• Gen 41:1-44:17
• 1Ki 3:15-4:1
• Mat 27:15-46

Mikeitz means “at the end of.”

Berĕshith (Genesis) 41:1-44:17

The Dreams of Pharaoh

Berĕshith (Genesis) Chapter 41

¹ After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, ² when seven cows, beautiful looking and fat, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. ³ After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river. ⁴ And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven beautiful looking and fat cows.

Then Pharaoh woke up, ⁵ but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. ⁶ After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind. ⁷ And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

⁸ In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Mitsrayim. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ¹⁰ Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. ¹¹One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning. ¹² Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually. ¹³And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

Yosěph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

¹⁴So Pharaoh sent for Yosěph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

¹⁵Pharaoh said to Yosěph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

¹⁶“I myself cannot do it,” Yosěph replied, “but Alahym will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Yosěph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, ¹⁸ when seven cows, beautiful looking and fat, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. ¹⁹ After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Mitsrayim! ²⁰ Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. ²¹ When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.

²² In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. ²³ After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. ²⁴ And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones.

I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

²⁵ At this, Yosěph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. Alahym has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁶The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. ²⁷ Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.

²⁸ It is just as I said to Pharaoh: Alahym has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁹ Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Mitsrayim, ³⁰ but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Mitsrayim will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land. ³¹ The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.

³² Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh twice, the matter has been decreed by Alahym, and He will carry it out shortly.

³³ Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Mitsrayim. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest  of Mitsrayim during the seven years of abundance. ³⁵ Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. ³⁶ This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Mitsrayim. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

Yosěph Given Charge of Mitsrayim

³⁷This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. ³⁸ So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of Alahym  abides?”

³⁹Then Pharaoh said to Yosěph, “Since Alahym has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

⁴¹ Pharaoh also told Yosěph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Mitsrayim.” ⁴² Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Yosěph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ He had Yosěph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!”  So he placed him over all the land of Mitsrayim.

⁴⁴ And Pharaoh declared to Yosěph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Mitsrayim shall lift his hand or foot.”

⁴⁵ Pharaoh gave Yosěph the name Zaphnath-Pa‛něaḥ, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On, to be his wife. And Yosěph took charge of all the land of Mitsrayim.

The Seven Years of Plenty

⁴⁶ Now Yosěph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim. And Yosěph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Mitsrayim.

⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. ⁴⁸During those seven years, Yosěph collected all the excess food in the land of Mitsrayim and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. ⁴⁹ So Yosěph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Yosěph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. ⁵¹Yosěph named the firstborn Manasseh,  saying, “Alahym has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” ⁵² And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “Alahym has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

The Famine Begins

⁵³ When the seven years of abundance in the land of Mitsrayim came to an end, ⁵⁴ the seven years of famine began, just as Yosěph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Mitsrayim. ⁵⁵ When extreme hunger came to all the land of Mitsrayim and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Mitsrains, “Go to Yosěph and do whatever he tells you.” ⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over all the land, Yosěph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Mitsrayimians; for the famine was severe in the land of Mitsrayim. ⁵⁷ And every nation came to Yosěph in Mitsrayim to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Yosěph’s Brothers Sent to Mitsrayim

Berĕshith (Genesis) Chapter 42

¹When Ya‛aqoḇ learned that there was grain in Mitsrayim, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

² “Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Mitsrayim. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

³So ten of Yosěph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Mitsrayim. ⁴ But Ya‛aqoḇ did not send Yosěph’s brother Binyamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

⁵ So the sons of Yashar’Al were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Kena‛an.

⁶ Now Yosěph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. ⁷ And when Yosěph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Kena‛an,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

⁸ Although Yosěph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. ⁹Yosěph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

¹⁰ “Not so, my master,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

¹² “No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

¹³ But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kena‛an. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

¹⁴ Then Yosěph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies! ¹⁵ And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. ¹⁶ Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

¹⁷ So Yosěph imprisoned them for three days, ¹⁸ and on the third day he said to them, “I fear Alahym. So do this and you will live: ¹⁹ If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households. ²⁰Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.”

And to this they consented.

²¹ Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

²² And Re’uḇěn responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

²³ They did not realize that Yosěph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. ²⁴ And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Shim‛on from them and had him bound before their eyes.

Yosěph’s Brothers Return to Kena‛an

²⁵ Then Yosěph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver  to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out, ²⁶ and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

²⁷ At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack. ²⁸ “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.”

Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that Alahym has done to us?”

²⁹When they reached their father Ya‛aqoḇ in the land of Kena‛an, they described to him all that had happened to them: ³⁰ “The man who is master of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

³¹But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies. ³² We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Kena‛an.’

³³ Then the man who is master of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. ³⁴But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’ ”

³⁵ As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.

³⁶Their father Ya‛aqoḇ said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Yosěph is gone and Shim‛on is no more. Now you want to take Binyamin. Everything is going against me!”

³⁷ Then Re’uḇěn said to his father, “You may take the lives of my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”

³⁸But Ya‛aqoḇ replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to She’ol in sorrow.”

