Thematic Bible: Egyptians


Thematic Bible



How then can you drive back a single officer among the least of my master’s servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one.


Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die." So 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him." read more.
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "


Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die." So 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him." read more.
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "


They set out to go down to Egypt
without asking My advice,
in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection
and take refuge in Egypt’s shadow.


However, this king revolted against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so they might give him horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still escape?

Look, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him.

Then all the inhabitants of Egypt
will know that I am Yahweh,
for they have been a staff made of reed
to the house of Israel.


when He performed His miraculous signs in Egypt and His marvels in the region of Zoan. He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams. He sent among them swarms of flies, which fed on them, and frogs, which devastated them. read more.
He gave their crops to the caterpillar and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He killed their vines with hail and their sycamore-fig trees with a flood. He handed over their livestock to hail and their cattle to lightning bolts. He sent His burning anger against them: fury, indignation, and calamity- a band of deadly messengers. He cleared a path for His anger. He did not spare them from death, but delivered their lives to the plague. He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the first progeny of the tents of Ham.


During his reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to the king of Assyria at the Euphrates river. King Josiah went to confront him, and at Megiddo when Neco saw him he killed him. From Megiddo his servants carried his dead body in a chariot, brought him into Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the common people took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father. Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king; he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; [she was] from Libnah. read more.
He did what was evil in the Lord's sight just as his ancestors had done. Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath to keep him from reigning in Jerusalem, and he imposed on the land a fine of 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold. Then Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there. So Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but at Pharaoh's command he taxed the land to give the money. He exacted the silver and the gold from the people of the land, each man according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

After all this that Josiah had prepared for the temple, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What is [the issue] between you and me, king of Judah? I have not come against you today but to the dynasty I am fighting. God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don't make Him destroy you!" But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco's words from the mouth of God, but went to the Valley of Megiddo to fight. read more.
The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am severely wounded!" So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

The king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and fined the land 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold. Then [Neco] king of Egypt made Jehoahaz's brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took his brother Jehoahaz and brought him to Egypt.


Now at midnight the Lord struck every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock.

He struck all the firstborn in Egypt,
the first progeny of the tents of Ham.

He struck all the firstborn in their land,
all their first progeny.

He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
        His love is eternal.


Water covered their foes;
not one of them remained.

By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: "What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us." So he got his chariot ready and took his troops with him; he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. read more.
The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly. The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army-chased after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. They said to Moses: "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Isn't this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." But Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet." The Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." Then the Angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there [in] the darkness, yet it lit up the night. So neither group came near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea [back] with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left. The Egyptians set out in pursuit-all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen-and went into the sea after them. Then during the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw them into confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. "Let's get away from Israel," the Egyptians said, "because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!" Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen." So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord overthrew them in the sea. The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived. But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.


In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem. He seized the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the treasuries of the royal palace. He took everything. He took all the gold shields that Solomon had made.

Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 cavalrymen, and countless people who came with him from Egypt-Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians. He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. read more.
Then Shemaiah the prophet went to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who were gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them: "This is what the Lord says: 'You have abandoned Me; therefore, I have abandoned you into the hand of Shishak.' " So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The Lord is righteous." When the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, the Lord's message came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them but will grant them a little deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. However, they will become his servants so that they may recognize [the difference between] serving Me and serving the kingdoms of the land." So King Shishak of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem. He seized the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the treasuries of the royal palace. He took everything. He took the gold shields that Solomon had made.


I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolate lands, and its cities will be a desolation among ruined cities for 40 years. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them across the countries. "For this is what the Lord God says: At the end of 40 years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were dispersed. I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom. read more.
Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations.

I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them among the countries.

When I disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them among the countries, they will know that I am Yahweh.”



Ham’s sons: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.

Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (the Philistines came from them), and Caphtorim.


He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. They took 40 days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.

Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.


Pharaoh's army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans, who were besieging Jerusalem, heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet: "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: This is what you will say to Judah's king, who is sending you to inquire of Me: Watch: Pharaoh's army, which has come out to help you, is going to return to its own land of Egypt. read more.
The Chaldeans will then return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it down. This is what the Lord says: Don't deceive yourselves by saying: The Chaldeans will leave us for good, for they will not leave. Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army that is fighting with you, and there remained among them only the badly wounded men, each in his tent, they would get up and burn this city down." When the Chaldean army withdrew from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's army,


There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me but let you live. read more.
Please say you're my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account." When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels. But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with severe plagues because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She's my sister,' so that I took her as my wife? Now, here's your wife. Take her and go!" Then Pharaoh gave [his] men orders about him, and they sent him away, with his wife and all he had.


Now at midnight the Lord struck every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock. During the night Pharaoh got up, he along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was a loud wailing throughout Egypt because there wasn't a house without someone dead. He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, "Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship the Lord as you have asked. read more.
Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked, and leave, and this will also be a blessing to me." Now the Egyptians pressured the people in order to send them quickly out of the country, for they said, "We're all going to die!" So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls wrapped up in their clothes on their shoulders. The Israelites acted on Moses' word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord gave the people such favor in the Egyptians' sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.


Do not despise an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you were a foreign resident in his land. The children born to them in the third generation may enter the Lord's assembly.


On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Hosts. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun.


Aren’t you the Egyptian who raised a rebellion some time ago and led 4,000 Assassins into the wilderness?”


They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is abhorrent to them.


Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.


you are to say, ‘Your servants, both we and our fathers, have raised livestock from our youth until now.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.”


Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.


Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. Solomon brought her to live in the city of David until he finished building his palace, the Lord’s temple, and the wall surrounding Jerusalem.



Then He brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and no one among His tribes stumbled.

The Israelites acted on Moses' word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord gave the people such favor in the Egyptians' sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

Now announce to the people that both men and women should ask their neighbors for gold and silver jewelry." The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And the man Moses was feared in the land of Egypt, by Pharaoh's officials and the people.


until a different king ruled over Egypt who did not know Joseph. He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our forefathers by making them leave their infants outside so they wouldn't survive. At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God. He was nursed in his father's home three months, read more.
and when he was left outside, Pharaoh's daughter adopted and raised him as her own son.


He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, "Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship the Lord as you have asked. Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked, and leave, and this will also be a blessing to me." Now the Egyptians pressured the people in order to send them quickly out of the country, for they said, "We're all going to die!" read more.
So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls wrapped up in their clothes on their shoulders. The Israelites acted on Moses' word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord gave the people such favor in the Egyptians' sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians. The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 soldiers on foot, besides their families. An ethnically diverse crowd also went up with them, along with a huge number of livestock, both flocks and herds. The people baked the dough they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves, since it had no yeast; for when they had been driven out of Egypt they could not delay and had not prepared any provisions for themselves.


When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: "What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us." So he got his chariot ready and took his troops with him; he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. read more.
The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly. The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army-chased after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. They said to Moses: "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Isn't this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." But Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet." The Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." Then the Angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there [in] the darkness, yet it lit up the night. So neither group came near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea [back] with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left. The Egyptians set out in pursuit-all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen-and went into the sea after them. Then during the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw them into confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. "Let's get away from Israel," the Egyptians said, "because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!" Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen." So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord overthrew them in the sea. The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived. But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.


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