Genesis 42

New International Version

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,^(A) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” ²He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,^(B) so that we may live and not die.”^(C)

³Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain^(D) from Egypt. ⁴But Jacob did not send Benjamin,^(E) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.^(F) ⁵So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,^(G) for there was famine in the land of Canaan^(H) also.^(I)

⁶Now Joseph was the governor of the land,^(J) the person who sold grain to all its people.^(K) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.^(L) ⁷As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(M) “Where do you come from?”^(N) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

⁸Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.^(O) ⁹Then he remembered his dreams^(P) about them and said to them, “You are spies!^(Q) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(R)

¹⁰“No, my lord,^(S)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^(T) ¹¹We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(U) are honest men,^(V) not spies.^(W)”

¹²“No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(X)

¹³But they replied, “Your servants^(Y) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.^(Z) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”^(AA)

¹⁴Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!^(AB) ¹⁵And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,^(AC) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.^(AD) ¹⁶Send one of your number to get your brother;^(AE) the rest of you will be kept in prison,^(AF) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.^(AG) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!^(AH)” ¹⁷And he put them all in custody^(AI) for three days.

¹⁸On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:^(AJ) ¹⁹If you are honest men,^(AK) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,^(AL) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.^(AM) ²⁰But you must bring your youngest brother to me,^(AN) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

²¹They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.^(AO) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress^(AP) has come on us.”

²²Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?^(AQ) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting^(AR) for his blood.”^(AS) ²³They did not realize^(AT) that Joseph could understand them,^(AU) since he was using an interpreter.

²⁴He turned away from them and began to weep,^(AV) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.^(AW)

²⁵Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,^(AX) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,^(AY) and to give them provisions^(AZ) for their journey.^(BA) After this was done for them, ²⁶they loaded their grain on their donkeys^(BB) and left.

²⁷At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,^(BC) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.^(BD) ²⁸“My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank^(BE) and they turned to each other trembling^(BF) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”^(BG)

²⁹When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,^(BH) they told him all that had happened to them.^(BI) They said, ³⁰“The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us^(BJ) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.^(BK) ³¹But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.^(BL) ³²We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’^(BM)

³³“Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.^(BN) ³⁴But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.^(BO) Then I will give your brother back to you,^(BP) and you can trade^[a] in the land.^(BQ)’”

³⁵As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!^(BR) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.^(BS) ³⁶Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,^(BT) and now you want to take Benjamin.^(BU) Everything is against me!^(BV)”

³⁷Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,^(BW) and I will bring him back.”^(BX)

³⁸But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead^(BY) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him^(BZ) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave^(CA) in sorrow.^(CB)”

Footnotes

Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely

Job 8

New International Version

Bildad

8 Then Bildad the Shuhite^(A) replied:

²“How long will you say such things?^(B)
    Your words are a blustering wind.^(C)
³Does God pervert justice?^(D)
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?^(E)
⁴When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.^(F)
⁵But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead^(G) with the Almighty,^(H)
⁶if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf^(I)
    and restore you to your prosperous state.^(J)
⁷Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous^(K) will your future be.^(L)

⁸“Ask the former generation^(M)
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
⁹for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,^(N)
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.^(O)
¹⁰Will they not instruct^(P) you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?^(Q)
¹¹Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?^(R)
    Can reeds^(S) thrive without water?
¹²While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.^(T)
¹³Such is the destiny^(U) of all who forget God;^(V)
    so perishes the hope of the godless.^(W)
¹⁴What they trust in is fragile^[a];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.^(X)
¹⁵They lean on the web,^(Y) but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.^(Z)
¹⁶They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots^(AA) over the garden;^(AB)
¹⁷it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
¹⁸But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns^(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’^(AD)
¹⁹Surely its life withers^(AE) away,
    and^[b] from the soil other plants grow.^(AF)

²⁰“Surely God does not reject one who is blameless^(AG)
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.^(AH)
²¹He will yet fill your mouth with laughter^(AI)
    and your lips with shouts of joy.^(AJ)
²²Your enemies will be clothed in shame,^(AK)
    and the tents^(AL) of the wicked will be no more.”^(AM)

Footnotes

Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that

Psalm 40

New International Version

Psalm 40^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹I waited patiently^(B) for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.^(C)
²He lifted me out of the slimy pit,^(D)
    out of the mud^(E) and mire;^(F)
he set my feet^(G) on a rock^(H)
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³He put a new song^(I) in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord^(J)
    and put their trust^(K) in him.

⁴Blessed is the one^(L)
    who trusts in the Lord,^(M)
who does not look to the proud,^(N)
    to those who turn aside to false gods.^[b]^(O)
⁵Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders^(P) you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare^(Q) with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many^(R) to declare.

⁶Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—^(S)
    but my ears you have opened^[c]—^(T)
    burnt offerings^(U) and sin offerings^[d] you did not require.
⁷Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.^[e]^(V)
⁸I desire to do your will,^(W) my God;^(X)
    your law is within my heart.”^(Y)

⁹I proclaim your saving acts^(Z) in the great assembly;^(AA)
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.^(AB)
¹⁰I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness^(AC) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.^(AD)

¹¹Do not withhold your mercy^(AE) from me, Lord;
    may your love^(AF) and faithfulness^(AG) always protect^(AH) me.
¹²For troubles^(AI) without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.^(AJ)
They are more than the hairs of my head,^(AK)
    and my heart fails^(AL) within me.
¹³Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.^(AM)

¹⁴May all who want to take my life^(AN)
    be put to shame and confusion;^(AO)
may all who desire my ruin^(AP)
    be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”^(AQ)
    be appalled at their own shame.
¹⁶But may all who seek you^(AR)
    rejoice and be glad^(AS) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”^(AT)

¹⁷But as for me, I am poor and needy;^(AU)
may the Lord think^(AV) of me.
You are my help^(AW) and my deliverer;^(AX)
you are my God, do not delay.^(AY)

Footnotes

Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me