Abraham

Some 400 years after the flood, and after Noah’s family began repopulating the earth, God chose Abraham to establish a new link to Him, a link built on faith, and sealed by covenant. 

God talked to Abraham, tested Abraham, blessed Abraham, shared His plan of mankind’s redemption with Abraham. God sent angels and visions and dreams to Abraham. God listened to Abraham.

Abraham was born around 18th century BCE, according to The World of Abraham.  Civilization was thriving. People were living together, growing crops, raising cattle, building cities.

Abraham, whose birth name was Abram, was born to Terah, a descendant of Noah’s son, Shem. Abraham’s father served other “gods.” Abram had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. The family lived in Mesopotamia in the city of Ur (now Iraq). Haran died there.

Terah left the land of Ur, taking with him his sons Abram and Nahor, Abram’s wife Sarai (who was also Abram’s half-sister), Nahor’s wife Milcah, and Nahor’s son Lot. They settled in Haran, now considered to be an ancient city in Turkey.

God spoke to Abram, telling him to leave his father’s house and take his family to the land of Canaan. At age 75 Abram took Sarai, and Lot his brother’s son, their belongings and left for the land of Canaan. Today, that land encompasses Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, and the southern parts of Syria and Lebanon.

God appeared unto Abram, and said,

“Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.” –Genesis 12:7

Abraham and his family journeyed southward. A famine in the land forced them to go to Egypt. Abraham told his beautiful wife to say she was his sister because he feared the Egyptians would kill him and take her captive. Sarah was taken into Pharaoh’s house and Abraham was treated well. 

God was displeased and sent plagues upon Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Abraham to take his wife and leave.

Abraham and Sarah departed, taking with them sheep, oxen, camels, servants and more. 

They returned to the place Abraham had built an altar. Lot, who also had herds and tents, was with them. The land could not sustain them both, so they parted. Abraham remained in Canaan. Lot chose the plain of Jordan and pitched his tent near Sodom.

God told Abraham to look all around him, that all he could see would be his forever.

“And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” –Genesis 13:16

Abram moved his tent, and dwelt in Hebron. There, he built an altar to God.

God’s Promise

God  next appeared to Abraham in a vision, saying, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

Abraham questioned God. “Seeing that I am childless, what will you give me,” he asked?

God, in the vision, told Abraham: “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.”

And Abraham believed in the LORD; and the Lord “counted it to him for righteousness.”

God forewarned Abraham that his descendants would be a stranger in a land that wasn’t theirs, would serve the people of that land, and be afflicted by them for 400 years. Then, God would judge the nation that enslaved them, and Abraham’s seed would “come out with great substance.” As for Abraham, he would go to his fathers in peace, and would be buried in a good old age.

That day the LORD made a covenant with Abraham, saying, “Unto thy seed have I given this land … . “

Birth of Ishmael

Abraham’s wife Sarai had given up hope of conceiving a child, so she sent her Egyptian maid Hagar to her husband. Hagar conceived. Hagar then looked down upon Sarai, and Sarai “dealt hardly” with her. Hagar fled. An angel of the Lord told Hagar to return, that she would bear a son. The angel gave the son a name — Ishmael.

Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. He was 99 when God came to him again and told him that he would be “a father of many nations.” In this meeting God changed Abraham’s name from Abram to Abraham, again secured His covenant with Abraham, and told Abraham to institute the ceremony of circumcision for males.

Isaac’s Birth Foretold

God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. God said Sarah would bear a son to Abraham and the son should be called Isaac.

God said Abraham’s son Ishmael would be blessed. “I will make him a great nation,” God said. It would be through Isaac, that God’s covenant would be established. God left Abraham and Abraham took Ishmael and all the men in his household and circumcised them. Abraham also was circumcised.

One day, in the heat of the day, Abraham was sitting in the doorway of his tent when the Lord appeared to him. Abraham lifted his eyes and saw three men. He ran to meet them, and asked them to stay.

Abraham told Sarah to make cakes of bread for them. A calf was fetched from the herd and dressed. He took butter and milk and the dressed calf, and the three men ate. 

The men asked about Sarah, who was in the tent. One of the men said Sarah would have a son. Sarah heard his words and she laughed within herself, saying, “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

The Lord asked Abraham why Sarah laughed? “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” At the appointed time, said the Lord, Sarah will have a son. Sarah denied laughing, but the Lord said, “but thou didst laugh.”

Destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah

The men rose and looked toward Sodom.

