16
But Joseph said, "Give me your livestock. Since the money is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock."
Genesis 47:16 Meaning and Commentary
Genesis 47:16
And Joseph said, give your cattle Oxen, sheep, horses, asses, as follows: and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail; that is, corn for cattle, if they had no money to give.
14
Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.
15
When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”
16
“Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.”
17
So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18
When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.