Month: January 2026

Day 21 – A Year in the Bible – Exodus 11-13
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EXODUS – THE FIRSTBORN

All the Firstborn in the Land of Egypt Shall Die
And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. – Exodus 11:4-8

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EXODUS 12 – PASSOVER ESTABLISHED

The Passover Established
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. – Exodus 12:1-12

Strike the Lintel and Two Side Posts with the Blood
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. – Exodus 12:21-23

What Mean Ye By This Service?
And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. – Exodus 12:24-28

At Midnight the LORD Smote All the Firstborn of Egypt
And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. – Exodus 12:29-30

Rise Up and Get You Forth from Among My People
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. – Exodus 12:31-33

This is the Ordinance of the Passover
And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no stranger eat thereof: but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. – Exodus 12:43-45

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EXODUS 13 – THE LORD BROUGHT US FORTH OUT OF EGYPT

By Strength of Hand the LORD Brought Us Forth Out from Egypt
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt. – Exodus 13:14-16

Free, but still a work to be done in the wilderness
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. – Exodus 13:17-18

Day 20 – A Year in the Bible – Exodus 7-10

EXODUS 7 – WATERS OF BLOOD

The Waters of Egypt Become Blood (Streams, Rivers, Ponds, Pools, Vessels)
Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. – Exodus 7:17-19

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EXODUS 8 – FROGS, LICE, FLIES

Plague of Frogs
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. – Exodus 8:5-6

Plague of Lice
And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. – Exodus 8:16-17

Plague of Flies
And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. – Exodus 8:20-21

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EXODUS 9 – MURRAIN, BOILS, PESTILENCE, HAIL

Plague of Murrain Upon the Cattle, Horses, Asses, Camels, Oxen, Sheep
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. – Exodus 9:1-3

Murrain – any of various diseases of cattle, as anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, and Texas fever, a plague or pestilence

Plague of Boils
And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. – Exodus 9:8-9

Plague of Pestilence
And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. – Exodus 9:13-15

Plague of Hail
Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. – Exodus 9:18-19

Our promises that bind us
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses. – Exodus 9:34-35

We, like Pharaoh, often cry out to God when we are in distress. We make promises and take vows only to break them when the crisis is over—making a promise to God, though is binding. Making a promise to others is just as binding. We should be people known for keeping our word.

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EXODUS 10 – LOCUSTS, DARKNESS

That you may know that I am the Lord
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord. – Exodus 10:1-2

Everything that God was doing, all the plagues, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was not just to change Pharaoh so he would let God’s children go. It was also, maybe even more so, for the Israelites. A sign that the Israelites and their children and their children’s children and all the generations to come would know that He is the Lord. THAT YOU MAY KNOW “that I am the Lord.”

Plague of Locusts
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt. – Exodus 10:12-15

Plague of Darkness
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. – Exodus 10:21-23

Day 19 – A Year in the Bible – Exodus 4-6

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EXODUS 4 – I WILL BE WITH THY MOUTH

Now Therefore Go, and I Will Be with Thy Mouth
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. – Exodus 4:10-17

So often, I have prayed for God to use me, asked Him what is my purpose, said to Him, “Here am I, send me,” and yet when God calls and commissions me to join Him on a mission, my first reaction is – please Lord, send someone else! Moses did this, and most of us know exactly what he felt. He gave part of his assignment to someone else. Moses was a great man of faith, but at that moment he didn’t have faith that God would be true to His Word to be with him. He was given a mission that he was uniquely prepared for. He accepted parts of the task but not all of it. How many times have I done the same thing? I wanted the mission, but the fear caused me to hand parts of it to another. Help me, Father!

Aaron Spake All the Words the LORD Had Spoken Unto Moses
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: and Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. – Exodus 4:29-31

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EXODUS 5 – LET THERE BE MORE WORK LAID UPON THE MEN

Let Us Go Three Days Journey and Sacrifice Unto the LORD Our God
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. – Exodus 5:1-3

They Be Idle, Let There Be More Work Laid Upon the Men
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. – Exodus 5:6-9

Lord, why have You not moved – yet?
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all?  – Exodus 5:22-23

When I first read this, I thought Moses sounded disrespectful. But Moses saw his people suffering and had received promises from God about a great deliverance for them. Ultimately, he is asking. Lord, why have You not moved on behalf of Your people yet? 

