Genesis 41:47

47 During the seven years when there was plenty of food, the land produced more than the people needed.

Genesis 41:47 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:47

And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by
handfuls.
] Such as the gatherers take up in their hands when reaped, in order to bind up in sheaves: now such was the fruitfulness of the land during the seven years of plenty, that either one stalk produced as many ears as a man could hold in his hand; or one grain produced an handful, as Ben Melech observes; though Onkelos paraphrases the words,

``the inhabitants of the earth in the seven years of plenty gathered even into their treasuries:''

and this they did by the order and direction of Joseph as he passed through the land; what he bought of them they brought, and put into the granaries, as he directed them.

Genesis 41:47 In-Context

45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave him a wife. She was Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On. Joseph traveled all over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was 30 years old when he began serving Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He left Pharaoh's palace and traveled all over Egypt.

47 During the seven years when there was plenty of food, the land produced more than the people needed.

48 Joseph collected all of the extra food produced in those seven years in Egypt. He stored it in the cities. In each city he stored up the food that was grown in the fields around it.

49 Joseph stored up huge amounts of grain. It was like the sand of the sea. There was so much grain it couldn't be measured. So Joseph stopped keeping records of it.