The Return to Mitsrayim with Binyamin

Berĕshith (Genesis) Chapter 43

¹Now the famine was still severe in the land. ² So when Ya‛aqoḇ’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Mitsrayim, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

³ But Yahudah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ⁴ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. ⁵ But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ”

⁶ “Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Yashar’Al asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

⁷ They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

⁸ And Yahudah said to his father Yashar’Al, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. ⁹ I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. ¹⁰ If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

¹¹ Then their father Yashar’Al said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. ¹²Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³ Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. ¹⁴ May Al Shadday  grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Binyamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

¹⁵ So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Binyamin as well. Then they hurried down to Mitsrayim and stood before Yosěph.

Yosěph’s Hospitality to His Brothers

¹⁶ When Yosěph saw Binyamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” ¹⁷ The man did as Yosěph had commanded and took the brothers to Yosěph’s house.

¹⁸ But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Yosěph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

¹⁹ So they approached Yosěph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. ²¹ But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. ²² We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

²³ “It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your Alahym, the Alahym of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Shim‛on out to them. ²⁴ And the steward took the men into Yosěph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

²⁵Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Yosěph’s arrival at noon. ²⁶ When Yosěph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

²⁷ He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

²⁸ “Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

²⁹ When Yosěph looked up and saw his brother Binyamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May Alahym show favor to you, my son.”

³⁰Yosěph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. ³¹ Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

³² They separately served Yosěph, his brothers, and the Mitsrains. They ate separately because the Mitsrains would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. ³³ They were seated before Yosěph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. ³⁴ When the portions were served to them from Yosěph’s table, Binyamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Yosěph.

Binyamin and the Silver Cup

Berĕshith (Genesis) Chapter 44

¹Then Yosěph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. ² Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.”

So the steward did as Yosěph had instructed.

³ At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. ⁴ They had not gone far from the city when Yosěph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?  ⁵ Is this not the cup  my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’ ”

⁶ When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

⁷ “Why does my master say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. ⁸ We even brought back to you from the land of Kena‛an the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my master.”

¹⁰ “As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

¹¹ So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. ¹² The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack. ¹³Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

¹⁴When Yahudah and his brothers arrived at Yosěph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

¹⁵ “What is this deed you have done?” Yosěph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

¹⁶“What can we say to my master?” Yahudah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? Alahym has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my master’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

¹⁷But Yosěph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings)  1Ki 3:15-4:1

Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings)  Chapter 3

¹⁵ Then Shelomoh awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Yarushalayim, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Master, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.

Shelomoh Judges Wisely

¹⁶ At that time two prostitutes came to the sovereign and stood before him.

¹⁷ One woman said, “Please, my master, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house. ¹⁸ On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us. ¹⁹ During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him. ²⁰ So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom. ²¹ The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.”

²²“No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.”

But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the sovereign.

²³ Then the sovereign replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ”

²⁴ The sovereign continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword, ²⁵ and the sovereign declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

²⁶ Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the sovereign because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my master,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!”

But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”

²⁷ Then the sovereign gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.”

²⁸When all Yashar’Al heard of the judgment the sovereign had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of Alahym was in him to administer justice.

Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings)  Chapter 4

¹So Sovereign Shelomoh ruled over Yashar’Al,

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 27:15-46

Mattithyahu (Matthew) Chapter 27

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. ¹⁶ At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabba. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabba, or 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 who is called Messiah?” ¹⁸ For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”

²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabba and to have 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 put to death.

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabba,” they replied.

²² “What then should I do with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 who is called Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Impale Him!”

²³ “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?”

But they shouted all the louder, “Impale Him!”

Pilate Washes His Hands  (Mark 15:12–15)

²⁴When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

²⁵All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

²⁶ So Pilate released Barabba to them. But he had 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 flogged, and handed Him over to be impaled.

The Soldiers Mock 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏  (Isaiah 50:4–11 ;  Mark 15:16–20 ;  Luke 22:63–65 ;  John 19:1–15)

²⁷Then the governor’s soldiers took 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him. ²⁸ They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ²⁹ And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, Sovereign of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.

³¹ After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to impale Him.

The Impalement  (Psalm 22:1–31 ;  Mark 15:21–32 ;  Luke 23:26–43 ;  John 19:16–27)

³² Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the stake of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏.

³³ And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull, ³⁴ they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.

³⁵ When they had impaled Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots. ³⁶ And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

³⁷ Above His head they posted the written charge against Him:

THIS IS 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏,

THE SOVEREIGN OF THE YAHUḎIM.

³⁸ Two robbers  were impaled with Him, one on His right and the other on His left.

³⁹ And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days¹, save Yourself! If You are the Son of Alahym, come down from the stake!”

⁴¹In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ⁴² “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the Sovereign of Yashar’Al! Let Him come down now from the stake, and we will believe in Him. ⁴³ He trusts in Alahym. Let Alahym deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of Alahym.’ ”

⁴⁴ In the same way, even the robbers who were impaled with Him berated Him.

The Death of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏  (Psalm 22:1–31 ;  Mark 15:33–41 ;  Luke 23:44–49 ;  John 19:28–30)

⁴⁵From the sixth hour until the ninth hour  darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 cried out in a loud voice, “Ali, Ali,  lemah sheḇaqtani?” which means, “My Mighty One, My Mighty One, why have You forsaken Me?” 

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Footnotes

1. This is also an allusion to the coming of the New Yarushalayim after the millennium of earth’s rest, when the new temple will come from the heaven (shamayim). ↩︎