Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the  Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the  Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,

The  Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

The  Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

So the  Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

therefore the  Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.

When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.’

When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Then the  Lord said to him, ‘Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and ill-treated there.

Then the  Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterwards they will come out with great possessions.

But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth

He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.’

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.

Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.

Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land

Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.

Then the man bowed down and worshipped the  Lord,

The man bowed his head and worshiped the  Lord

and I bowed down and worshipped the  Lord. I praised the  Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

Then I bowed my head and worshiped the  Lord and blessed the  Lord the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.

When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the  Lord.

When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the  Lord.

The  Lord said to her,

‘Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the elder will serve the younger.’

And the  Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”

May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.’

Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

You will live by the sword
and you will serve your brother.
But when you grow restless,
you will throw his yoke
from off your neck.’

By your sword you shall live,
and you shall serve your brother;
but when you grow restless
you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Laban said to him, ‘Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.’

Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’

Jacob loved Rachel. And he said “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’

And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.’

Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”

Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.’

Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.”

Jacob said to him, ‘You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care.

Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me.

You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,

You know that I have served your father with all my strength,

It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.

These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down.

Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down.

Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down.

We were binding sheaves of corn out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered round mine and bowed down to it.’

Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’

Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, ‘What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?’

But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”

Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.

When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

They replied, ‘Your servant our father is still alive and well.’ And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.

They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

‘Swear to me,’ he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.

Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

‘Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.

“Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and submit to forced labour.

He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labor.

and worked them ruthlessly.

So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves

They made their lives bitter with harsh labour in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labour, the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’

He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

and I told you, ‘Let my son go, so that he may worship me.’ But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.”’

and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

and they believed. And when they heard that the  Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped.

And the people believed; and when they heard that the  Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.’

Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.”

Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

Moreover I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.

Then say to him, “The  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened.

And you shall say to him, ‘The  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But so far, you have not obeyed.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, “This is what the  Lord says: let my people go, so that they may worship me.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, ‘Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, “This is what the  Lord says: let my people go, so that they may worship me.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, “This is what the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me.’

Then the  Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Then the  Lord said to Moses, ‘Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, “This is what the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: let my people go, so that they may worship me,

Then the  Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘This is what the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the  Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Pharaoh’s officials said to him, ‘How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the  Lord their God. Do you not yet realise that Egypt is ruined?’

Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the  Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”

Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. ‘Go, worship the  Lord your God,’ he said. ‘But tell me who will be going.’

So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the  Lord your God. But which ones are to go?”

No! Let only the men go and worship the  Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for.’ Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.

No! Go, the men among you, and serve the  Lord, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, ‘Go, worship the  Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.’

Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the  Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.”

Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshipping the  Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the  Lord.’

Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the  Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the  Lord until we arrive there.”