Haven’t many of us asked that very same question lately??? I know I have.

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EXODUS 6 – THOU SHALT SEE WHAT I WILL DO TO PHARAOH

Now Thou Shalt See What I Will Do to Pharaoh
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. – Exodus 6:1-8

Day 18 – A Year in the Bible – Exodus 1-3

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EXODUS 1 – A NEW KING OVER EGYPT

The Children of Israel are More and Mightier Than We
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. – Exodus 1:8-12

The Midwives Feared God
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. – Exodus 1:15-17

Every Son That is Born Ye Shall Cast Into the River
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. – Exodus 1:18-22

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EXODUS 2 – A SON IS BORN

She Bare a Son
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. – Exodus 2:1-4

She Brought Him Unto Pharaoh’s Daughter
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. – Exodus 2:5-9

She Called His Name Moses
And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. – Exodus 2:5-10

He Spied an Egyptian Smiting an Hebrew, One of His Brethren
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. – Exodus 2:11-14

Moses Fled and Dwelt in the Land of Midian
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. – Exodus 2:15

Moses was Content
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. – Exodus 2:21-22

God Remembered His Covenant
And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. – Exodus 2:23-24

God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has a covenant with them and with every one of His children. He remembers His covenant with me. Do I remember my covenant with Him?

Covenant – an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified; the conditional promises made to humanity by God as revealed in Scripture; the agreement between God and the Israelites in which God promised to protect them if they kept His law and were faithful to Him.

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EXODUS 3 – HOLY GROUND

The Bush Burned with Fire and the Bush Was Not Consumed
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. – Exodus 3:1-2

The Place Whereon Thou Standest is Holy Ground
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. – Exodus 3:3-6

When God calls me, do I stop and say, Here am I? Do I take my shoes off in reverence? Do I take the time to hear Him?

I Have Seen the Affliction of My People and Heard Their Cry
And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. – Exodus 3:7-10

Who Am I, That I Should Go Unto Pharaoh
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. – Exodus 3:11-12

I AM THAT I AM
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. – Exodus 3:13-14

Never be ashamed to go forth with the Word of God. I AM THAT I AM sent you too!!!

Day 17 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 49-50

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GENESIS 49 – JACOB BLESSED HIS SONS

Reuben Shalt Not Excel
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. – Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭3‬-‭4‬

Simeon and Levi Will be Divided and Scattered in Israel
Simeon and Levi are brethren; Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; Unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: For in their anger they slew a man, And in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; And their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel. – Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭5‬-‭7‬

Judah will be Praised by His Brethren
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 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. Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk. – Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭

Zebulun Shall be for an Haven of Ships
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; And he shall be for an haven of ships; And his border shall be unto Zidon. – Genesis 49:13

Issachar Saw that Rest was Good
Issachar is a strong ass Couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a servant unto tribute.– Genesis 49:14

Dan Shall Judge His People
Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, An adder in the path, That biteth the horse heels, So that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. – Genesis 49:15-18

Gad Shall Overcome at the Last
Gad, a troop shall overcome him: But he shall overcome at the last. – Genesis 49:19

Asher Shall Yield Royal Dainties
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, And he shall yield royal dainties. – Genesis 49:20

Naphtali Giveth Goodly Words
Naphtali is a hind let loose: He giveth goodly words. – Genesis 49:21

Joseph is a Fruitful Bough
Joseph is a fruitful bough, Even a fruitful bough by a well; Whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lieth under, Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father Have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. – Genesis 49:22-26

Benjamin Shall Devour the Prey and Divide the Spoil
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil. – Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭27‬

Jacob Charged His Sons to Bury Him with His Fathers
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. – Genesis 49:28-30

Jacob Yielded Up the Ghost and was Gathered Unto His People
And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. – Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭33‬

