Jacob

1And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

Jacob, also called Israel, set out with everything he owned. He came to a town called Beersheba. There he gave gifts to God, the God his father Isaac had worshiped.

2And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

That night God spoke to Israel in a dream. God called, "Jacob, Jacob!" Jacob answered, "I am here."

3And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

God said, "I am God, the God your father worshiped. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. There I will grow your family into a great nation."

4I 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.

"I will go down to Egypt with you. And I will surely bring you back again. Joseph will be there to close your eyes when you die."

5And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

So Jacob left Beersheba. His sons carried their father in the wagons that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had sent. They brought their wives and their little children too.

6And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:

They took their animals and all they had gotten in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and his whole family went to Egypt.

7His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

He brought his sons and his sons' sons. He brought his daughters and his sons' daughters. His whole family came with him to Egypt.

1Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.

Joseph went to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He said, "My father and my brothers have come from the land of Canaan. They brought their sheep, their cows, and everything they own. They are in the land of Goshen now."

2And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

Joseph picked five of his brothers. He brought them in to meet Pharaoh.

3And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What kind of work do you do?" They said, "We take care of sheep, sir. Our fathers did the same work."

4They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

They also said, "We came to live here for a while. The hunger in Canaan is very bad. There is no grass left for our animals to eat. Please let us stay in the land of Goshen."

5And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you."

6The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

"All of Egypt is open to you. Give your father and brothers the best land. Let them live in Goshen. If some of them are good with animals, put them in charge of mine."

7And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Joseph brought his father Jacob in to meet Pharaoh. Jacob asked God to bless Pharaoh.

8And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

Pharaoh asked Jacob, "How old are you?"

9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

Jacob said, "I have traveled from place to place for 130 years. My years have been few and hard. I have not lived as long as my father and grandfather did."

10And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again and left the room.

11And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

Joseph gave his father and brothers land of their own in Egypt. It was the best land, near a city called Rameses. Pharaoh had told him to do this.

12And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

Joseph gave food to his father, his brothers, and everyone in the family. Each family got what it needed.

27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

Jacob's family, also called Israel, lived in Egypt, in the land of Goshen. They got land of their own there. They had many children and grew into a big people.

28And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years. He was 147 years old in all.

29And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

The time was coming when Jacob would die. He called his son Joseph and said, "If you care for me, put your hand under my leg and promise. Be kind and keep your word to me. Please do not bury me in Egypt."

30But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

"When I die, carry my body out of Egypt. Bury me where my family is buried." Joseph said, "I will do just what you asked."

31And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

Jacob said, "Give me your word." So Joseph gave his word. Then Israel bowed his head at the top of his bed.

1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Later, someone told Joseph, "Your father is sick." So Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to him.

2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Someone told Jacob, "Your son Joseph is here." Jacob, also called Israel, gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

3And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty came to me at a place called Luz, in the land of Canaan. He blessed me there.

4And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

"God said, 'I will give you many children, and they will grow into many peoples. I will give this land to your family after you, to keep for always.'

5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

"Now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were born here in Egypt before I came. They will count as my own sons, just like Reuben and Simeon.

6And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

"Any children born to you after them will be yours. They will share land under their brothers' names.

7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.

"When I was coming back from Paddan, your mother Rachel died in Canaan, on the road. We were still a short walk from Ephrath. I buried her there beside that road. Ephrath is the town now called Bethlehem."

8And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?

Then Israel looked at Joseph's sons and asked, "Who are these boys?"

9And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

Joseph said, "They are my sons. God gave them to me here." His father said, "Please bring them to me. I want to bless them."

10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

Israel was very old, and his eyes were weak. He could barely see. Joseph brought the boys close, and Israel kissed them and hugged them.

11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Israel said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see your face again. Now God has even let me see your children."

12And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Then Joseph took the boys from his father's knees. He bowed low with his face to the ground.

13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.

Joseph took both boys. He put Ephraim at Israel's left hand, and Manasseh at Israel's right hand. Then he led them close.

14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

But Israel crossed his arms. He put his right hand on Ephraim's head, the younger boy. He put his left hand on Manasseh's head, the older boy. He did this on purpose.

15And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

Then he blessed Joseph. He said, "My fathers Abraham and Isaac walked with God. That same God has cared for me my whole life, right up to today.

16The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

"He is the angel who kept me safe from all harm. May he bless these two boys. May they carry my name, and the names of Abraham and Isaac. May their families grow into a great many people on the earth."

17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

Joseph saw his father's right hand on Ephraim's head. He did not like it. He took hold of his father's hand to move it to Manasseh's head.

18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Joseph said, "No, Father. This one is the older son. Put your right hand on his head."

19And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

But his father would not. He said, "I know, my son. I know. Manasseh's family will be great too. But his younger brother will be greater, and his family will become many nations."

20And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

That day Jacob blessed them. He said, "When people in Israel bless someone, they will say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim first, ahead of Manasseh.

21And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Then Israel said to Joseph, "Look, I am going to die soon. But God will be with all of you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.

22Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

"And I am giving you one piece of land more than your brothers get. I took it from the Amorites with my own sword and bow."

1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

Jacob called his sons to come to him. He said, "Gather around me. I will tell you what will happen to you in the days ahead."

2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

"Come close together and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel." Israel was Jacob's other name.

3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

"Reuben, you are my oldest son. You were born first, when I was young and strong. You should have had the most honor and the most power."

4Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

"But you are wild, like rushing water. So you will not be first anymore. You climbed into your father's bed. You went up onto my couch and shamed it."

5Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

"Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are tools for hurting people."

