19 January 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 19 January

Happy Saturday to all.  After working all night, slept until past noon.  Took Dear Wife to store:  she can no longer see to drive and rarely leaves the house these days.  Was good for her I guess.  Came home, ate a bit, she lay back down.  The chemo  -- methotrexate --- kicks her around pretty good on the Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon routine, so it's good I can be here for at least some of that.  Love her dearly.  Coming up on our 25th wedding anniversary, which is a blessing.

The Old Testament reading of the day is chapters 44 and 45 in the Genesis.  We are seeing the unfolding of at least part of the Lord's plan and provision for Jacob/Israel and his descendants.  A convoluted thing, true, but all part of A Plan.  We're not to the culmination of that, yet, but it's heading there.


1
And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
2
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4
And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
5
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
6
And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
7
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
8
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
10
And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
11
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
12
And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
14
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
15
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
16
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
17
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
18
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
19
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
20
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
21
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
22
And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
23
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
24
And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25
And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
26
And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
27
And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
28
And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
29
And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
30
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;
31
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.
32
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.
33
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.
34
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.


1
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
2
And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
4
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.
5
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6
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.
7
And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8
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.
9
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
10
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
11
And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
12
And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
13
And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.
14
And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
15
Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
16
And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
18
And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
19
Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
20
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.
21
And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
22
To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.
23
And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.
24
So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
25
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
26
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.
27
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:
28
And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.





The New Testament reading is verses 1-21 of Matthew 14.  John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus, is executed.  Absolute rulers do that.  Jesus feeds the five thousand in a miraculous way.  I'd rather be where John the Baptist is, than where Herod is.  How about you?

1
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
2
And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
3
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
4
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
5
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
6
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
9
And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
10
And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11
And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
13
When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18
He said, Bring them hither to me.
19
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 18 January, 2013

Friday is upon us. I "get:" to work tonight again.  Leave around 6:30 p.m., drive 25 miles, work all night, get back home around 6:30 a.m.  Beats shoveling out cow barns.  Means that I will spend much of Saturday asleep, rather than spending Quality Time with Dear Wife.  Makes her unhappy, and me too.  I am reminded, now that I am a "few" years past 47, that there are those younger than I who are already retired, and in their leisure are drawing considerably more than I am while working.  By my reckoning, I have a good eight years ahead of me before I can even consider it, and in reality will probably have to work up to the day the Lord sends a messenger to tell me my room is ready.  By His grace, I will have the ability to take care of Dear Wife so long as she needs me.  My dad did.

The Old Testament passage is chapters 42 and 43 in the Genesis.  Here we begin to see the outlines of the preparation the Lord had made, years before, for His people, and the reason for Joseph's adventures.  I am reminded that blessings do not always feel that way at the time.  God is good.  Circumstances, not always.  But He is.

1
Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
2
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
3
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
4
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
5
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6
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.
7
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.
8
And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9
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.
10
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
11
We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
12
And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
13
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.
14
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15
Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
16
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.
17
And he put them all together into ward three days.
18
And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
19
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:
20
But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21
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.
22
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.
23
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
24
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.
25
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.
26
And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
28
And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
29
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30
The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
32
We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33
And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34
And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.
35
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36
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.
37
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.
38
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.


1
And the famine was sore in the land.
2
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
4
If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5
But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
6
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
7
And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10
For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
11
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:
12
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:
13
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
14
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.
15
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21
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.
22
And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
23
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.
24
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.
25
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
29
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.
30
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.
31
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32
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.
33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one at another.
34
And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.





The New Testament reading is verses 33-58 in Matthew 13.  More of Jesus.

33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53
And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55
Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 17 January, 2013

Happy Thursday to all who come by.  Got The Word from the home office that I am to be at customer site again tonight and tomorrow.  Then go in to my office on Monday, despite that being a legal holiday and no production scheduled.  As of now, at least.  So, we shall see.

We have some severe financial situations facing us right now.  Not only has Dear Wife been unable to work, often bedridden, for more than a year, but her physical condition continues to decline, meaning even more medical expenses.  I have been working for a paycheck roughly half of my "normal" level, with no raise whatever, for nearly five years now.  That is, my gross pay hasn't changed, but the net, what with higher taxes, higher payments for medical coverage, etc., certainly has gone down.  While the price of just about everything has gone up, quite dramatically in many cases.  We owe money in many directions, and There.Is.No.More.Money.  Not quite what I was hoping for at this stage of life.


The day's Old Testament reading is chapter 41 in the Genesis.  This single chapter covers more than seven years, and tells of Joseph's transition from a prison inmate to the chief counsel to Pharaoh.  And it mentions a famine.

1
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4
And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5
And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6
And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7
And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8
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.
9
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10
Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
11
And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12
And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13
And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14
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.
15
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.
16
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow:
19
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20
And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21
And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22
And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23
And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24
And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26
The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27
And the seven thin and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28
This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh.
29
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30
And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31
And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35
And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36
And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40
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.
41
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45
And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47
And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49
And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50
And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
52
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53
And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54
And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55
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.
56
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.
57
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.





The day's New Testament reading is 1-32 of chapter 13 in Matthew's gospel.  Jesus is speaking.  We'd be wise to listen in.

1
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.