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GENESIS 50 – GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD

Jacob’s Sons Buried Him in Canaan with His Fathers
And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. – Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭

Joseph Wept When His Brothers Asked for Forgiveness
And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. – Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭

God Will Use the Schemes of the Wicked for Your Good
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 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. – Genesis 50:19-20

Carry My Bones from Hence
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. – Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭22‬-‭26‬ ‭

Day 16 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 46-48

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GENESIS 46 – EVERY SHEPHERD IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE EGYPTIANS

In today’s passages in Genesis, we learn how the children of Israel (70 in all) got to Egypt. They were saved there and prospered there. They increased in numbers and grew into a great nation there, but they would also be enslaved there for 400 years!

Every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians. Shepherds or ministers today are fast becoming an abomination to this world, and yet as in Joseph’s day, being obedient to that call will be what protects, sustains, and grows the Kingdom of God.
And it shall come to pass, when Pharoah shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians. – Genesis 46:33-34

God Spake Unto Israel in the Visions of the Night
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. – Genesis 46:1-7

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GENESIS 47 – ISRAEL’S (JACOB’S) DEATH DRAWS NIGH

Joseph fed his family from the bread he had stored. Jesus commands us to feed others with the bread (the Word) we have stored in our hearts,
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families. – Genesis 47:12

And the Time Drew Nigh that Israel Must Die
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head. – Genesis 47:27-31

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GENESIS 48 – JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH’S SONS

Let My Name Be Named
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. – Genesis 48:15-16

Ephraim – His Seed Shall Become a Multitude of Nations
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. – Genesis 48:17-21

Day 15 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 43-45

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GENESIS 43 – PEACE BE TO YOU, FEAR NOT

If I be Bereaved of My Children, I am Bereaved
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: and take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. – Genesis 43:11-14

Peace Be to You, Fear Not
And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, and said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: and it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. – Genesis 43:19:25

He Lifted Up His Eyes and Saw His Brother Benjamin
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. – Genesis 43:29-32

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GENESIS 44 – LEST I SEE THE EVIL COME ON MY FATHER

How Shall I Go Up to My Father, and the Lad Be Not With Me?
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my Lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. – Genesis 44:30-34

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GENESIS 45 – GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU TO PRESERVE LIFE

God Prepares a Way for Me to Be Fed
And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. ~ Genesis 45:4-8

Israel Said, It is Enough; Joseph My Son is Yet Alive
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: and Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die. – Genesis 45:25-28

Day 14 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 40-42

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In Genesis today, the story of Joseph continues as he interprets Pharaoh’s dreams, giving all the glory to God and telling Pharaoh that God shall give him an answer of peace. Joseph is subsequently appointed as second in command in Egypt. This section also covers the beginning of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers, who come to Egypt seeking food during a famine.

GENESIS 40 – INTERPRETATIONS BELONG TO THE LORD

Do Not Interpretations Belong to God?
And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his Lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. – Genesis 40:4-8

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GENESIS 41 – GOD SHALL GIVE AN ANSWER OF PEACE

Pharaoh Dreamed
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. – Genesis 41:1

There was None that Could Interpret
And 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. – Genesis 41:8

Pharaoh Sent and Called Joseph
Then 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. – Genesis 41:14

It is Not in Me: God Shall Give Pharaoh an Answer of Peace
And 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. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. – Genesis 41:15-16

There is None so Discreet and Wise as Thou Art
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. – Genesis 41:37-41

Go Unto Joseph; What He Saith to You, Do
And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands. – Genesis 41:55-57
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GENESIS 42 – JOSEPH’S BROTHERS BOWED DOWN

Joseph’s Brothers Came and Bowed Down Before Him
And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. – Genesis 42:6-9

One is Not
And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. – Genesis 42:13

Hereby Ye Shall Be Proved
hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. – Genesis 42:15-17

In our reading in Genesis today, the story continues of Joseph’s brothers going to Egypt to buy food during a famine. In today’s reading, the brothers have returned to Joseph, bringing Benjamin along as Joseph commanded them to do.

