Génesis 47:22

22 Solamente la tierra de los sacerdotes no compró, por cuanto los sacerdotes tenían ración del Faraón, y ellos comían su ración que el Faraón les daba; por eso no vendieron su tierra

Génesis 47:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 47:22

Only the land of the priests bought he not
Not from any special affection for them, or any superstitious veneration of them, which can never be thought of so good a man, but for a reason following, which shows they had no need to sell them:

for the priests had a portion [assigned them], by Pharaoh, and did eat
their portion which Pharaoh gave them;
they had a certain allowance by the day of provision granted them, on which they lived; so Herodotus says ^F9 of the priests of Egypt, that they spend nothing of their own, but sacred food is provided for them, and great plenty of the flesh of geese and oxen is given daily to everyone of them. And this was a delicate affair, which Joseph could not intermeddle with, but in prudence must leave it as he found it, and do as had been used to be done; this depending on the will and pleasure of Pharaoh, if not upon the constitution of the land, as it seems to be from Diodorus Siculus {k}, who divides Egypt into three parts; and the first part he assigns to the priests, who, according to him, were maintained out of their own revenues. Some understand this of "princes" ^F12, the word sometimes being used of them, and interpret it of the officers and courtiers of Pharaoh, his nobles, that dwelt in his palace, and had their portion of food from him; but the former sense seems best:

wherefore they sold not their lands;
they were not obliged to it, having provision from the king's table, or by his appointment.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F9 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37.
F11 Ut supra, (Bibliothec. l. 1.) p. 66.
F12 (Mynhkh tmda) "agros praesidum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Génesis 47:22 In-Context

20 Entonces compró José toda la tierra de Egipto para el Faraón; porque los egipcios vendieron cada uno sus tierras, porque se agravó el hambre sobre ellos; y la tierra vino a ser del Faraón

21 Y al pueblo lo hizo pasar a las ciudades desde un cabo del término de Egipto hasta el otro cabo

22 Solamente la tierra de los sacerdotes no compró, por cuanto los sacerdotes tenían ración del Faraón, y ellos comían su ración que el Faraón les daba; por eso no vendieron su tierra

23 Y José dijo al pueblo: He aquí os he comprado hoy y a vuestra tierra para el Faraón; ved aquí simiente, y sembraréis la tierra

24 Y será que de los frutos daréis el quinto al Faraón, y las cuatro partes serán vuestras para sembrar las tierras, y para vuestro mantenimiento, y de los que están en vuestras casas, y para que coman vuestros niños