Gênesis 47

Jacó se Estabelece no Egito

1 José foi dar as notícias ao faraó: “Meu pai e meus irmãos chegaram de Canaã com suas ovelhas, seus bois e tudo o que lhes pertence, e estão agora em Gósen”.
2 Depois escolheu cinco de seus irmãos e os apresentou ao faraó.
3 Perguntou-lhes o faraó: “Em que vocês trabalham?”Eles lhe responderam: “Teus servos são pastores, como os nossos antepassados”.
4 Disseram-lhe ainda: “Viemos morar aqui por uns tempos, porque a fome é rigorosa em Canaã, e os rebanhos de teus servos não têm pastagem. Agora, por favor, permite que teus servos se estabeleçam em Gósen”.
5 Então o faraó disse a José: “Seu pai e seus irmãos vieram a você,
6 e a terra do Egito está a sua disposição; faça com que seu pai e seus irmãos habitem na melhor parte da terra. Deixe-os morar em Gósen. E, se você vê que alguns deles são competentes, ponha-os como responsáveis por meu rebanho”.
7 Então José levou seu pai Jacó ao faraó e o apresentou a ele. Depois Jacó abençoou[a] o faraó,
8 e este lhe perguntou: “Quantos anos o senhor tem?”
9 Jacó respondeu ao faraó: “São cento e trinta os anos da minha peregrinação. Foram poucos e difíceis e não chegam aos anos da peregrinação dos meus antepassados”.
10 Então, Jacó abençoou[b] o faraó e retirou-se.
11 José instalou seu pai e seus irmãos e deu-lhes propriedade na melhor parte das terras do Egito, na região de Ramessés, conforme a ordem do faraó.
12 Providenciou também sustento para seu pai, para seus irmãos e para toda a sua família, de acordo com o número de filhos de cada um.

Os Anos de Fome

13 Não havia mantimento em toda a região, pois a fome era rigorosa; tanto o Egito como Canaã desfaleciam por causa da fome.
14 José recolheu toda a prata que circulava no Egito e em Canaã, dada como pagamento do trigo que o povo comprava, e levou-a ao palácio do faraó.
15 Quando toda a prata do Egito e de Canaã se esgotou, todos os egípcios foram suplicar a José: “Dá-nos comida! Não nos deixes morrer só porque a nossa prata acabou”.
16 E José lhes disse: “Tragam então os seus rebanhos, e em troca lhes darei trigo, uma vez que a prata de vocês acabou”.
17 E trouxeram a José os rebanhos, e ele deu-lhes trigo em troca de cavalos, ovelhas, bois e jumentos. Durante aquele ano inteiro ele os sustentou em troca de todos os seus rebanhos.
18 O ano passou, e no ano seguinte voltaram a José, dizendo: “Não temos como esconder de ti, meu senhor, que uma vez que a nossa prata acabou e os nossos rebanhos lhe pertencem, nada mais nos resta para oferecer, a não ser os nossos próprios corpos e as nossas terras.
19 Não deixes que morramos e que as nossas terras pereçam diante dos teus olhos! Compra-nos, e compra as nossas terras, em troca de trigo, e nós, com as nossas terras, seremos escravos do faraó. Dá-nos sementes para que sobrevivamos e não morramos de fome, a fim de que a terra não fique desolada”.
20 Assim, José comprou todas as terras do Egito para o faraó. Todos os egípcios tiveram que vender os seus campos, pois a fome os obrigou a isso. A terra tornou-se propriedade do faraó.
21 Quanto ao povo, José o reduziu à servidão,[c] de uma à outra extremidade do Egito.
22 Somente as terras dos sacerdotes não foram compradas, porque, por lei, esses recebiam sustento regular do faraó, e disso viviam. Por isso não tiveram que vender as suas terras.
23 Então José disse ao povo: “Ouçam! Hoje comprei vocês e suas terras para o faraó; aqui estão as sementes para que cultivem a terra.
24 Mas vocês darão a quinta parte das suas colheitas ao faraó. Os outros quatro quintos ficarão para vocês como sementes para os campos e como alimento para vocês, seus filhos e os que vivem em suas casas”.
25 Eles disseram: “Meu senhor, tu nos salvaste a vida. Visto que nos favoreceste, seremos escravos do faraó”.
26 Assim, quanto à terra, José estabeleceu o seguinte decreto no Egito, que permanece até hoje: um quinto da produção pertence ao faraó. Somente as terras dos sacerdotes não se tornaram propriedade do faraó.

O Último Desejo de Jacó

27 Os israelitas se estabeleceram no Egito, na região de Gósen. Lá adquiriram propriedades, foram prolíferos e multiplicaram-se muito.
28 Jacó viveu dezessete anos no Egito, e os anos da sua vida chegaram a cento e quarenta e sete.
29 Aproximando-se a hora da sua morte, Israel chamou seu filho José e lhe disse: “Se quer agradar-me, ponha a mão debaixo da minha coxa e prometa que será bondoso e fiel comigo: Não me sepulte no Egito.
30 Quando eu descansar com meus pais, leve-me daqui do Egito e sepulte-me junto a eles”.José respondeu: “Farei como o senhor me pede”.
31 Mas Jacó insistiu: “Jure-me”. E José lhe jurou, e Israel curvou-se apoiado em seu bordão.[d]

Gênesis 47 Commentary

Chapter 47

Joseph presents his brethren to Pharaoh. (1-6) Jacob blesses Pharaoh. (7-12) Joseph's dealings with the Egyptians during the famine. (13-26) Jacob's age. His desire to be buried in Canaan. (27--31)

Verses 1-6 Though Joseph was a great man, especially in Egypt, yet he owned his brethren. Let the rich and great in the world not overlook or despise poor relations. Our Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren. In answer to Pharaoh's inquiry, What is your calling? they told him that they were shepherds, adding that they were come to sojourn in the land for a time, while the famine prevailed in Canaan. Pharaoh offered to employ them as shepherds, provided they were active men. Whatever our business or employment is, we should aim to excel in it, and to prove ourselves clever and industrious.

