Genesis 47:24

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth [part] unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

Complete Jewish Bible:

When harvest time comes, you are to give twenty percent to Pharaoh; eighty percent will be yours to keep for seed to plant in the fields, as well as for your food and for that of your households and your little ones."

Berean Standard Bible:

At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

American Standard Version:

And it shall come to pass at the ingatherings, that ye shall give a fifth unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And it shall come to pass in the increase^{H8393}, that ye shall give^{H5414} the fifth^{H2549} part unto Pharaoh^{H6547}, and four^{H702} parts^{H3027} shall be your own, for seed^{H2233} of the field^{H7704}, and for your food^{H400}, and for them of your households^{H1004}, and for food^{H398} for your little ones^{H2945}.

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Commentary for Genesis 47:24

Genesis 47:24 is set within the broader narrative of Joseph's administration over Egypt during the seven years of famine, following the seven years of plenty that he had foreseen in his interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers but later rose to power in Egypt, had implemented a plan to store grain during the plentiful years to sustain the country during the famine.

**Themes:**
1. **Stewardship and Providence:** The verse reflects the theme of God's providence through Joseph's wise stewardship, as he manages the resources of Egypt to ensure the survival of its people and livestock.
2. **Economic Management:** It illustrates a system of taxation or tribute, where the Pharaoh, as the ruler, receives a significant portion of the produce (one-fifth) as a form of royal revenue, while the people retain the majority (four-fifths) for their own sustenance and agricultural needs.
3. **Dependency and Power Dynamics:** The famine has made the population entirely dependent on Pharaoh's stores, which shifts the balance of power and necessitates a new social contract, as reflected in the imposed taxation.

**Historical Context:**
During the time of Joseph, ancient Egypt was a powerful and centralized state with a complex bureaucracy capable of managing such a taxation system. The historical context suggests that the Pharaoh's ownership of one-fifth of the produce is consistent with the high level of control that Egyptian rulers had over the land and its resources. This system of royal revenue collection would have been familiar to the people of Egypt and was likely a part of the existing socio-economic structure that Joseph adapted to manage the crisis.

The verse also reflects the impact of the famine on the economic and social structures of the region, as people from surrounding areas, including Joseph's own family, came to Egypt seeking food. This led to the eventual settlement of the Israelites in Egypt, setting the stage for the events that would unfold in the book of Exodus.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8393
   There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תְּבוּאָה
   Transliteration: tᵉbûwʼâh
   Pronunciation: teb-oo-aw'
   Description: from בּוֹא; income, i.e. produce (literally or figuratively); fruit, gain, increase, revenue.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
3. Strong's Number: H2549
   There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֲמִישִׁי
   Transliteration: chămîyshîy
   Pronunciation: kham-ee-shee'
   Description: or חֲמִשִּׁי; ordinal from חָמֵשׁ; fifth; also a fifth; fifth (part).
   
4. Strong's Number: H6547
   There are 230 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פַּרְעֹה
   Transliteration: Parʻôh
   Pronunciation: par-o'
   Description: of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings; Pharaoh.
   
5. Strong's Number: H702
   There are 383 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַרְבַּע
   Transliteration: ʼarbaʻ
   Pronunciation: ar-bah'
   Description: masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
7. Strong's Number: H2233
   There are 205 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: זֶרַע
   Transliteration: zeraʻ
   Pronunciation: zeh'-rah
   Description: from זָרַע; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7704
   There are 309 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׂדֶה
   Transliteration: sâdeh
   Pronunciation: saw-deh'
   Description: or שָׂדַי; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field (as flat); country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.
   
9. Strong's Number: H400
   There are 84 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֹכֶל
   Transliteration: ʼôkel
   Pronunciation: o'-kel
   Description: from אָכַל; food; eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey, victuals.
   
10. Strong's Number: H1004
    There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בַּיִת
    Transliteration: bayith
    Pronunciation: bah'-yith
    Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out).
    
11. Strong's Number: H398
    There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָכַל
    Transliteration: ʼâkal
    Pronunciation: aw-kal'
    Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
    
12. Strong's Number: H2945
    There are 42 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: טַף
    Transliteration: ṭaph
    Pronunciation: taf
    Description: from טָפַף (perhaps referring to the tripping gait of children); a family (mostly used collectively in the singular); (little) children (ones), families.