Friday in Season after Pentecost

37Verse 37. This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. 38Verse 38. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?” 39Verse 39. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40Verse 40. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41Verse 41. Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” 42Verse 42. Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. 43Verse 43. He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44Verse 44. And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.” 45Verse 45. Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt. 46Verse 46. Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt. 47Verse 47. During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. 48Verse 48. During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. 49Verse 49. So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure. 50Verse 50. Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51Verse 51. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” 52Verse 52. And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” 53Verse 53. When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54Verse 54. the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. 55Verse 55. When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” 56Verse 56. When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57Verse 57. And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

15Verse 15. Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained. 16Verse 16. Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. 17Verse 17. Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage. 18Verse 18. For a short while Your people possessed Your holy place, but our enemies have trampled Your sanctuary. 19Verse 19. We have become like those You never ruled, like those not called by Your name.