Génesis 47:23

23 Entonces José le dijo al pueblo:
—Miren, hoy los he comprado a ustedes y a sus tierras para el faraón. Les proporcionaré semillas para que puedan sembrar los campos.

Génesis 47:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 47:23

Then Joseph said unto the people
After he had bought their land, and before the removal of them to distant parts:

behold, I have bought you this day, and your land, for Pharaoh:
which he observes to them, that they might take notice of it, and confirm it, or object if they had anything to say to the contrary:

lo, [here is] seed for you, and ye shall sow the land:
by which it should seem that they were not removed from the spot where they lived, but retained their own land under Pharaoh, and had seed given them to sow it with, which may seem contrary to ( Genesis 47:21 ) ; wherefore that must be understood of a purpose and proposal to remove them, and not that it was actually done; or, as Musculus gives the sense, Joseph by a public edict called all the people from the extreme parts of Egypt to the cities nearest to them, and there proclaimed the subjection of them, and their lands to Pharaoh, but continued them to them as tenants of his; unless it should be said, that in those distant parts to which they were sent, land was put into their hands to till and manure for the king, and have seed given them to sow it with; but this seems to be said to them at the same time the bargain was made.

Génesis 47:23 In-Context

21 Y en cuanto a los habitantes, los hizo esclavos a todos,
desde un extremo de Egipto hasta el otro.

22 Las únicas tierras que no compró fueron las que pertenecían a los sacerdotes. Ellos recibían una ración de alimentos directamente del faraón, por lo cual no tuvieron que vender sus tierras.

23 Entonces José le dijo al pueblo:
—Miren, hoy los he comprado a ustedes y a sus tierras para el faraón. Les proporcionaré semillas para que puedan sembrar los campos.

24 Después, cuando llegue el tiempo de la cosecha, una quinta parte de los cultivos será del faraón. Ustedes podrán quedarse con las otras cuatro quintas partes como semilla para sus campos y alimento para ustedes, los de su casa y sus niños.

25 —¡Usted nos ha salvado la vida! —exclamaron ellos—. Permítanos, señor nuestro, ser los esclavos del faraón.