Judah and Tamar

38 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and avisited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah bsaw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was cShua, and he married her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name dEr. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name eOnan. 5 And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name fShelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

6 Then Judah gtook a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was hTamar. 7 But iEr, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, jand the Lord killed him. 8 And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to kyour brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be lhis; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did 1displeased the Lord; therefore He killed mhim also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, n“Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt oin her father’s house.

12 Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah pwas comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up qto Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and rsat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw sthat Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. 16 Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.

So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

17 And he said, t“I will send a young goat from the flock.”

So she said, u“Will you give me a pledge till you send it?”

18 Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?”

So she said, v“Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 So she arose and went away, and wlaid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was 2openly by the roadside?”

And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”

22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.”

23 Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

24 And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has xplayed the harlot; furthermore she is 3with child by harlotry.”

So Judah said, “Bring her out yand let her be burned!”

25 When 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.”

26 So 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.

27 Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And 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.” 29 Then 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. 430 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called fZerah.

Joseph a Slave in Egypt

39 Now 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. 2 dThe Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord emade all he did 1to prosper in his hand. 4 So 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. 5 So 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. 6 Thus 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.

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

8 But 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?”

10 So 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.

11 But 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, 12 that she ncaught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. 13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 14 that 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.”

16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 17 Then 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.”

19 So 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. 20 Then 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. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He tgave 7him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And 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. 23 The 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.

The Prisoners’ Dreams

40 It came to pass after these things that the abutler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was bangry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. 3 cSo he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

5 Then 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. 6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were 1sad. 7 So 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?”

8 And 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.”

9 Then 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.”

12 And 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.”

16 When 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.”

18 So Joseph answered and said, o“This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. 19 pWithin 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.”

20 Now 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. 21 Then he urestored the chief butler to his butlership again, and vhe placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he whanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but xforgot him.

Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that aPharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. 2 Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 3 Then 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. 4 And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the beast wind, sprang up after them. 7 And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. 8 Now 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.

9 Then 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, 11 iwe 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.”

14 nThen Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they obrought him quickly pout of the dungeon; and he shaved, qchanged his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. 15 And 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.”

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

17 Then 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.”

25 Then 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. 28 yThis 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.”