Bring Your Youngest Brother Unto Me
And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: but bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. – Genesis 42:18-20

We are Verily Guilty Concerning Our Brother
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. – Genesis 42:21-25

My Son Shall Not Go Down with You
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. – Genesis 42:36-38

Day 13 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 37-39

GENESIS 37 – JOSEPH

Today’s reading of Genesis 37, gives the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob (now Israel), who is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. The chapter includes Joseph’s famous coat of many colors and his dreams of future greatness. It also tells of the lengths the brothers went to cover up their acts done in jealousy.

Israel Loved Joseph More Than All His Children
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. – Genesis 37:3-4

Joseph Told His Brothers His Dream
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. – Genesis 37:5-8

Joseph Told His Brothers Another Dream
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. – Genesis 37:9-11

Joseph’s Brothers Dip His Coat in Blood, Jacob Mourns
And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. – Genesis 37:31-35
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GENESIS 38 – TAMAR

In Genesis 38, the focus shifts to Judah, another of Jacob’s sons, and his relationship with his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Both chapters involve deceit and the consequences of deceitfulness. Both chapters remind me of something a pastor used to say frequently – Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay

Tamar Went and Dwelt in Her Father’s House
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. – Genesis 38:11

Tamar Put Her Widow’s Garments Off
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. – Genesis 38:13-19

Tamar Hath Been More Righteous than I
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. – Genesis 38:24-26

Twins Were in Tamar’s Womb
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah. – Genesis 38:27-30

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GENESIS 39 – POTIPHAR’S WIFE

Joseph’s brothers sold him and he went to live as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. The Lord is with Joseph, and Potiphar knows it, so he puts Joseph in charge of his household. In time, Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph, but he resists her advances. One day, she grabs Joseph’s garment, and Joseph flees. Then, she falsely accuses him of attempting to assault her. Potiphar is angry and throws Joseph into prison. But the Lord is still with Joseph and blesses him even in prison.

His Master Saw that the LORD was with Him
And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. – Genesis 39:3-6

That Which He Did the LORD Made it to Prosper
And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper. – Genesis 39:20-23

Day 12 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 34-36

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GENESIS 34 – SHOULD SHECHEM DEAL WITH OUR SISTER AS WITH AN HARLOT

In today’s reading of the Old Testament, we learn about Jacob’s encounter with God as he prepared to meet with his brother, Esau. Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night and at the end of that night, his name was changed to Israel. We read about Jacob’s reconciliation with Esau, how he settles in the land of Canaan, and how his daughter was defiled there, and how vengeance for her defilement was executed.

Dinah Defiled
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. – Genesis 34:1-2

The Sons of Jacob Answered Deceitfully, Every Male Circumcised
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: and they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: but in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. … And the young man deferred not to do the thing. – Genesis 34:13-19

Dinah’s Brethren Slew all the Males
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. – Genesis 34:25

Should He (Shechem) Deal with Our Sister as with an Harlot?
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? – Genesis 34:30-31

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GENESIS 35 – Go Up to Bethel and Dwell There

In today’s reading in Genesis 35, God commands Jacob to go to Bethel and build an altar to Him. Jacob and his family leave Shechem and travel to Bethel, where Jacob has a vision of God, and God reaffirms Jacob’s name, now Israel. He built the altar, and God blessed him. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and Israel buries her in Bethlehem. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, one of his father’s wives, and Israel hears about it. The remaining text lists the descendants of Esau, known as Edom. These descendants of Esau became the Edomites and lived in the land of Seir. The end of the passage sets the stage for future conflicts between the Israelites and the Edomites.

Arise, Go Up to Bethel and Dwell There
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. – Genesis 35:1-3

He Built There an Altar
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. – Genesis 35:6-7

God Appeared Unto Jacob Again and Blessed Him
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el. – Genesis 35:9-15

Rachel Travailed and Died as Benjamin was Born
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. – Genesis 35:16-20

Isaac Died
And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. – Genesis 35:27-29

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GENESIS 36 – Esau is Edom

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. – Genesis‬ ‭36‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