6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

"I will never join their secret plans. I will never sit in their meetings. When they were angry, they killed men. When they felt like it, they crippled oxen."

7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

"Their anger is cursed, because it was so strong. Their rage is cursed, because it was cruel. I will split them up and scatter them among the family of Israel."

8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

"Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will hold your enemies by the neck. Your father's sons will bow down to you."

9Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

"Judah is like a young lion. My son, you come home from the hunt. He crouches and lies down like a lion. Who would dare to wake him?"

10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

"A king's staff will always stay with Judah. Rulers will come from his family until Shiloh comes. Then the nations will follow him."

11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

"He ties his donkey to a grapevine. He ties his young donkey to the best branch. He washes his clothes in wine, in the red juice of grapes."

12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

"His eyes are darker than wine. His teeth are whiter than milk."

13Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

"Zebulun will live beside the sea. Ships will come to his shore. His land will reach all the way to Zidon."

14Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

"Issachar is like a strong donkey. He lies down between the sheep pens."

15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

"He saw that his resting place was good. He saw that the land was pleasant. So he bent his back to carry loads. He worked hard, like a servant."

16Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

"Dan will help his people decide what is right. He will be one of the twelve family groups of Israel."

17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

"Dan will be like a snake beside the road. He will bite a horse's heels. Then the rider will fall off backward."

18I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

"LORD, I am waiting for you to save us."

19Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

"Raiders will attack Gad. But in the end he will chase them and win."

20Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

"Asher will have rich food. He will grow food good enough for a king."

21Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

"Naphtali is like a deer running free. He speaks beautiful words."

22Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

"Joseph is like a healthy vine beside a spring of water. Its branches climb right over the wall."

23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

"Men with bows attacked him. They shot at him and hated him."

24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

"But he held his bow steady. The Mighty God of Jacob made his arms strong. That God is the Shepherd and the Rock of Israel."

25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

"Your father's God will help you. God Almighty will bless you. He gives good things from the heavens above and from the deep waters below. He gives children, and milk to feed them."

26The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

"My blessings for you are greater than the blessings of the old mountains. They are richer than the gifts of the hills that last forever. May they rest on Joseph's head. He stands out from his brothers."

27Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

"Benjamin is like a hungry wolf. In the morning he eats what he has caught. In the evening he shares out what he took."

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them. He blessed each son with the blessing that fit him.

29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

Then Jacob told them, "I am about to die and join my family. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite."

30In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

"That cave is in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought the field from Ephron the Hittite to use as a burial place."

31There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

"Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there. Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there. I buried Leah there too."

32The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

"The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites."

33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

When Jacob finished speaking to his sons, he pulled his feet up into the bed. Then he took his last breath and died.

1And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

Joseph leaned over his father's face. He cried over him and kissed him.

2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

Joseph told his doctors to get his father's body ready. So they made Israel's body ready to keep for a long time.

3And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

It took forty days to finish, which was the usual time. The Egyptians were sad and cried for him for seventy days.

4And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

When the sad days were over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh's helpers. He said, "If you like me, please tell Pharaoh this for me."

5My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

"My father made me promise. He said, 'I am going to die. Bury me in the grave I dug for myself in Canaan.' So please let me go bury my father. Then I will come back."

6And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

Pharaoh said, "Go and bury your father, just as you promised him."

7And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

So Joseph went to bury his father. All of Pharaoh's helpers went with him. The leaders of Pharaoh's house went too, and the leaders of Egypt.

8And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

Everyone in Joseph's house went, and his brothers, and his father's family. Only the small children, the sheep, and the cattle stayed in Goshen.

9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

Chariots and men on horses went with him too. It was a very large group.

10And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

They came to the flat ground called Atad, across the Jordan River. There they cried loudly with deep sadness. Joseph mourned for his father seven days.

11And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.

The Canaanites who lived there saw the crying at Atad. They said, "The Egyptians are very sad today." So the place was named Abel-mizraim, across the Jordan.

12And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:

Jacob's sons did just what he had told them to do.

13For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

They carried him to Canaan. They buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. Abraham had bought that field from Ephron the Hittite to use as a burying place.

14And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

After the burial, Joseph went back to Egypt. His brothers went too, and everyone else who had come along.

2The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

The LORD has a complaint against Judah too. He will punish the people of Jacob for the way they live. He will pay them back for the things they do.

3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:

Before Jacob was born, he grabbed his brother's heel. When he was strong and grown, he wrestled with God.

4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He cried and begged the angel to be kind to him. He met God at a town called Bethel. God talked with him there.

5Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.

That God is the LORD, the God who leads armies. "The LORD" is his name, the name people remember.

6Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

So you must come back to your God. Keep loving others and keep being fair. Wait for your God all the time.

8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

Then God made an agreement with Abraham about circumcision, a small cutting mark on baby boys. It showed that they belonged to God. Abraham became the father of Isaac. He circumcised Isaac when the baby was eight days old. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of the twelve men whose families became Israel.

9And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

Those brothers were jealous of Joseph. They sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

10And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

God saved him out of all his troubles. God helped him please Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and act wisely. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of Egypt and of his whole house.

11Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

Then food ran out all over Egypt and Canaan. People suffered a great deal. Our fathers could not find food.

12But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt. So he sent our fathers there the first time.

13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

On the second trip, Joseph told his brothers who he was. Then Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family.

14Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

Joseph sent for his father Jacob. He called all his relatives too, seventy-five people in all.

15So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

So Jacob went down to Egypt. He died there, and our fathers died there too.

16And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

Their bones were carried back to Shechem. They were laid in the grave that Abraham had bought there. He had paid silver for it to the sons of Hamor.