The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, z“Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

  26So Judah aacknowledged them and said, b“She has been more righteous than I, because cI did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he dnever knew her again.

  27Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.

  28And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”

  29Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called ePerez.4

  30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called fZerah.

  Genesis 39

  Joseph a Slave in Egypt

  1Now Joseph had been taken adown to Egypt. And bPotiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, cbought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.

  2dThe LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

  3And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD emade all he did 1to prosper in his hand.

  4So Joseph ffound favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him goverseer of his house, and all that he had he put 2under his authority.

  5So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that hthe LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.

  6Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s 3hand, and he did not know what he had except for the 4bread which he ate. Now Joseph iwas handsome in form and appearance.

  7And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife 5cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, j“Lie with me.”

  8But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.

  9“There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. kHow then can I do this great wickedness, and lsin against God?”

  10So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he mdid not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.

  11But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,

  12that she ncaught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

  13And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,

  14that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a oHebrew to 6mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

  15“And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”

  16So she kept his garment with her until his master came home.

  17Then she pspoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;

  18“so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.”

  19So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his qanger was aroused.

  20Then Joseph’s master took him and rput him into the sprison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

  21But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He tgave7 him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

  22And the keeper of the prison ucommitted to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.

  23The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under 8Joseph’s authority, because vthe LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

  Genesis 40

  The Prisoners’ Dreams

  1It came to pass after these things that the abutler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.

  2And Pharaoh was bangry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.

  3cSo he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.

  4And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

  5Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, dhad a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.

  6And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were 1sad.

  7So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, e“Why do you look so sad today?”

  8And they said to him, f“We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, g“Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

  9Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,

  10“and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.

  11“Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

  12And Joseph said to him, h“This is the interpretation of it: The three branches iare three days.

  13“Now within three days Pharaoh will jlift up your head and restore you to your 2place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.

  14“But kremember me when it is well with you, and lplease show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.

  15“For indeed I was mstolen away from the land of the Hebrews; nand also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

  16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three 3white baskets on my head.

  17“In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

  18So Joseph answered and said, o“This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.

  19p“Within three days Pharaoh will lift 4off your head from you and qhang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

  20Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s rbirthday, that he smade a feast for all his servants; and he tlifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

  21Then he urestored the chief butler to his butlership again, and vhe placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

  22But he whanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

  23Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but xforgot him.

  Genesis 41

  Pharaoh’s Dreams

  1Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that aPharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

  2Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

  3Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.

  4And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

  5He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain
came up on one stalk, plump and good.

  6Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the beast wind, sprang up after them.

  7And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

  8Now it came to pass in the morning cthat his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all dthe magicians of Egypt and all its ewise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

  9Then the fchief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.

  10“When Pharaoh was gangry with his servants, hand put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,

  11i“we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

  12“Now there was a young jHebrew man with us there, a kservant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he linterpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

  13“And it came to pass, just mas he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

  14nThen Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they obrought him quickly pout of the dungeon; and he shaved, qchanged his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.

  15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. rBut I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

  16So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, s“It is not in me; tGod will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

  17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, uin my dream I stood on the bank of the river.

  18“Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

  19“Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

  20“And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

  21“When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.

  22“Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven 1heads came up on one stalk, full and good.

  23“Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

  24“And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So vI told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

  25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; wGod has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

  26“The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good 2heads are seven years; the dreams are one.

  27“And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are xseven years of famine.

  28y“This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

  29“Indeed zseven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;

  30“but after them seven years of famine will aarise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine bwill deplete the land.

  31“So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.

  32“And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the cthing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

  33“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

  34“Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint 3officers over the land, dto collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.

  35“And elet them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the 4authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

  36“Then that food shall be as a 5reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land fmay not 6perish during the famine.”

  Joseph’s Rise to Power

  37So gthe advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

  38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man hin whom is the Spirit of God?”

  39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

  40i“You shall be 7over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

  41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have jset you over all the land of Egypt.”

  42Then Pharaoh ktook his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he lclothed him in garments of fine linen mand put a gold chain around his neck.

  43And he had him ride in the second nchariot which he had; oand they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him pover all the land of Egypt.

  44Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

  45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name 8Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife qAsenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

  46Joseph was thirty years old when he rstood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

  47Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth 9abundantly.

  48So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.

  49Joseph gathered very much grain, sas the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.

  50tAnd to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.

  51Joseph called the name of the firstborn 10Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my ufather’s house.”

  52And the name of the second he called 11Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be vfruitful in the land of my affliction.”

  53Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,

  54wand the seven years of famine began to come, xas Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

  55So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; ywhatever he says to you, do.”

  56The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened 12all the storehouses and zsold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.

  57aSo all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to bbuy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.

  Genesis 42

  Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

  1When aJacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

  2And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may blive and not die.”

  3So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

  4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, c“Lest some calamity befall him.”

  5And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was din the land of Canaan.

  6Now Joseph was governor eover the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and fbowed down before him with their faces to the earth.

  7Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as ga stranger to them and spoke 1roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to
buy food.”

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

  9Then Joseph hremembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the 2nakedness of the land!”

  10And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

  11“We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.”

  12But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

  13And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one iis no more.”

  14But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

  15“In this manner you shall be tested: jBy the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

  16“Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be 3kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!”

  17So he 4put them all together in prison kthree days.

  18Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, lfor I fear God:

  19“If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.

  20“And mbring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

  21Then they said to one another, n“We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; otherefore this distress has come upon us.”

  22And Reuben answered them, saying, p“Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now qrequired of us.”

  23But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

  24And he turned himself away from them and rwept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took sSimeon from them and bound him before their eyes.