Genesis 37; Genesis 39-40 - Prayer Tents

Joseph’s Dreams

37So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.H3290H3427H776H1H4033H776H3667 2This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father's flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.H8435H3290H3130H6240H7651H8141H1121H7462H6629H251H5288H1121H1090H1121H2153H1H802H3130H935H1H7451H1681 3Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.H3478H157H3130H1121H1121H2208H6213H3801H6446 4But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn't say a kind word to him.H251H7200H1H157H251H8130H3201H1696H7965 5One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever.H3130H2492H2472H5046H251H8130H3254 6"Listen to this dream," he said.H559H8085H2472H2492 7"We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!"H481H8432H485H7704H485H6965H5324H485H5437H7812H485 8His brothers responded, "So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.H251H559H4427H4427H4910H4910H8130H3254H2472H1697 9Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. "Listen, I have had another dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!"H2492H312H2472H5608H251H559H2492H2472H8121H3394H6240H259H3556H7812 10This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. "What kind of dream is that?" he asked. "Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?"H5608H1H251H1H1605H559H2472H2492H517H251H935H935H7812H776 11But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.H251H7065H1H8104H1697 12Soon after this, Joseph's brothers went to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem.H251H3212H7462H1H6629H7927 13When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, "Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them." "I'm ready to go," Joseph replied.H3478H559H3130H251H7462H7927H3212H7971H559 14"Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along," Jacob said. "Then come back and bring me a report." So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron.H559H3212H7200H7965H251H7965H6629H7725H1697H7725H7971H6010H2275H935H7927 15When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. "What are you looking for?" he asked.H376H4672H8582H7704H376H7592H559H1245 16"I'm looking for my brothers," Joseph replied. "Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?"H559H1245H251H5046H375H7462 17"Yes," the man told him. "They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, 'Let's go on to Dothan.'" So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.H376H559H5265H2088H8085H559H3212H1886H3130H3212H310H251H4672H1886

Joseph Sold into Slavery

18When Joseph's brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him.H7200H7350H7126H5230H4191 19"Here comes the dreamer!" they said.H559H376H251H1976H1167H2472H935 20"Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, 'A wild animal has eaten him.' Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams!"H3212H2026H7993H259H953H559H7451H2416H398H7200H2472 21But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph's rescue. "Let's not kill him," he said.H7205H8085H5337H3027H559H5221H5315 22"Why should we shed any blood? Let's just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he'll die without our laying a hand on him." Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.H7205H559H8210H1818H7993H953H4057H7971H3027H5337H3027H7725H1H7725 23So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing.H3130H935H251H6584H853H3130H854H3801H3801H6446 24Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.H3947H7993H953H953H7386H4325 25Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.H3427H398H3899H5375H5869H7200H736H3459H935H1568H1581H5375H5219H6875H3910H1980H3381H4714 26Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain by killing our brother? We'd have to cover up the crime.H3063H559H251H1215H2026H251H3680H1818 27Instead of hurting him, let's sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!" And his brothers agreed.H3212H4376H3459H3027H251H1320H251H8085 28So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph's brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.H5674H4084H582H5503H4900H5927H3130H953H4376H3130H3459H6242H3701H935H3130H4714 29Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief.H7205H7725H953H3130H953H7167H899 30Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, "The boy is gone! What will I do now?"H7725H251H559H3206H575H935 31Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph's robe in its blood.H3947H3130H3801H7819H8163H5795H2881H3801H1818 32They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: "Look at what we found. Doesn't this robe belong to your son?"H7971H3801H6446H935H1H559H4672H5234H1121H3801 33Their father recognized it immediately. "Yes," he said, "it is my son's robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!"H5234H559H1121H3801H7451H2416H398H3130H2963H2963 34Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time.H3290H7167H8071H7760H8242H4975H56H1121H7227H3117 35His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "I will go to my grave mourning for my son," he would say, and then he would weep.H1121H1323H6965H5162H3985H5162H559H3381H7585H1121H57H1H1058 36Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.H4092H4376H4714H6318H5631H6547H8269H2876

