Then the seven years of famine began, ¹  just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.

When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, ¹  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

He gave them portions of the food set before him, ¹  but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk. ² 

He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.

I will provide you with food ¹  there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’

To his father he sent the following: ¹  ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey.

But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away ¹  because of the famine.

When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians ¹  came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die ²  before your very eyes because our money has run out?”

When ¹  the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ²  “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. ³  Moses said to them, “It is the bread ⁴  that the Lord has given you for food. ⁵ 

Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought ¹  a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, ²  and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food ³  with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

“‘They must be holy to their God, and they must not profane ¹  the name of their God, because they are the ones who present the Lord’s gifts, ²  the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy. ³ 

but if a priest buys a person with his own money, ¹  that person ²  may eat the holy offerings, ³  and those born in the priest’s ⁴  own house may eat his food. ⁵ 

Even from a foreigner ¹  you must not present the food of your God from such animals as these, for they are ruined and flawed; ²  they will not be acceptable for your benefit.’”

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we ¹  detest this worthless ²  food.”

“Command the Israelites: ¹  ‘With regard to my offering, ²  be sure to offer ³  my food for my offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to me at its appointed time.’ ⁴ 

a land where you may eat food ¹  in plenty and find no lack of anything, a land whose stones are iron ²  and from whose hills you can mine copper.

However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food, ¹  and you may use it to build siege works ²  against the city that is making war with you until that city falls.

for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired ¹  Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you.

Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up ¹  food scraps ²  under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” ³  They brought him to Jerusalem, ⁴  where he died.

She should not drink ¹  anything that the grapevine produces. She must not drink wine or beer, and she must not eat any food that will make her ritually unclean. ²  She should obey everything I commanded her to do.”