Verses 7-12 With the gravity of old age, the piety of a true believer, and the authority of a patriarch and a prophet, Jacob besought the Lord to bestow a blessing upon Pharaoh. He acted as a man not ashamed of his religion; and who would express gratitude to the benefactor of himself and his family. We have here a very uncommon answer given to a very common question. Jacob calls his life a pilgrimage; the sojourning of a stranger in a foreign country, or his journey home to his own country. He was not at home upon earth; his habitation, his inheritance, his treasures were in heaven. He reckons his life by days; even by days life is soon reckoned, and we are not sure of the continuance of it for a day. Let us therefore number our days. His days were few. Though he had now lived one hundred and thirty years, they seemed but a few days, in comparison with the days of eternity, and the eternal state. They were evil; this is true concerning man. He is of few days and full of trouble; since his days are evil, it is well they are few. Jacob's life had been made up of evil days. Old age came sooner upon him than it had done upon some of his fathers. As the young man should not be proud of his strength or beauty, so the old man should not be proud of his age, and his hoary hairs, though others justly reverence them; for those who are accounted very old, attain not to the years of the patriarchs. The hoary head is only a crown of glory, when found in the way of righteousness. Such an answer could not fail to impress the heart of Pharaoh, by reminding him that worldly prosperity and happiness could not last long, and was not enough to satisfy. After a life of vanity and vexation, man goes down into the grave, equally from the throne as the cottage. Nothing can make us happy, but the prospect of an everlasting home in heaven, after our short and weary pilgrimage on earth.

Verses 13-26 Care being taken of Jacob and his family, which mercy was especially designed by Providence in Joseph's advancement, an account is given of the saving the kingdom of Egypt from ruin. There was no bread, and the people were ready to die. See how we depend upon God's providence. All our wealth would not keep us from starving, if rain were withheld for two or three years. See how much we are at God's mercy, and let us keep ourselves always in his love. Also see how much we smart by our own want of care. If all the Egyptians had laid up corn for themselves in the seven years of plenty, they had not been in these straits; but they regarded not the warning. Silver and gold would not feed them: they must have corn. All that a man hath will he give for his life. We cannot judge this matter by modern rules. It is plain that the Egyptians regarded Joseph as a public benefactor. The whole is consistent with Joseph's character, acting between Pharaoh and his subjects, in the fear of God. The Egyptians confessed concerning Joseph, Thou hast saved our lives. What multitudes will gratefully say to Jesus, at the last day, Thou hast saved our souls from the most tremendous destruction, and in the season of uttermost distress! The Egyptians parted with all their property, and even their liberty, for the saving of their lives: can it then be too much for us to count all but loss, and part with all, at His command, and for His sake, who will both save our souls, and give us an hundredfold, even here, in this present world? Surely if saved by Christ, we shall be willing to become his servants.

Verses 27-31 At last the time drew nigh that Israel must die. Israel, a prince with God, had power over the Angel, and prevailed, yet must die. Joseph supplied him with bread, that he might not die by famine, but that did not secure him from dying by age or sickness. He died by degrees; his candle gradually burnt down to the socket, so that he saw the time drawing nigh. It is an advantage to see the approach of death, before we feel it, that we may be quickened to do, with all our might, what our hands find to do. However, death is not far from any of us. Jacob's care, as he saw the day approach, was about his burial; not the pomp of it, but he would be buried in Canaan, because it was the land of promise. It was a type of heaven, that better country, which he declared plainly he expected, ( Hebrews 11:14 ) . Nothing will better help to make a death-bed easy, than the certain prospect of rest in the heavenly Canaan after death. When this was done, Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head, worshipping God, as it is explained, see ( Hebrews 11:21 ) , giving God thanks for all his favours; in feebleness thus supporting himself, expressing his willingness to leave the world. Even those who lived on Joseph's provision, and Jacob who was so dear to him, must die. But Christ Jesus gives us the true bread, that we may eat and live for ever. To Him let us come and yield ourselves, and when we draw near to death, he who supported us through life, will meet us and assure us of everlasting salvation.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Ou "saudou"
  • [b]. Ou "despediu-se do"
  • [c]. Conforme o Pentateuco Samaritano e a Septuaginta. O Texto Massorético diz "mudou-o para as cidades."
  • [d]. Conforme a Septuaginta. O Texto Massorético diz "curvou-se à cabeceira de sua cama."

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 47

This chapter gives an account of the presentation of five of Joseph's brethren, and then of his father, to Pharaoh, and of what passed between them, Ge 47:1-10; of Joseph's settlement of them, according to the direction of Pharaoh, in the land of Rameses in Goshen, and of his provision for them there, Ge 47:11,12; of his getting into his hands, for Pharaoh, the money, cattle, and lands, of the Egyptians, excepting the lands belonging to the priests, for corn he had supplied them with, Ge 47:13-22; of his giving them seed to sow with, on condition of Pharaoh's having a fifth part of the produce, Ge 47:23-26, of the increase of Jacob's substance in Egypt, and that of his children; of the time of his living there, and his approaching death, when he called Joseph to him, and obliged him by an oath to bury him in the burying place of his fathers, Ge 47:27-31.

Gênesis 47 Commentaries

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