8. He remembers His covenant forever,the promise He ordainedfor a thousand generations —
9. the covenant He made with Abraham,swore to Isaac,
10. and confirmed to Jacob as a decreeand to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11. “I will give the land of Canaan to youas your inherited portion.”
12. When they were few in number,very few indeed,and temporary residents in Canaan,
13. wandering from nation to nationand from one kingdom to another,
14. He allowed no one to oppress them;He rebuked kings on their behalf:
15. “Do not touch My anointed ones, or harm My prophets.”
16. He called down famine against the landand destroyed the entire food supply.
17. He had sent a man ahead of them —Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18. They hurt his feet with shackles;his neck was put in an iron collar.
19. Until the time his prediction came true,the word of the Lord tested him.
20. The king sent for him and released him;the ruler of peoples set him free.
21. He made him master of his household,ruler over all his possessions —
22. binding his officials at willand instructing his elders.
23. Then Israel went to Egypt;Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham.