Genesis 47:3

3 whom he asked, What work have ye? They answered, We thy servants be keepers of sheep, both we and our fathers; (and Pharaoh asked them, What work do you do? And they answered, We, thy servants, be shepherds, and herdsmen, both we and our fathers;)

Genesis 47:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 47:3

And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, what [is] your occupation?
&c.] Which is the question he had told his brethren beforehand would be asked them, and prepared them to give an answer to it, ( Genesis 46:33 Genesis 46:34 ) ; which was perhaps an usual question Pharaoh asked of persons that came to settle in his dominions, that he might have no idle vagrants there, and that he might know of what advantage they were like to be of in his kingdom, and might dispose of them accordingly:

and they said unto Pharaoh, thy servants [are] shepherds, both we
[and] also our fathers;
see ( Genesis 46:34 ) .

Genesis 47:3 In-Context

1 Therefore Joseph entered, and told to Pharaoh, and said, My father and brethren, the sheep and the great beasts of them, and all things that they wield (and all the things that they possess), have come from the land of Canaan; and lo! they stand in the land of Goshen.

2 And Joseph ordained five, the least, or meekest, men of his brethren, to come before the king,

3 whom he asked, What work have ye? They answered, We thy servants be keepers of sheep, both we and our fathers; (and Pharaoh asked them, What work do you do? And they answered, We, thy servants, be shepherds, and herdsmen, both we and our fathers;)

4 we came into thy land to be pilgrims, that is, to dwell for a time, for no grass is to the flocks of thy servants; for hunger waxeth grievous in the land of Canaan, and we ask that thou command us thy servants to be in the land of Goshen. (we have come to live in thy land, that is, to live here for a time, for there is no grass for the flocks, and herds, of thy servants, for the famine hath spread far and wide in the land of Canaan; and we ask that thou allow us, thy servants, to live in the land of Goshen.)

5 And so the king said to Joseph, Thy father and thy brethren have come to thee;