1 So Joseph took five of his brothers and went to the king. He told him, “My father and my brothers have come from Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own. They are now in the region of Goshen.” 2 He then presented his brothers to the king. 3 The king asked them, “What is your occupation?”
“We are shepherds, sir, just as our ancestors were,” they answered. 4 “We have come to live in this country, because in the land of Canaan the famine is so severe that there is no pasture for our flocks. Please give us permission to live in the region of Goshen.” 5 The king said to Joseph, “Now that your father and your brothers have arrived, 6 the land of Egypt is theirs. Let them settle in the region of Goshen, the best part of the land. And if there are any capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to the king. Jacob gave the king his blessing, 8 and the king asked him, “How old are you?”
9 Jacob answered, “My life of wandering has lasted a hundred and thirty years. Those years have been few and difficult, unlike the long years of my ancestors in their wanderings.” 10 Jacob gave the king a farewell blessing and left. 11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt, giving them property in the best of the land near the city of Rameses, as the king had commanded. 12 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all the rest of his father's family, including the very youngest.
The Famine
13 The famine was so severe that there was no food anywhere, and the people of Egypt and Canaan became weak with hunger. 14 As they bought grain, Joseph collected all the money and took it to the palace. 15 When all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Don't let us die. Do something! Our money is all gone.”
16 Joseph answered, “Bring your livestock; I will give you food in exchange for it if your money is all gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. That year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 The following year they came to him and said, “We will not hide the fact from you, sir, that our money is all gone and our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left to give you except our bodies and our lands. 19 Don't let us die. Do something! Don't let our fields be deserted. Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will be the king's slaves, and he will own our land. Give us grain to keep us alive and seed so that we can plant our fields.”
20 Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for the king. Every Egyptian was forced to sell his land, because the famine was so severe; and all the land became the king's property. 21 Joseph made slaves of the people from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he did not buy was the land that belonged to the priests. They did not have to sell their lands, because the king gave them an allowance to live on. 23 Joseph said to the people, “You see, I have now bought you and your lands for the king. Here is seed for you to sow in your fields. 24 At the time of harvest you must give one-fifth to the king. You can use the rest for seed and for food for yourselves and your families.”
25 They answered, “You have saved our lives; you have been good to us, sir, and we will be the king's slaves.” 26 So Joseph made it a law for the land of Egypt that one-fifth of the harvest should belong to the king. This law still remains in force today. Only the lands of the priests did not become the king's property.
Jacob's Last Request
27 The Israelites lived in Egypt in the region of Goshen, where they became rich and had many children. 28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, until he was a hundred and forty-seven years old. 29 When the time drew near for him to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Place your hand between my thighs and make a solemn vow that you will not bury me in Egypt. 30 I want to be buried where my fathers are; carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”
Joseph answered, “I will do as you say.”
31 Jacob said, “Make a vow that you will.” Joseph made the vow, and Jacob gave thanks there on his bed.
1 Jāzeps gāja un stāstīja faraonam: “No Kanaāna zemes ir atnācis mans tēvs un mani brāļi, un viņu avis, un viņu vērši, un viss, kas tiem ir, un redzi – tie ir Gošenes zemē.” 2 Viņš bija paņēmis piecus no saviem brāļiem un tos stādīja priekšā faraonam. 3 Un faraons jautāja viņa brāļiem: “Ko jūs darāt?” Un viņi teica faraonam: “Tavi kalpi ir avju gani – gan mēs, gan mūsu tēvi!” 4 Un viņi teica faraonam: “Mēs esam atnākuši, lai apmestos šajā zemē – tavu kalpu avīm nav ganību, jo bads nospiež Kanaāna zemi! Tad nu atļauj saviem kalpiem apmesties Gošenes zemē!” 5 Un faraons sacīja Jāzepam: “Pie tevis ir atnācis tavs tēvs un tavi brāļi! 6 Tavā priekšā ir visa Ēģiptes zeme! Saki, lai tavs tēvs un tavi brāļi apmetas vislabākajā zemē! Lai tie mīt Gošenes zemē, un, ja starp tiem ir prasmīgi vīri, iecel tos par mana ganāmpulka uzraugiem!” 7 Un Jāzeps atveda savu tēvu Jēkabu un viņu stādīja priekšā faraonam, un Jēkabs svētīja faraonu. 8 Un faraons jautāja Jēkabam: “Cik gadus rit tava dzīve?” 9 Jēkabs atbildēja faraonam: “Manas dzīves ilgums ir simts trīsdesmit gadi – maz un sliktas ir bijušas manas dienas, kopš dzīvoju, tās nesniedzas līdz manu tēvu dzīves dienām, kad tie dzīvoja!” 10 Un Jēkabs svētīja faraonu un devās no viņa projām. 11 Un Jāzeps nomitināja savu tēvu un brāļus, deva tiem Ēģiptes zemē īpašumu labākajā zemē – Raamsēsas zemē, kā faraons bija pavēlējis. 12 Un Jāzeps apgādāja savu tēvu un brāļus, un visu sava tēva namu ar maizi pēc viņu bērnu skaita.
