of Nephtali: Jaziel and Guni and Jeser and Sallem. These are the sons of Bala, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter: and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls, seven. All the souls that went with Jacob into Egypt, and that came out of his thigh, besides his sons’ wives, sixty-six. And the sons of Joseph, that were born to him in the land of Egypt, two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that entered into Egypt, were seventy. And he sent Juda before him to Joseph, to tell him; and that he should meet him in Gessen.
Jacob and Joseph reunited
And when he was come thither, Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet his father, in the same place: and seeing him, he fell upon his neck, and embracing him wept. And the father said to Joseph: Now shall I die with joy, because I have seen thy face, and leave thee alive. And Joseph said to his brethren, and to all his father’s house: I will go up, and will tell Pharao, and will say to him: My brethren and my father’s house, that were in the land of Chanaan, are come to me: And the men are shepherds, and their occupation is to feed cattle: their flocks and herds, and all they have, they have brought with them. And when he shall call you, and shall say: What is your occupation? You shall answer: We thy servants are shepherds, from our infancy until now, both we and our fathers. And this you shall say, that you may dwell in the land of Gessen, because the Egyptians have all shepherds in abomination.
According to the above, the Israelites were residents of Egypt and lived in the Nile delta, the most fertile part of the country. All started from one family, that of Jacob, and multiplied into a nation of roughly two and a half million people, which includes men, women, and children. At this point, it is their beginning. It would not be until over four hundred years later that they would be able to leave Egypt.
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- Last Publish: February 24, 2025 10:28