But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “What if some accident happens to him?”

But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

I myself pledge security for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.

We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die.’

Indeed, your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’

So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.

Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph brought his sons near to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see you again, but now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women – for the Hebrew women are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!”

So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”

“I will grant this people favor with the Egyptians, so that when you depart you will not leave empty-handed.

“If they do not believe you or pay attention to the former sign, then they may believe the latter sign.

“You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves.

The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”

From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!”

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘the Lord’ I was not known to them.

But Moses replied to the Lord, “If the Israelites did not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with difficulty?”