Then the Lord asked himself: “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”  

When God revealed His intentions toward Sodom, Abraham questioned God, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked, he asked?  

What if there are 50 righteous, asked Abraham?  The Lord agreed to spare Sodom if 50 righteous people could be found. Abraham continued bargaining until he got down to 10. God said, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”

Not even 10 righteous people could be found in Sodom. Two angels visited Lot. They took Lot, his wife and two daughters to safety. “Escape for thy life,” Lot was told, ” Look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”

Lot, his wife, and daughters entered the city of Zoar.

Then the Lord “rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;”

Lot’s wife looked back and “became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26)

Sarah, Abraham, and Abimelech

Abraham’s story continues. He goes to Gerar, where Sarah captures the attention of Gerar’s king, Abimelech. Abimelech was told Sarah was Abraham’s sister and he took Sarah.

God came to Abimelech in a dream. “Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife,” God told Abimelech. The king defended himself, saying that Sarah claimed Abraham to be her brother.

God, in the dream, told Abimelech that He had withheld Abimelech from sinning and suffered him not to touch Sarah, who indeed was Abraham’s half-sister as well as his wife.

God called upon Abimelech to restore Sarah to Abraham. This Abimelech did.

Abimelech told Abraham to dwell wherever he pleased in the land. Abraham was given sheep, oxen, servants and silver.

Isaac Is Born

God kept his covenant with Abraham, and when Abraham was 100 years old, Sarah delivered their son, Isaac.

On the day Isaac was weaned, Sarah saw Hagar’s son “mocking” her son. She told Abraham to send Hagar and her son away. It grieved Abraham, but God told him to listen to Sarah, “for in Isaac shall thou seed be called.” –Genesis 21:12

As for Ishmael, God told Abraham, he would become a nation.

Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away into the wilderness of Beersheba with bread and a bottle of water. When the water was gone she put her child under a shrub. She went a bowshot away and sat down. “Let me not see the death of the child,” she said. She wept.

Angel Visits Hagar

God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven. The angel told her to “fear not” as God had heard the lad. Hagar was to lift up the lad and hold him.

“And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.” Ishmael grew. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and became an archer. His mother chose for him an Egyptian wife. (Genesis 21)

Abraham Prepares to Sacrifice Isaac

God told Abraham to take Isaac into the mountains of Moriah and offer him for a burnt offering. Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, took two of his young men with him and they left with Isaac and with wood for the offering. When they came to the place for the offering, Abraham had the two young men stay with the ass. Isaac carried the wood, Abraham took fire and a knife, and he and his son left together.

Isaac asked his father, “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”

They came to the place God had directed Abraham to, and Abraham built an altar. He laid the wood. He bound his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Abraham took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven.
“Lay not thine hand upon the lad,” Abraham was told, “neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”

Abraham looked and found that a ram was caught in a thicket. He took the ram and offered him for a burnt offering instead of his son.

And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven:

“And because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” —Genesis 22:15-18

Sarah died at age 127. Abraham mourned her, wept for her. He buried her in a cave in the land of Canaan.

Isaac and Rebekah

Abraham didn’t want his son Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman, so he sent his eldest servant to the country of his kindred to find a wife for Isaac.

The servant took 10 camels and traveled to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia. There, at the well where the daughters of the men of the city came to draw water, he found Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the sister of Laban.

The servant told Laban and Bethuel of his master Abraham’s desire for his son’s marriage. He gave gifts to Rebekah and her family. And Rebekah, who agreed to go with the servant, left to embark on a life with the son of Abraham.

She became Isaac’s wife. He loved her and she was a comfort to him after his mother’s death.

After Sarah’s death Abraham took a wife and they had children. Abraham, however, gave all he had to Isaac.

Abraham Dies

“Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.” –Genesis 25:8

Abraham lived 175 years. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Sarah’s burial, in the land Abraham had purchased.

Ishmael had 12 sons who became princes over their nations. Ishmael died at age 137.

Isaac was 40 years old when Rebekah became his wife.

Jacob and Esau

When Rebekah conceived, God told her that she carried in her womb two nations representing two manner of people, that one would be stronger than the other, and the elder would serve the younger. 

When Rebekah’s twins were born, Esau was first born, Jacob, second born. The twins were born with Jacob’s hand holding Esau’s heel.

As the boys grew, Esau became a cunning hunter, a man of the field; Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in tents.

