Genesis 39:9 KJV “There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Sunday, December 17 The Dreamer
Genesis 37 NRSV “1 ¶ Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. 5 ¶ Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream that I dreamed. 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright; then your sheaves gathered around it, and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Are you indeed to have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his words. 9 He had another dream, and told it to his brothers, saying, "Look, I have had another dream: the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, "What kind of dream is this that you have had? Shall we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, and bow to the ground before you?" 11 So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 12 ¶ Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." He answered, "Here I am." 14 So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem, 15 and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, "What are you seeking?" 16 "I am seeking my brothers," he said; "tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock." 17 The man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’" So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. 19 They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams." 21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." 22 Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him" —that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. 23 ¶ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; 24 and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. 29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes. 30 He returned to his brothers, and said, "The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?" 31 ¶ Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They had the long robe with sleeves taken to their father, and they said, "This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe or not." 33 He recognized it, and said, "It is my son’s robe! A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces." 34 Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father bewailed him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.”

Monday, December 18 Sin With the Canaanites
Genesis 38 NKJV “1 ¶ It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name [was] Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name [was] Shua, and he married her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. 6 Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name [was] Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. 8 And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. 12 ¶ Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14 So she took off her widow’s garments, covered [herself] with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which [was] on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she [was] a harlot, because she had covered her face. 16 Then he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she [was] his daughter-in-law. So she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" 17 And he said, "I will send a young goat from the flock." So she said, "Will you give [me] a pledge till you send [it]?" 18 Then he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" So she said, "Your signet and cord, and your staff that [is] in your hand." Then he gave [them] to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who [was] openly by the roadside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this [place]." 22 So he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this [place]." 23 Then Judah said, "Let her take [them] for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her." 24 ¶ And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she [is] with child by harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!" 25 When she [was] brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man to whom these belong, I [am] with child." And she said, "Please determine whose these [are] —the signet and cord, and staff." 26 So Judah acknowledged [them] and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he never knew her again. 27 Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins [were] in her womb. 28 And so it was, when she was giving birth, that [the one] put out [his] hand; and the midwife took a scarlet [thread] and bound it on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." 29 Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, "How did you break through? [This] breach [be] upon you!" Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet [thread] on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.”

Tuesday, December 19 Joseph in Egypt
Genesis 39 KJ21 “1 ¶ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 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. 5 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. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not anything he had, save the bread which he ate. And Joseph was a goodly person, and wellfavored. 7 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, "Lie with me." 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, "Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. 9 There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" 10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there were none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got himself out. 13 ¶ And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled forth, 14 that she called unto the men of her house and spoke unto them, saying, "See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us. He came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. 15 And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me and fled, and got himself out." 16 And she laid aside his garment by her until his lord came home. 17 And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought unto us came in unto me to mock me. 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me and fled out." 19 ¶ And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke unto him, saying, "After this manner did thy servant to me," that his wrath was kindled. 20 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. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not into any thing that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

Wednesday, December 20 The Cupbearer and the Baker
Genesis 40 MKJV “1 ¶ And after these things it happened that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt, and his baker, had offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry against two of his eunuchs, against the chief of the cupbearers and against the chief of the bakers. 3 And he put them under guard in the house of the chief of the executioners, into the prison, the place where Joseph [was] bound. 4 And the chief of the executioners charged Joseph with them, and he served them. And they continued for a time under guard. 5 ¶ 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 cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who [were] bound in the prison. 6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning, and looked upon them, and behold, they [were] sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh’s eunuchs who [were] with him under guard in his lord’s house, saying, Why are your faces sad today? 8 And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations [belong] to God? Now tell it to me. 9 And the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine [was] before me. 10 And in the vine [were] three branches. And it was as if it budded, and its blossom shot up. And the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes. 11 And Pharaoh’s cup [was] in my hand. And I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 12 And Joseph said to him, This [is] the interpretation of it. The three branches are three days. 13 Yet within three days Pharaoh shall lift up your head and restore you to your place. And you shall deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer. 14 But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. 16 When the chief baker saw the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also [saw] in my dream, and three baskets of white bread [were] on my head. 17 And in the top basket [were] all kinds of baked foods for Pharaoh. And the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head. 18 And Joseph answered and said, This [is] the interpretation of it. The three baskets are three days. 19 Yet within three days Pharaoh shall lift up your head from off you, and shall hang you on a tree. And the birds shall eat your flesh from off you. 20 ¶ And it happened on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast to all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer, and of the chief baker, among his servants. 21 And he restored the chief cupbearer back into his cupbearer office again. And he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, even as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

Thursday, December 21 Joseph’s Release
Genesis 41:1-40 NIV “1 ¶ When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. 5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted— thin and scorched by the east wind. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. 8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. 9 ¶ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged." 14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." 16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." 17 ¶ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 After them, seven other cows came up— scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up. 22 "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted— withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me." 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. 28 "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. 33 ¶ "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine." 37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."”