Joseph in Potiphar’s House

39When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.H3130H3381H4714H6318H5631H6547H8269H2876H376H4713H7069H3027H3459H33812The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.H3068H3130H6743H376H1004H113H47133Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.H113H7200H3068H3068H6213H6743H30274This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.H3130H4672H2580H5869H8334H6485H1004H3426H5414H30275From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master's household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar's household for Joseph's sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.H227H6485H1004H3426H3068H1288H4713H1004H3130H1558H1293H3068H3426H1004H77046So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man,H5800H3130H3027H3045H3972H518H3899H398H3130H8389H3303H47587and Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully. "Come and sleep with me," she demanded.H310H1697H113H802H5375H5869H3130H559H79018But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household.H3985H559H113H802H113H3045H1004H5414H3426H30279No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God."H1419H1004H3808H2820H3972H834H859H802H6213H1419H7451H2398H43010She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.H1696H3130H3117H3117H8085H7901H68111One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work.H3117H935H1004H6213H4399H376H582H100412She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, "Come on, sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.H8610H899H559H7901H5800H899H3027H5127H3318H235113When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled,H7200H5800H899H3027H5127H235114she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. "Look!" she said. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed.H7121H582H1004H559H559H7200H935H376H5680H6711H935H7901H7121H1419H696315When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me."H8085H7311H6963H7121H5800H899H681H5127H3318H235116She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home.H3240H899H681H113H935H100417Then she told him her story. "That Hebrew slave you've brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me," she said.H1696H1697H559H5680H5650H935H935H671118"But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!"H7311H6963H7121H5800H899H681H5127H2351

Joseph Put in Prison

19Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her.H113H8085H1697H802H1696H559H1697H6213H5650H639H273420So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained.H3130H113H3947H5414H1004H5470H4725H4428H615H631H1004H547021But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.H3068H3130H5186H2617H5414H2580H5869H8269H1004H547022Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison.H8269H1004H5470H5414H3130H3027H615H1004H5470H6213H621323The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.H8269H1004H5470H7200H3972H3027H3068H6213H3068H6743

Joseph Interprets Two Dreams

40Some time later, Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master.H310H1697H8248H4428H4714H644H2398H113H4428H4714 2Pharaoh became angry with these two officials,H6547H7107H5921H8147H5631H8269H8248H8269H644 3and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard.H5414H4929H1004H8269H2876H1004H5470H4725H3130H631 4They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.H8269H2876H6485H3130H8334H3117H4929 5While they were in prison, Pharaoh's cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning.H2492H2472H8147H376H2472H259H3915H376H6623H2472H8248H644H4428H4714H631H1004H5470 6When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset.H3130H935H1242H7200H2196 7"Why do you look so worried today?" he asked them.H7592H6547H5631H4929H113H1004H559H6440H7451H3117 8And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Go ahead and tell me your dreams."H559H2492H2472H6622H3130H559H6623H430H5608 9So the chief cup-bearer told Joseph his dream first. "In my dream," he said, "I saw a grapevine in front of me.H8269H8248H5608H2472H3130H559H2472H1612H6440 10The vine had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon it produced clusters of ripe grapes.H1612H7969H8299H6524H5322H5927H811H1310H6025 11I was holding Pharaoh's wine cup in my hand, so I took a cluster of grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."H6547H3563H3027H3947H6025H7818H6547H3563H5414H3563H6547H3709 12"This is what the dream means," Joseph said. "The three branches represent three days.H3130H559H6623H7969H8299H7969H3117 13Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer.H5750H7969H3117H6547H5375H7218H7725H3653H5414H6547H3563H3027H7223H4941H8248 14And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place.H2142H3190H6213H2617H2142H6547H3318H1004 15For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it."H1589H776H5680H6213H3972H7760H953 16When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given the first dream such a positive interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I had a dream, too. In my dream there were three baskets of white pastries stacked on my head.H8269H644H7200H6622H2896H559H3130H637H2472H7969H2751H5536H7218 17The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head."H5945H5536H3978H4639H644H6547H5775H398H5536H5921H7218 18"This is what the dream means," Joseph told him. "The three baskets also represent three days.H3130H6030H559H6623H7969H5536H7969H3117 19Three days from now Pharaoh will lift you up and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh."H7969H3117H6547H5375H7218H8518H6086H5775H398H1320 20Pharaoh's birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials.H7992H3117H6547H3117H3205H6213H4960H5650H5375H7218H8269H8248H8269H644H8432H5650 21He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup.H7725H8269H8248H4945H7725H5414H3563H6547H3709 22But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream.H8518H8269H644H3130H6622 23Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.H8269H8248H2142H3130H7911