Bads Ēģiptē
13 Visā zemē nebija maizes, bads bija jo stiprs, un Ēģiptes zeme un Kanaāna zeme bada dēļ izputēja. 14 Bet Jāzeps bija savācis visu sudrabu, kas bija Ēģiptes zemē un Kanaāna zemē, – par labību, ko tie bija pirkuši. Visu sudrabu Jāzeps nogādāja faraona namā. 15 Kad Ēģiptes zemē un Kanaāna zemē beidzās sudrabs, visi ēģiptieši nāca pie Jāzepa un sacīja: “Dod mums maizi! Kāpēc mums mirt tavu acu priekšā vien tādēļ, ka beidzies sudrabs?!” 16 Un Jāzeps teica: “Dodiet savus lopus, un es došu par jūsu lopiem, ja sudrabs beidzies!” 17 Un viņi atveda savus lopus pie Jāzepa, un Jāzeps tiem deva maizi par zirgiem, par avju bariem, par vēršu pulkiem un par ēzeļiem, un tajā gadā viņš tos apgādāja ar maizi par visiem viņu lopiem. 18 Pagāja gads, un nākamajā gadā tie atkal nāca pie Jāzepa un teica: “Mēs neslēpsim no mūsu kunga, ka mūsu sudrabs ir izsīcis, un lopu ganāmpulki jau ir pie mūsu kunga – nekas mums nav palicis mūsu kungam, vien izņemot mūs pašus un mūsu zemi! 19 Kāpēc mums mirt tavu acu priekšā – gan mums, gan mūsu zemei? Pērc mūs un mūsu zemi par maizi! Mēs un mūsu zeme kļūsim faraona vergi! Un dod sēklu, un mēs dzīvosim, ne mirsim, un zeme neaizies postā!” 20 Un Jāzeps nopirka faraonam visu Ēģiptes zemi, jo ik ēģiptietis pārdeva savu lauku, tik stiprs bija bads, un zeme tika faraonam. 21 Un tautu viņš padarīja par vergiem – no viena Ēģiptes gala līdz otram. 22 Viņš neuzpirka tikai priesteru zemi, jo par priesteriem faraons bija izdevis likumu, un tie ēda savu likumīgo tiesu, ko faraons tiem bija devis, tādēļ savu zemi nepārdeva. 23 Tad Jāzeps tautai teica: “Redzi – tagad es esmu nopircis faraonam jūsu zemi un jūs pašus! Še jums sēkla un apsējiet zemi! 24 Kad būs raža, tad piekto daļu jūs dosiet faraonam, bet četras daļas būs jums – ar ko apsēt lauku un iztikai jums pašiem un tiem, kas jums mājās, un jūsu mazuļiem!” 25 Un tie teica: “Tu dāvāji mums dzīvību – mēs guvām sava kunga vēlību! – un mēs būsim faraona vergi!” 26 Un Jāzeps izdeva šādu likumu, kas vēl šodien ir Ēģiptes zemē, – piektā daļa jādod faraonam. Faraons neiemantoja tikai priesteru zemi.
Jēkaba pēdējās dienas
27 Israēls dzīvoja Ēģiptes zemē, Gošenes zemē, viņi to dabūja īpašumā, un viņi ļoti augļojās un vairojās. 28 Jēkabs Ēģiptes zemē bija dzīvojis septiņpadsmit gadu, un visas Jēkaba dienas, visas viņa dzīves dienas kopā bija simts četrdesmit septiņi gadi. 29 Un pienāca Israēla laiks mirt. Viņš pasauca savu dēlu Jāzepu un teica viņam: “Ja jau esmu guvis tavu vēlību – liec jel savu roku zem mana gurna, esi žēlīgs un patiesīgs pret mani, neapglabā jel mani Ēģiptē! 30 Guldi mani pie maniem tēviem! Aizved mani no Ēģiptes un apglabā mani viņu kapavietā!” Un tas atbildēja: “Es darīšu, kā tu teici!” 31 Un viņš teica: “Zvēri man!” Un tas viņam zvērēja, un Israēls noslīga gultas galvgalī.
