GOD in the Old Testament - Exodus - Part 1

Exodus 1:15-21

    The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, "When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"

    The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."

    So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.  

(see all Exodus 1)

 

Exodus 2:18-25  

    When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, "Why have you returned so early today?" 

    They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."

    "And where is he?" Reuel asked his daughters. "Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat."

    Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom (meaning "a foreigner there"), saying, "I have become a foreigner in a foreign land."

    During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.  (see all Exodus 2) 

   

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the Old Testament - Genesis - Part 25

Genesis 49:22-26  

"Joseph is a fruitful vine,

    a fruitful vine near a spring,

    whose branches climb over a wall.

With bitterness archers attacked him;

    they shot at him with hostility.

But his bow remained steady,

    his strong arm stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,

    because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

because of your father's God, who helps you,

    because of the Almighty who blesses you

with blessings of the skies above,

    blessings of the deep springs below,

    blessings of the breast and womb.

Your father's blessings are greater

    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,

    than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,

    on the brow of the prince among his brothers." 

    (see all Genesis 49)

 

Genesis 50:16-21

So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him Joseph wept.

    His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.

    But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, saving the lives of many. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

 

Genesis 50:24-26  

    Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." 

    So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.  

(see all Genesis 50) 

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the Old Testament - Genesis - Part 24

Genesis 48:1-4  

     Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to see you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

    Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.' "

 

Genesis 48:8-9  

    When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, "Who are these?"

    "They are the sons God has given me here," Joseph said to his father.

    Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them."

 

Genesis 48:11  

    Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too."

 

Genesis 48:15-22  

    Then he blessed Joseph and said,

"May the God before whom my fathers

    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,

the God who has been my shepherd

    all my life to this day,

the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

    --may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly

    on the earth."

    When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." 

    But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become groups of nations." He blessed them that day and said, 

    "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:

        'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.' "

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

    Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow." (Shechem)

(see all Genesis 48)   

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the Old Testament - Genesis - Part 23

Genesis 43:19-23

    So they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. "We beg your pardon, our lord," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food. But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver--the exact weight--in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in our sacks."

    "It's all right," he said, "Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 

 

Genesis 43:29-30  

    As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

(see all Genesis 43 and 44)

 

Genesis 45:6-9  

"For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve you for a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

    "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay.' "

(see all Genesis 45)

 

Genesis 46:1-4  

    So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

    And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!"

    "Here I am," he replied.

    "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

(see all Genesis 46 and 47)     

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the Old Testament - Genesis - Part 22

Genesis 41:37-41

    The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

    Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

    So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

 

Genesis 41:50-52  

    Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh (may be derived from the Hebrew for "forget") and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." The second son he named Ephraim (sounds like the Hebrew for "twice fruitful") and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."  

(see all Genesis 41) 

 

Genesis 42:18-21  

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

    They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come on us." 

 

Genesis 42:27-28  

     At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. "My silver has been returned," he said to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack."

    Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" 

(see all Genesis 42) 

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the old Testament - Genesis - Part 21

Genesis 40:6-8

    When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why do you look so sad today?" 

    "We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them."

    Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."

(see all Genesis 40)

 

Genesis 41:14-16  

    So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. when he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

    Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

    "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh," but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

 

Genesis 41:25-33  

    Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years: It is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. 

    "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will savage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

    "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt."  

(continued tomorrow)

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.

GOD in the Old Testament - Genesis - Part 20

Genesis 39:2-16  

    The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

    Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"

    But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "My master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 

     One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

    When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."

    She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home.  

    (see all Genesis 39) 

  

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.