Genesis 47

1Joseph went to inform Pharaoh and said, “My father and brothers with their flocks, herds, and everything they own have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.” 2From all of his brothers, he selected five men and presented them before Pharaoh.

3Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What do you do?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our ancestors.” 4They continued, “We’ve come to the land as immigrants because the famine is so severe in the land of Canaan that there are no more pastures for your servants’ flocks. Please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

5Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since your father and brothers have arrived, 6the land of Egypt is available to you. Settle your father and brothers in the land’s best location. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if you know capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

7Joseph brought his father Jacob and gave him an audience with Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8and Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”

9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “I’ve been a traveler for 130 years. My years have been few and difficult. They don’t come close to the years my ancestors lived during their travels.” 10Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left Pharaoh’s presence. 11Joseph settled his father and brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best location in the land of Rameses, just as Pharaoh had ordered. 12Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and his father’s entire household, in proportion to the number of children.

Joseph centralizes power in Egypt

13There was no food in the land because the famine was so severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan dried up from the famine. 14Joseph collected all of the silver to be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain, which people came to buy, and he deposited it in Pharaoh’s treasury. 15The silver from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan had been spent, and all of the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes, just because the silver is gone?”

16Joseph said, “Give me your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock if the silver is gone.” 17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food for the horses, flocks, cattle, and donkeys. He got them through that year with food in exchange for all of their livestock.

18When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We can’t hide from my master that the silver is spent and that we’ve given the livestock to my master. All that’s left for my master is our corpses and our farmland. 19Why should we die before your eyes, we and our farmland too? Buy us and our farms for food, and we and our farms will be under Pharaoh’s control. Give us seed so that we can stay alive and not die, and so that our farmland won’t become unproductive.” 20So Joseph bought all of Egypt’s farmland for Pharaoh because every Egyptian sold his field when the famine worsened. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21He moved the people to the cities#47.21 Sam, LXX he made the people slaves from one end of Egypt to the other. 22However, he didn’t buy the farmland of the priests because Pharaoh allowed the priests a subsidy, and they were able to eat from the subsidy Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they didn’t have to sell their farmland.

23Joseph said to the people, “Since I’ve now purchased you and your farmland for Pharaoh, here’s seed for you. Plant the seed on the land. 24When the crop comes in, you must give one-fifth to Pharaoh. You may keep four-fifths for yourselves, for planting fields, and for feeding yourselves, those in your households, and your children.”

25The people said, “You’ve saved our lives. If you wish, we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26So Joseph made a law that still exists today: Pharaoh receives one-fifth from Egypt’s farmland. Only the priests’ farmland didn’t become Pharaoh’s.

Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

27Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. They settled in it, had many children, and became numerous. 28After Jacob had lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years, and after he had lived a total of 147 years, 29Israel’s death approached. He summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “If you would be so kind, lay your hand under my thigh, and be loyal and true to me. Don’t bury me in Egypt. 30When I lie down with my fathers, carry me from Egypt and bury me in their grave.”

Joseph said, “I will do just as you say.”

31Israel said, “Give me your word!” and Joseph gave his word. Then Israel slumped down at the head of the bed.

Genesis 47

Pharaoh Welcomes Jacob

1So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”#Gn 45:10; 46:28

2He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.#Ac 7:13 3And Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants, both we and our ancestors, are shepherds.”#Gn 46:32–34 4And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to stay in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants’ sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe.#Gn 15:13; Dt 26:5 So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”

5Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, 6the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land.#Gn 45:10,18; 47:11 They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”#Ex 18:21,25; 1Kg 11:28; Pr 22:29

7Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived?”

9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “My pilgrimage#1Ch 29:15; Ps 39:12; 119:19,54; Heb 11:9,13 has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard,#Jb 14:1; Ps 39:4–5; Jms 4:14 and they have not reached the years of my ancestors during their pilgrimages.”#Gn 11:32; 25:7; 35:28 10So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.

11Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses,#Gn 45:10; Ex 1:11; 12:37 as Pharaoh had commanded. 12And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s family with food for their dependents.#Gn 45:11; 50:21

The Land Becomes Pharaoh’s

13But there was no food in the entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine. 14Joseph collected all the silver to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were purchasing, and he brought the silver to Pharaoh’s palace.#Gn 41:56 15When the silver from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The silver is gone!”

16But Joseph said, “Give me your livestock. Since the silver is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18When that year was over, they came the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our lord that the silver is gone and that all our livestock belongs to our lord. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19Why should we die here in front of you — both us and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. Then we with our land will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land won’t become desolate.”

20In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21and Joseph made the people servants#47:21 Sam, LXX; MT reads and he moved the people to the cities from one end of Egypt to the other. 22The only land he did not acquire belonged to the priests, for they had an allowance from Pharaoh. They ate from their allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.

23Joseph said to the people, “Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land. 24At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh,#Gn 41:34 and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents.”

25“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor with our lord and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Israel Settles in Goshen

27Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.#Gn 17:6; 26:4; 35:11; Ex 1:7; Dt 26:5; Ac 7:17 28Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years. 29When the time approached for him to die,#Dt 31:14; 1Kg 2:1 he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh#Gn 24:2 and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.#Gn 24:49 Do not bury me in Egypt. 30When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”#Gn 23:17–20; 25:9–10; 35:29; 49:29–32; 50:5,13; Ac 7:15–16

Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.”

31And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.#47:31 Or Israel worshiped while leaning on the top of his staff#Gn 48:2; 1Kg 1:47; Heb 11:21

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Genesis 47

Genesis 47