The Lord’s message came to Jonah son of Amittai, “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.” Instead, Jonah immediately headed off to Tarshish to escape from the commission of the Lord. He traveled to Joppa and found a merchant ship […]

Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in future days. “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father. Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. You are […]

Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said […]

Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. He wept loudly; the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I […]

Now the famine was severe in the land. When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.” But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you […]

At the end of two full years Pharaoh had a dream. As he was standing by the Nile, seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, and they stood beside the other cows […]

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. His master observed that the Lord […]

This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons […]

What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath […]

Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love […]