Genesis 47

Genesis 47 describes the settling of Jacob and his family in Egypt under Joseph's guidance. As famine persists, the people of Egypt come to Joseph for sustenance, selling their livestock and lands to Pharaoh. Jacob blesses Pharaoh, and Joseph manages Egypt's resources, ensuring survival during the famine. This chapter also highlights Jacob's advanced age and his request to be buried in Canaan, the promised land.

Genesis 47:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen."
2 And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers."

Joseph informs Pharaoh of his family's arrival and introduces five of his brothers to the Egyptian ruler. Pharaoh's question about their occupation reflects the importance of labor and productivity in ancient societies. By stating that they are shepherds, the brothers emphasize their heritage and expertise in tending livestock. This sets the stage for their settlement in Goshen, a fertile region ideal for their livelihood. It also reflects Joseph's diplomatic approach to ensure that his family is respected in a foreign land.

Genesis 47:4-6 (NKJV)
4 And they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."
5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.
6 The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock."

The brothers humbly request to dwell in Goshen due to the famine's devastating effect on their homeland. Pharaoh, out of respect for Joseph, not only grants their request but offers the best part of the land. This favor underscores Pharaoh's trust in Joseph's judgment and his willingness to extend that favor to Joseph’s family. Additionally, Pharaoh even suggests that capable men from Joseph's family take charge of his own livestock, which further demonstrates the Egyptians' reliance on Joseph's leadership and his family's skills.

Genesis 47:7-9 (NKJV)
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How old are you?"
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."

Jacob’s meeting with Pharaoh is significant because he, as a patriarch, blesses the ruler of Egypt, a gesture showing reverence from both sides. Pharaoh’s inquiry into Jacob’s age reflects the ancient world's respect for longevity, viewing old age as a sign of wisdom and divine favor. Jacob humbly reflects on his life as a “pilgrimage,” acknowledging that his years have been marked by trials and hardships. Despite his long life, Jacob feels that his struggles have made his journey seem brief and challenging compared to his ancestors.

Genesis 47:10-12 (NKJV)
10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
11 And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
12 Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with bread, according to the number in their families.

Jacob blesses Pharaoh once again, signifying mutual respect between the leader of Egypt and the patriarch of Israel. Joseph, acting on Pharaoh's orders, ensures that his family is well-settled in the land of Rameses, an area of Goshen. By providing bread for his family, Joseph ensures their survival in a time of scarcity, demonstrating his dedication to his family and his careful management of resources. This provision reflects both Joseph’s position of authority and his deep familial loyalty.

Genesis 47:13-15 (NKJV)
13 Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.
14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
15 So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed."

As the famine worsens, Joseph's leadership becomes even more crucial. The land of Egypt and Canaan suffers immensely, and people exhaust their money in exchange for grain. Joseph wisely collects this wealth and delivers it to Pharaoh, strengthening Egypt’s economy. However, when money becomes scarce, the people of Egypt plead with Joseph for food, acknowledging that their survival is in his hands. The scene emphasizes the gravity of the famine and the people’s dependence on Joseph’s wise and strategic governance to sustain them.

Genesis 47:16-17 (NKJV)
16 Then Joseph said, "Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone."
17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.

Joseph offers a practical solution for the people when their money runs out, suggesting they trade their livestock for food. This exchange illustrates Joseph's ability to adapt to the situation and maintain the economy while ensuring the people’s survival. By collecting livestock, Joseph ensures that Pharaoh’s wealth and resources continue to grow, even during a crisis. In return, the Egyptians receive the sustenance they desperately need. This barter system is a temporary yet necessary measure during the famine.

Genesis 47:18-19 (NKJV)
18 When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands.
19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate."

With their money and livestock gone, the people return to Joseph, acknowledging that they have nothing left but their bodies and land. They willingly offer themselves and their land in exchange for food, essentially making themselves Pharaoh's servants. Their desperation is evident as they plead for seed to ensure that they can survive and the land will not become barren. This demonstrates the severity of the famine, but also the people's willingness to become subjects under Pharaoh in exchange for survival.

Genesis 47:20-22 (NKJV)
20 Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh's.
21 And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other.
22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands.

Joseph consolidates power for Pharaoh by purchasing all the land in Egypt, as the people can no longer sustain themselves. The entire land becomes Pharaoh's property, except for the land of the priests, who receive a special provision from Pharaoh. Joseph also moves the people into cities, centralizing the population for better resource distribution and control. This arrangement not only solidifies Pharaoh's economic power but also reflects Joseph’s organizational skills during this crisis. The priests, however, remain exempt due to their religious role and connection to Pharaoh’s government.

Genesis 47:23-24 (NKJV)
23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
24 And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones."

Joseph institutes a new system where the people are provided with seed to cultivate the land, now owned by Pharaoh. In return, they are required to give one-fifth of their produce to Pharaoh, keeping four-fifths for themselves. This arrangement is fair, allowing the people to sustain their families and households while still contributing to Pharaoh’s wealth. Joseph's policy ensures both the people's survival and Pharaoh's continued prosperity. It also demonstrates Joseph's wisdom in balancing the needs of the state with the welfare of the population.

Genesis 47:25-26 (NKJV)
25 So they said, "You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants."
26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh's.

The people gratefully acknowledge that Joseph has saved their lives, willingly accepting their role as Pharaoh’s servants. The new law, which mandates that one-fifth of the produce goes to Pharaoh, becomes a lasting decree in Egypt. Joseph's policies ensure the economic survival of the nation during the famine while also establishing Pharaoh as the undisputed ruler of both the land and its people. The priests’ land, however, remains untouched by this law, highlighting the privileged status of the religious class in Egyptian society.

Genesis 47:27-28 (NKJV)
27 So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.
28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years.

Jacob’s family, now referred to as Israel, prospers in Egypt, particularly in Goshen. This fertile region allows them to grow their possessions and multiply, reflecting God's blessing upon them. Jacob lives an additional seventeen years in Egypt, bringing his total lifespan to 147 years. Despite the hardships he faced in his earlier life, Jacob experiences a period of peace and prosperity in his final years, witnessing the growth and success of his descendants.

Genesis 47:29-31 (NKJV)
29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,
30 but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said."
31 Then he said, "Swear to me." And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

As Jacob nears death, he calls Joseph and makes a solemn request to be buried in the land of his fathers, not in Egypt. The act of placing a hand under the thigh signifies a serious oath, showing the deep trust and bond between Jacob and Joseph. Joseph swears to fulfill his father’s wish, ensuring that Jacob's body will be taken back to Canaan. Jacob's desire to be buried with his ancestors reflects his strong connection to the promises of God regarding the land of Canaan. This chapter ends with Jacob bowing in worship, expressing his faith in God even in his final days.