circa 1900–1700 BC
Jacob, Joseph & Egypt
Jacob wrestles with God and becomes Israel; Joseph is sold into slavery yet rises to save the world from famine.
Best known
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
The 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.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
- Genesis 40:21–23c. 1717 BC
21And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
22But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
- Genesis 41:1–22c. 1715 BC
1And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
11And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
19And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: