Genesis 47
47
1 And so Joseph entered and reported to Pharaoh, saying: "My father and brothers, their sheep and herds, and everything that they possess, have arrived from the land of Canaan. And behold, they stand together in the land of Goshen."
2 Likewise, he stood in the sight of the king five men, the last of his brothers.
3 And he questioned them, "What do you have for work?" They responded: "Your servants are pastors of sheep, both we and our fathers.
4 We came to sojourn in your land, because there is no grass for the flocks of your servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Canaan. And we petition you that you may order us, your servants, to be in the land of Goshen."
5 And so the king said to Joseph: "Your father and brothers have come to you.
6 The land of Egypt is in your sight. Cause them to live in the best place, and deliver to them the land of Goshen. And if you know there to be industrious men among them, appoint these as foremen over my cattle."
7 After this, Joseph brought in his father to the king, and he stood him in his sight. He blessed him,
8 and he questioned him: "How many are the days of the years of your life?"
9 He responded, "The days of my sojourn are one hundred and thirty years, few and unworthy, and they do not reach even to the days of the sojourning of my fathers."
10 And blessing the king, he went outside.
11 Truly, Joseph gave his father and brothers a possession in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed.
12 And he fed them, along with all his father's house, providing portions of food to each one.
13 For in the whole world there was a lack of bread, and a famine had oppressed the land, most of all Egypt and Canaan,
14 from which he gathered together all the money for the grain that they bought, and he took it into the treasury of the king.
15 And when the buyers had run out of money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: "Give us bread. Why should we die in your sight, lacking money?"
16 And he responded to them: "Bring me your cattle, and I will give food to you in exchange for them, if you do not have money."
17 And when they had brought them, he gave them food for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and donkeys. And he sustained them in that year in exchange for their cattle.
18 Likewise, they came the second year, and they said to him: "We will not conceal from our lord that our money is gone; likewise our cattle are gone. Neither are you unaware that we have nothing left but our bodies and our land.
19 Therefore, why should you watch us die? Both we and our land will be yours. Buy us into royal servitude, but provide seed, lest by the dying off of cultivators the land be reduced to a wilderness."
20 Therefore, Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, each one selling his possessions because of the magnitude of the famine. And he subjected it to Pharaoh,
21 along with all of its people, from the newest borders of Egypt, even to its furthest limits,
22 except the land of the priests, which had been delivered to them by the king. To these also a portion of food was supplied out of the public storehouses, and, for this reason, they were not compelled to sell their possessions.
23 Therefore, Joseph said to the people: "So, as you discern, both you and your lands are possessed by Pharaoh; take seed and sow the fields,
24 so that you may be able to have grain. One fifth part you will give to the king; the remaining four I permit to you, as seed and as food for your families and children.
25 And they responded: "Our health is in your hand; only let our lord look kindly upon us, and we will serve the king with gladness."
26 From that time, even to the present day, in the entire land of Egypt, the fifth part is turned over to the kings, and it has become like a law, except in the land of the priests, which was free from this condition.
27 And so, Israel lived in Egypt, that is, in the land of Goshen, and he possessed it. And he increased and was multiplied exceedingly.
28 And he lived in it seventeen years. And all the days of his life that passed were one hundred and forty-seven years.
29 And when he discerned that the day of his death was approaching, he called his son Joseph, and he said to him: "If I have found favor in your sight, place your hand under my thigh. And you shall show me mercy and truth, not to bury me in Egypt.
30 But I shall sleep with my fathers, and you will carry me from this land and bury me in the sepulcher of my ancestors." And Joseph answered him, "I will do what you have ordered."
31 And he said, "Then swear it to me." And as he was swearing, Israel adored God, turning to the head of his resting place.
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Genesis 47
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.
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