Jacob Barters for Birthright

One day Esau came home from the field. He was ravenously hungry. Jacob had pottage, and Esau asked for some. Jacob said he would give Esau pottage in exchange for his birthright. Esau agreed, and Jacob gave him bread and pottage.

Esau was 40 when married two Hittite women to the displeasure of his father and mother. Isaac was then 100.

Years passed and Isaac became blind. He sent Esau to procure venison. While Esau was hunting, Rebecca helped Jacob pass himself off as Esau so that Jacob would be blessed as Isaac’s heir. When Esau returned from his hunt and discovered Jacob had received their father’s blessing, he was filled with hate for his brother and planned to kill him.

Jacob’s Ladder

Rebecca sent Jacob away to her brother Laban in Haran. On the way to Haran, he found a place to sleep. He took stones for pillows and he dreamed of a ladder that reached to heaven, and angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, 

“I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou lies, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places hither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this lane; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” —Genesis 28:13-15

Jacob took the stone he had put for his pillows and set it up for a pillar. The pillar, he said, shall be God’s house, and he pledged a tenth of all that God would give him unto God.

Jacob And Rachel

In Haran, Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Labon. She was tending her father’s sheep. Jacob rolled the stone from the well and watered the flock. He kissed Rachel and wept. He told her he was Rebekah’s son and Rachel ran and told her father.

Jacob loved Rachel. He agreed to serve Labon for seven years so that Rachel could be his wife. When the seven years passed, Laban tricked Jacob. He made a feast and in the evening he sent his older daughter, Leah, to Jacob. Come morning, Jacob found himself not with Rachel, but with Leah.

Laban told Jacob that custom required the firstborn daughter to be married first.

Jacob had to serve Laban seven more years before Rachel could be his wife.

Rachel and Leah

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. It was Leah, however, who gave Jacob his first son, Reuben. Next, sons Simeon, Levi, Judah, were born.

Rachel sent her maid to Jacob and the maid had a son, Dan, and another son, Naphtali.

Then Leah sent her maid to Jacob who bore a son, whom Leah named Gad. Leah’s maid bore Jacob another son, whom Leah named Asher.

Then Leah conceived again and had another son, Zebulun. She conceived again and had a daughter, whom she named Dinah.

God remembered Rachel and Rachel conceived. Joseph was born.

Jacob went to Laban and told him that he wanted to return to his country. Laban did not want Jacob to leave. Jacob agreed to stay and keep Laban’s flock. In exchange, Jacob received cattle and sheep with certain markings. Jacob’s possessions of cattle and camels and asses and maidservants and menservants increased exceedingly.

Laban’s feelings toward Jacob changed.

Jacob Leaves Haran

God told Jacob to return to his father’s land.

Jacob took his wives and children, his cattle and all his goods and fled. Rachel had stolen her father’s idols and taken them with her. When Laban discovered Jacob had left, he and his brothers pursued him. They overtook Jacob in the mount Gilead.

God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”

After complaining that Jacob had left secretly, Laban asked why Jacob had stolen his gods. Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had taken them. Laban searched the tents, but did not find the images. Rachel had put them in the camel’s furniture and sat upon them. When her father came into her tent she told him she could not rise because “the custom of women” was upon her.

Jacob and Laban made a covenant and Laban kissed his sons and daughters, blessed them and returned to his place.

Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. He sent messengers to his brother Esau. His messengers returned and said Esau was coming to meet him and had 400 men with him. Jacob was afraid and divided his people, along with the flocks, herds and camels into two bands. This was done so if Esau attacked one company, the other company could escape.

Jacob Wrestles With God

That night when Jacob was alone he wrestled with a man until the break of day. Although he did not prevail, Jacob would not let go.

“I will not let thee go, except thou bless me,” he said. And the unnamed with whom he wrestled, asked: “What is thy name?” Jacob answered, “Jacob.” And the unnamed said Jacob no longer would be called Jacob. He would be Israel.

Jacob asked the one he had wrestled with, “Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.” And he answered, “Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name: And he blessed him there.

Jacob called the name of the place Peniel.

“I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved,” Jacob said.

When Esau and his 400 men arrived, Esau embraced Jacob and they wept.

Dinah Defiled

Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem in the land of Canaan. He spread his tent and bought a parcel of land. He erected an altar and called it Elelohe-Israel.

His daughter, Dinah, went out to see the daughters of the land. Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country saw her, lay with her and defiled her. Genesis 34:3 says “he loved the damsel.” He asked his father to get Dinah for his wife.

