Genesis 47:17

17 And when they had brought those, he gave them meats for horses, and sheep, and oxen, and asses; and he sustained them in that year for the (ex)change of beasts. (And so when they brought their beasts, Joseph gave them food in return for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and donkeys; and so he sustained them with food that year in exchange for their beasts.)

Genesis 47:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 47:17

And they brought their cattle unto Joseph
Which they might the more readily do, since there was scarce any grass to feed them with; and though some of them were creatures used for food, yet might be so lean and poor for want of grass, as not to be fit to eat; and besides, they could do better without flesh than without bread: and Joseph gave them bread [in exchange] for horses;
with which Egypt abounded, to which many places of Scripture have respect, ( Deuteronomy 17:16 ) ( 1 Kings 10:28 ) ( Song of Solomon 1:9 ) ( Isaiah 31:1 Isaiah 31:3 ) ; and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds;
the sheep and the oxen; which shows that these creatures were bred and fed by them, and were, no doubt, slain, and used for food: and for the asses;
which were used for carrying burdens: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle, for that year;
which seems to be the sixth year of the famine: one would wonder what Joseph should do with all their cattle, where put them, and feed them, in such a time of drought; though it is probable the number was not exceeding large, since they only fetched one year's provision of bread.

Genesis 47:17 In-Context

15 And when price failed to the buyers, all Egypt came to Joseph, and said, Give thou loaves to us; why shall we die before thee, while money faileth? (And when money failed in the lands of Egypt and Canaan, all Egypt came to Joseph, and said, Give thou us bread; why should we die before thine eyes, even though all our money is gone!)

16 To whom he answered, Bring ye your beasts (to me), and I shall give you meats for those, if ye have not price (and I shall give you food in return, if ye have no more money).

17 And when they had brought those, he gave them meats for horses, and sheep, and oxen, and asses; and he sustained them in that year for the (ex)change of beasts. (And so when they brought their beasts, Joseph gave them food in return for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and donkeys; and so he sustained them with food that year in exchange for their beasts.)

18 And they came in the second year, and said to him, We cover not from our lord, that the while money faileth, also (our) beasts failed altogether, neither it is hid from thee, that without bodies and land, we have nothing; (And they came back to him the following year, and they said to him, We hide it not from our lord, that now our money is all gone, and that all our beasts be thine; nor is it hid from thee, that except for our bodies and our land, we have nothing left;)

19 why therefore shall we die, while thou seest this? both we and our land shall be thine; buy thou us into the king's servage, and give thou us seeds to sow, lest while the tiller perisheth, the land be turned into wilderness. (and so why should we die, in front of thine eyes? let both us and our land be thine; yea, buy thou us into slavery to the king, and give us seeds to sow, lest while the worker perisheth, the land be turned into wilderness.)