Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Bible stories for children » The boy captive who became prime minister
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him grace in the sight of the prince of the house of the prison. And the prince of the house of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatever they did there, he was the doer of it. read more.
The prince of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
The prince of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the sheep in Shechem? Come and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it is well with thy brethren and well with the sheep and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? read more.
And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed from here; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes; now therefore, come and let us slay him and cast him into a cistern, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams. When Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood but cast him into this cistern that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took him and cast him into the cistern; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing aromas and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. And when the Midianite merchantmen passed by, they took and lifted up Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the cistern; and, behold, Joseph was not inside, and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, The young man is not; and I, where shall I go? Then they took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father and said, We have found this, recognize now whether it is thy son's coat or not. And he knew it and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. Then Jacob rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard.
And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed from here; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes; now therefore, come and let us slay him and cast him into a cistern, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams. When Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood but cast him into this cistern that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took him and cast him into the cistern; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing aromas and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. And when the Midianite merchantmen passed by, they took and lifted up Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the cistern; and, behold, Joseph was not inside, and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, The young man is not; and I, where shall I go? Then they took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father and said, We have found this, recognize now whether it is thy son's coat or not. And he knew it and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. Then Jacob rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard.
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven beautiful cows and very fat, and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river. read more.
And the ugly and lean-fleshed cows ate up the seven beautiful and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time; and, behold, seven heads of wheat came up upon one stalk, full and beautiful. And, behold, seven thin heads, blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin heads devoured the seven full and beautiful heads. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 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 dreams, but there was no one that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Then the chief butler spoke unto Pharaoh, saying, I remember my sins today; Pharaoh was angry with his slaves and put me in the prison of the captain of the guard's house, both me and the prince of the bakers. And we both dreamed a dream in one night; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, slave to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams to us; he interpreted to each man according to his dream. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto my office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and they cut his hair and changed his clothes, and he came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one that can interpret it; but I have heard say of thee that thou canst hear dreams to interpret them. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river; and, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat-fleshed and beautiful in appearance; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, lean and very ugly in appearance, and thin, such as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. And the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows; and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ugly, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I also saw in my dream, and, behold, seven heads came up in one stalk, full and beautiful; and, behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads; and I told this unto the magicians, but there was no one that could declare it to me. Then Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God has showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven beautiful cows are seven years; and the seven good heads are seven years; the dream is one and the same. Also the seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty heads blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown unto Pharaoh. Behold, seven years of great plenty are coming throughout all the land of Egypt. 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; and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. And that the dream came unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh find a discreet and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. 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. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come and lay up wheat under the hand of Pharaoh to feed the cities, and let them store it up. And let that food be stored for the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; and the land shall not perish through the famine. And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his slaves. And Pharaoh said unto his slaves, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. Then 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; and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, Abrech Tender Father-honour this one as a precious father; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee no one shall lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
And the ugly and lean-fleshed cows ate up the seven beautiful and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time; and, behold, seven heads of wheat came up upon one stalk, full and beautiful. And, behold, seven thin heads, blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin heads devoured the seven full and beautiful heads. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 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 dreams, but there was no one that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Then the chief butler spoke unto Pharaoh, saying, I remember my sins today; Pharaoh was angry with his slaves and put me in the prison of the captain of the guard's house, both me and the prince of the bakers. And we both dreamed a dream in one night; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, slave to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams to us; he interpreted to each man according to his dream. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto my office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and they cut his hair and changed his clothes, and he came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one that can interpret it; but I have heard say of thee that thou canst hear dreams to interpret them. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river; and, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat-fleshed and beautiful in appearance; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, lean and very ugly in appearance, and thin, such as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. And the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows; and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ugly, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I also saw in my dream, and, behold, seven heads came up in one stalk, full and beautiful; and, behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads; and I told this unto the magicians, but there was no one that could declare it to me. Then Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God has showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven beautiful cows are seven years; and the seven good heads are seven years; the dream is one and the same. Also the seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty heads blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown unto Pharaoh. Behold, seven years of great plenty are coming throughout all the land of Egypt. 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; and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. And that the dream came unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh find a discreet and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. 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. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come and lay up wheat under the hand of Pharaoh to feed the cities, and let them store it up. And let that food be stored for the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; and the land shall not perish through the famine. And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his slaves. And Pharaoh said unto his slaves, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. Then 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; and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, Abrech Tender Father-honour this one as a precious father; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee no one shall lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
Bible stories for children » The beautiful coat
And Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours. read more.
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father and to his brethren; and his father reprehended him and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the word. And his brethren went to feed their father's sheep in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the sheep in Shechem? Come and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it is well with thy brethren and well with the sheep and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed from here; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes; now therefore, come and let us slay him and cast him into a cistern, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams. When Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood but cast him into this cistern that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took him and cast him into the cistern; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing aromas and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. And when the Midianite merchantmen passed by, they took and lifted up Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the cistern; and, behold, Joseph was not inside, and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, The young man is not; and I, where shall I go? Then they took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father and said, We have found this, recognize now whether it is thy son's coat or not. And he knew it and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. Then Jacob rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many days.
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father and to his brethren; and his father reprehended him and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the word. And his brethren went to feed their father's sheep in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the sheep in Shechem? Come and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it is well with thy brethren and well with the sheep and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed from here; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes; now therefore, come and let us slay him and cast him into a cistern, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams. When Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood but cast him into this cistern that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took him and cast him into the cistern; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing aromas and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. And when the Midianite merchantmen passed by, they took and lifted up Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the cistern; and, behold, Joseph was not inside, and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, The young man is not; and I, where shall I go? Then they took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father and said, We have found this, recognize now whether it is thy son's coat or not. And he knew it and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. Then Jacob rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many days.
Shechem » Also called sichem and sychem, a district in the central part of the land of canaan » The flocks and herds of jacob kept in
And his brethren went to feed their father's sheep in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the sheep in Shechem? Come and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it is well with thy brethren and well with the sheep and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.