When Jacob heard his daughter had been defiled, he held his peace until his sons came out of the field. When they heard about their sister, they were grieved and angry.

Hamor asked that Dinah be given to his son as his wife. Jacob’s sons said they could not give their sister to one who was uncircumcised. They said they would consent if every male of Hamor’s people was circumcised. Then, they would give their daughters in marriage and take the daughters of Hamor’s people in marriage.

Every male of Hamor’s people was circumcised and when they were sore, Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi, took their swords and slew all the males.

Jacob was troubled. He said the Canaanites and the Perizzites would ban together and destroy him and his house.

God told Jacob to go to Bethel and dwell there. Jacob told all his household to put away their strange gods, to be clean and change their garments.

They journeyed to Bethel and there built an altar.

God appeared to Jacob again and blessed him. And God said to him, “Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name … .”

And God said, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”

God went up from him, and Jacob set up a pillar of stone in the place where he talked with him. He named the place Bethel.

Jacob journeyed from Bethel and on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem, Rachel travailed. Her son was born, and as her soul was departing she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

Jacob set a pillar upon Rachel’s grave.

Jacob went to his father Isaac in Hebron.

Isaac was then 180 years old.

Isaac “gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”

Joseph, Favored Son

Jacob, now Israel, lived in the land of Canaan. His son Joseph was 17 years old when he went with his brothers to tend the flock.

Joseph’s father loved him more than all his children, and had made him a coat of many colors. Because he was the favored son, his brothers hated him.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers of it, they hated him more.

In one of Joseph’s dreams the sun, the moon and 11 stars made obeisance to him. He told the dream to his father and to his brothers. Jacob rebuked his son: “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” –Genesis 37:10

When Joseph came to them, they stripped him of his coat of many colors and cast him in the pit. While the brothers were eating bread, a company of Ishmeelites on their way to Egypt came through bearing spice and balm and myrrh. The brothers sold their brother Joseph for 20 pieces of silver. When Reuben, who was not among those who betrayed Joseph, returned and Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes.

The brothers took Joseph’s coat, dipped it in goat blood and took the coat to their father. They pretended not to know for certain it was Joseph’s coat. But Jacob knew the coat and concluded his son had been prey to a beast. Jacob rent his clothes, put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son.

Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

Joseph Prospers

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” –Genesis 39:2

Joseph was made overseer of the house, and the Egyptian’s house was blessed by the Lord for Joseph’s sake.

In time, the Egyptian’s wife took a sexual interest in Joseph. Joseph refused her out of loyalty to his master and because it would be a sin against God. In one encounter when Joseph was fleeing from her, she grabbed his garment. She used the garment to accuse Joseph of mocking her.

Joseph was thrown into prison.

Even in prison, the Lord was with Joseph, and Joseph was favored by the keeper of the prison.

Now the king of Egypt’s butler and baker ended up in prison for offending the king and earning the anger of Pharaoh. Joseph was in charge of them.

Joseph Interprets Dreams

The butler and the baker dreamed dreams and were saddened by them. Joseph asked about their sad looks, and they told him of their dreams.

The butler said his dream was about a vine with three branches that budded and blossomed and brought forth grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in his hand and he took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and gave the cup to Pharaoh.

In his interpretation of the dream, Joseph said: The three branches are three days and within three days Pharaoh will restore you to your place as butler. Joseph asked the butler to mention him to Pharaoh and help him out of prison. He told the butler he had been stolen out of the land of the Hebrews and he had done nothing that he should be put into the dungeon for.

The chief baker then told his dream: I had three white baskets on my head: in the uppermost basket were all manner of bake meats for Pharaoh; and the birds ate out of the basket on my head.

Joseph told the baker the three baskets represented three days, and in three days Pharaoh would lift his head off him and hang him on a tree. Birds would eat his flesh.

Joseph’s words proved true. The butler was restored; the baker hanged. The butler forgot about Joseph.

Two years passed and Pharaoh dreamed. In his dream, he stood by the river and from the river came seven  fat  kine (cattle) and they fed in the meadow. Seven other lean kine appeared.  They stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. The lean kine ate the seven fat kine. Pharaoh awoke. He went back to sleep and dreamed again. This time seven ears of corn came up on one stalk, rank and good. Seven thin ears sprung up after them. The seven thin ears devoured the seven full ears.

When Pharaoh awoke, his spirit was troubled. He called for the magicians and wise men of Egypt. None could interpret his dreams. The chief baker remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him.

Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him of the two dreams. 

Joseph told Pharaoh his dreams meant there would be seven years of plenty in Egypt, then seven years of famine. And because the dream was doubled, God would shortly bring it to pass.

Joseph suggested that Pharaoh choose a discreet and wise man to oversee the land of Egypt. In the seven years of plenty, food would be gathered and stored for use in the seven years of famine, and Egypt would not perish.

Pharaoh chose Joseph. He took off his ring and put it on Joseph’s hand. He arrayed Joseph in fine clothing, and he put a gold chain about his neck. And Joseph rode in Pharaoh’s second chariot. He also was given a wife. Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh.

Joseph and his wife Asenath had two sons before the famine came. Their names were Manasseh and Ephraim.

In the seven years of plenty food was stored, and in the famine years countries bought corn from Egypt because the famine was sore in all lands.

Famine Sends Jacob’s Sons To Egypt

Jacob sent 10 of his sons to buy Egyptian corn because of the famine in Canaan. Jacob did not send his youngest son, Benjamin. So it was that the brothers who sold him into slavery bowed to the governor of the land of Egypt. Joseph knew them. They did not know him.

Joseph remembered his dreams. He spoke roughly to them, accused them of being spies. They identified themselves as 10 of 12 brothers, the sons of one man in Canaan. Their youngest brother remained with their father. And one, they said, “is not.”

Joseph again accused them of being spies. The brothers would not be allowed to leave Egypt until their youngest brother was brought to him. He had them placed under guard. Then he told them that one would be kept prisoner and the others could take corn to their houses. They were to bring their youngest brother back to him.

Joseph had their sacks filled with corn. He also had the money they paid for the corn put back into their sacks. When the brothers opened their sacks and found the money they were afraid. What is this that God hath done unto us, they asked?

When they came to their father, they told him of their encounter with the lord of the land and how they found the money in their sacks and how they had been told to bring their youngest brother to him to show they were not spies. Then, the brother being held would be released.

Jacob refused to let his sons take Benjamin to Egypt. But when the corn was gone, Judah told his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.”

Their father had them take gifts to the man in charge, and take double the money that had been in their sacks.

The brothers went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. They bowed before him and he asked of their welfare, and asked if their father was well? was alive?

The brothers said he was in good health.

Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. Joseph left them, as he sought a place to weep. He washed his face and ordered bread. According to Egyptian custom, separate places were set, one for Joseph, one for the brothers.

Joseph then told his steward to fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they could carry, to put every man’s money in his sack; and put his silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.

At morning light, the brothers were sent away. Joseph then ordered his steward to follow them, overtake them, and question them.

The brothers denied wrongdoing. In the search of their sacks, the silver cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. They were taken back to the city.

At Joseph’s house, the brothers fell before him. Joseph said he would keep Benjamin as his servant and the other brothers could go home. Judah entreated Joseph to take him as servant and let Benjamin go home to his father. Judah said he feared for their father if they arrived home without him. “His life is bound up in the lad’s life,” Judah said.

Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept aloud.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Not therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” –Genesis 45:4-5

And Joseph sent his brothers back to their father Israel. They were to tell him that God had made Joseph lord of all Egypt and they were to come to him and tarry not.

“And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thou children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nourish thee: for yet there are five years of famine … .” –Genesis 45:10-11

Pharaoh said he would give Joseph’s father and households the good of the land.

When the brothers returned and told their father of all the happenings, Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.”

God spoke to Israel in visions of the night:

“I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt: for I will make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.”  — Genesis 46:2-4

Israel, Family, Dwell In Egypt

Israel and his children dwelt in the land of Egypt. Their possessions multiplied exceedingly. Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years. His lifespan was 147 years. As the time drew near for him to die, he called Joseph to tell him not to bury him in Egypt. “I will lie with my fathers,” he said. He asked to be buried in their burying place.

Before Jacob died, Joseph brought his sons to him. In blessing the lads, Jacob laid his right hand upon the head of second-born Ephraim. Joseph tried to move his father’s hand to first-born Manasseh’s head. But Jacob would not have it.

He shall be great, said Jacob, but the younger brother shall be greater.

Jacob called his sons to gather together “that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.” (His words to his sons are found in Genesis, chapter 49.)

Joseph lived 110 years.

The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly. The land was filled with them.

However, a new Egyptian king arose. He did not know Joseph. And the children of Israel were made slaves.

Their lives were made bitter with hard bondage. They labored in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field.