Genesis47

Joseph informs Pharaoh of his family's arrival, and Pharaoh grants them the land of Goshen. Jacob meets Pharaoh, blessing him and reflecting on his life's pilgrimage. As the famine worsens, Joseph implements a policy where Egyptians sell their land and themselves to Pharaoh for food, establishing a perpetual tax of one-fifth of their produce. Israel prospers in Goshen, and Jacob, at 147, requests Joseph to promise to bury him in Canaan with his ancestors.

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Joseph Presents His Family to Pharaoh

So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”

And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”

Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you,

the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

“How many years have you lived?” Pharaoh asked.

“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.

So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.

Joseph Manages the Famine Economy

There was no food, however, in all that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine.

Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace.

When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

“Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.”

So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. Throughout that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

When that year was over, they came to him the second year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord that our money is gone and all our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.

Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s,

and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other.

However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.

Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land.

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.”

“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

So Joseph established a law that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh, and it is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Israel Settles; Jacob Requests Burial

Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years.

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,

but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

“Swear to me,” Jacob said. So Joseph swore to him, and Israel bowed in worship at the head of his bed.

Study Notes for Genesis 47

Verse 2

Joseph strategically selected five men to present. This small group represented the family and likely aimed to avoid overwhelming Pharaoh while demonstrating their humble, pastoral status.

Verse 3

Pharaoh’s question about occupation was crucial. By identifying as shepherds, they solidified their placement in Goshen, as shepherding was often seen as undesirable by the Egyptians (Gen 46:34).

Verse 4

The term 'sojourn' (Hebrew: *gur*) emphasizes that their stay in Egypt is temporary, maintaining the theological understanding that Canaan remains their permanent, promised inheritance.

Verse 6

Pharaoh’s offer to put Jacob’s family in charge of his royal cattle shows the immense authority and trust placed in Joseph and his family's reputation for competence.

Verse 9

Jacob describes his life as a 'pilgrimage,' reflecting the nomadic reality of the patriarchs and their faith in a future inheritance. His lament ('few and evil') acknowledges the hardship he endured throughout his life.

Verse 11

The land of Rameses is an alternate name for Goshen, referring specifically to the productive eastern Delta region. This settlement fulfills God's provision to sustain the covenant family.

Verse 13

This verse marks a thematic shift, detailing the severity of the famine and Joseph’s centralized administration. The crisis affected Canaan equally, justifying Jacob's relocation.

Verse 17

When money failed, Joseph implemented the second phase of his economic policy, exchanging grain for livestock, thereby transferring the agricultural and transport assets of the people to the crown.

Verse 19

The people offer themselves and their land into servitude, prioritizing survival over ownership. This desperation highlights Joseph’s immense power and the effectiveness of his preparation.

Verse 20

Joseph’s land acquisition resulted in Pharaoh owning virtually all the productive land in Egypt, establishing the crown as the ultimate economic and political authority.

Verse 21

The relocation of the people to cities was likely an administrative measure to consolidate the population, making rationing and tax collection easier.

Verse 22

The priests were exempt from the land sale because Pharaoh already provided them with a fixed allowance, illustrating the high status of the priestly class in Egyptian society.

Verse 24

Joseph established a law requiring a 20% tax (the fifth part) on the harvest. This centralized system provided stability for the people while securing Pharaoh’s permanent revenue stream.

Verse 26

This law, granting Pharaoh one-fifth of the yield, became the long-standing legal standard for land tenure in Egypt, demonstrating the profound and lasting impact of Joseph's policies.

Verse 27

In stark contrast to the suffering Egyptians, the family of Israel 'grew, and multiplied exceedingly,' fulfilling God’s promise of fertility even while in a foreign land.

Verse 29

Jacob demands this solemn oath ('put thy hand under my thigh') from Joseph. This action stresses the importance of the request, tying it to the covenant promises made to Abraham.

Verse 30

Jacob’s insistence on burial in Canaan (the Cave of Machpelah) confirms his faith that the land, not Egypt, remains the promised inheritance for his descendants.

Verse 31

Jacob bowing upon the bed's head is an act of worship or reverence, thanking God for the assurance that he would be buried in the Promised Land (cf. Heb 11:21).

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Genesis47

Joseph Presents His Family to Pharaoh

Joseph Manages the Famine Economy

Israel Settles; Jacob Requests Burial

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