全新四年樂活讀經
W1 2011-03-07 (創47)
經文: 創世紀 47:31 雅各說：「你要向我起誓。」約瑟就向他起了誓，於是以色列在床頭上（或作：扶著杖頭）敬拜神。
默想: 雅各年紀老邁，知道自己將要走過人生必經的死亡過程，請求約瑟起誓，要將自己的遺骸安葬於迦南地。當約瑟起誓之後，雅各坐在床頭，伏著杖頭，敬拜上帝。雅各回想自己一生，運用自己的智慧，從雙胞胎哥哥以掃手中買到長子的名份。當父親年邁時，與母親利百加運用智慧，從父親以撒騙得長子的祝福。但是，事實上，由於以掃的憤怒，雅各只拿著家裡一根拐杖就匆忙的離家北上，投奔遠在哈蘭的舅父拉班。雅各在伯特利夢見天梯，信仰獲得突破的經歷。在哈蘭地，雅各開始體會被親人欺騙的痛苦，用那一根拐杖，為了娶兩個妻子，替母舅拉班牧放羊群長達二十年之久。再逃跑返鄉的半路，耶和華的使者在雅博渡口與雅各摔跤，雅各傷了大腿窩的筋，從此要拄著這根拐杖才能蹒跚前行。一直到他無法行走了，就 坐在床頭、伏著杖頭，敬拜上帝。這根拐杖，見證了耶和華的信實以及雅各生命在一生中所經歷的轉變。感謝讚美主的帶領與恩典。
題目: 在饑荒年間，約瑟如何處理埃及百姓一再的求糧？他的態度與作法，你有何看法與學習？
47:1 約瑟進去告訴法老說：「我的父親和我的弟兄帶著羊群牛群，並一切所有的，從迦南地來了，如今在歌珊地。」
So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; they are now in the land of Goshen ."
47:2 約瑟從他弟兄中挑出五個人來，引他們去見法老。
And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh.
47:3 法老問約瑟的弟兄說：「你們以何事為業？」他們對法老說：「你僕人是牧羊的，連我們的祖宗也是牧羊的。」
Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were."
47:4 他們又對法老說：「迦南地的饑荒甚大，僕人的羊群沒有草吃，所以我們來到這地寄居。現在求你容僕人住在歌珊地。」
They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land; for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan ; and now, we pray you, let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen ."
47:5 法老對約瑟說：「你父親和你弟兄到你這裡來了，
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.
47:6 埃及地都在你面前，只管叫你父親和你弟兄住在國中最好的地；他們可以住在歌珊地。你若知道他們中間有甚麼能人，就派他們看管我的牲畜。」
The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen ; and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my cattle."
47:7 約瑟領他父親雅各進到法老面前，雅各就給法老祝福。
Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
47:8 法老問雅各說：「你平生的年日是多少呢？」
And Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"
47:9 雅各對法老說：「我寄居在世的年日是一百三十歲，我平生的年日又少又苦，不及我列祖在世寄居的年日。」
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning."
47:10 雅各又給法老祝福，就從法老面前出去了。
And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
47:11 約瑟遵著法老的命，把埃及國最好的地，就是蘭塞境內的地，給他父親和弟兄居住，作為產業。
Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt , in the best of the land, in the land of Ram'eses , as Pharaoh had commanded.
47:12 約瑟用糧食奉養他父親和他弟兄，並他父親全家的眷屬，都是照各家的人口奉養他們。
And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their dependents.
47:13 饑荒甚大，全地都絕了糧，甚至埃及地和迦南地的人因那饑荒的緣故都餓昏了。
Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine.
47:14 約瑟收聚了埃及地和迦南地所有的銀子，就是眾人糴糧的銀子，約瑟就把那銀子帶到法老的宮裡。
And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan , for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
47:15 埃及地和迦南地的銀子都花盡了，埃及眾人都來見約瑟，說：「我們的銀子都用盡了，求你給我們糧食，我們為甚麼死在你面前呢？」
And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give us food; why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone."
47:16 約瑟說：「若是銀子用盡了，可以把你們的牲畜給我，我就為你們的牲畜給你們糧食。」
And Joseph answered, "Give your cattle, and I will give you food in exchange for your cattle, if your money is gone."
47:17 於是他們把牲畜趕到約瑟那裡，約瑟就拿糧食換了他們的牛、羊、驢、馬；那一年因換他們一切的牲畜，就用糧食養活他們。
So they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the asses: and he supplied them with food in exchange for all their cattle that year.
47:18 那一年過去，第二年他們又來見約瑟，說：「我們不瞞我主，我們的銀子都花盡了，牲畜也都歸了我主。我們在我主眼前，除了我們的身體和田地之外，一無所剩。
And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord's; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands.
47:19 你何忍見我們人死地荒呢？求你用糧食買我們和我們的地，我們和我們的地就要給法老效力。又求你給我們種子，使我們得以存活，不致死亡，地土也不致荒涼。」
Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be slaves to Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land may not be desolate."
47:20 於是，約瑟為法老買了埃及所有的地，埃及人因被饑荒所迫，各都賣了自己的田地；那地就都歸了法老。
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh's;
47:21 至於百姓，約瑟叫他們，從埃及這邊直到埃及那邊，都各歸各城。
and as for the people, he made slaves of them from one end of Egypt to the other.
47:22 惟有祭司的地，約瑟沒有買，因為祭司有從法老所得的常俸。他們吃法老所給的常俸，所以他們不賣自己的地。
Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh, and lived on the allowance which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.
47:23 約瑟對百姓說：「我今日為法老買了你們和你們的地，看哪，這裡有種子給你們，你們可以種地。
Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
47:24 後來打糧食的時候，你們要把五分之一納給法老，四分可以歸你們做地裡的種子，也做你們和你們家口孩童的食物。」
And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones."
47:25 他們說：「你救了我們的性命。但願我們在我主眼前蒙恩，我們就作法老的僕人。」
And they said, "You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh."
47:26 於是約瑟為埃及地定下常例，直到今日：法老必得五分之一，惟獨祭司的地不歸法老。
So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt , and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.
47:27 以色列人住在埃及的歌珊地。他們在那裡置了產業，並且生育甚多。
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt , in the land of Goshen ; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly.
47:28 雅各住在埃及地十七年，雅各平生的年日是一百四十七歲。
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred and forty-seven years.
47:29 以色列的死期臨近了，他就叫了他兒子約瑟來，說：「我若在你眼前蒙恩，請你把手放在我大腿底下，用慈愛和誠實待我，請你不要將我葬在埃及。
And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh, and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,
47:30 我與我祖我父同睡的時候，你要將我帶出埃及，葬在他們所葬的地方。」約瑟說：「我必遵著你的命而行。」
but let me lie with my fathers; carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place." He answered, "I will do as you have said."
47:31 雅各說：「你要向我起誓。」約瑟就向他起了誓，於是以色列在床頭上【或作扶著杖頭】敬拜 神。
And he said, "Swear to me"; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.
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