Genesis 47:19-29

19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Par`oh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won't be desolate."

20 So Yosef bought all the land of Mitzrayim for Par`oh, for the Mitzrim sold every man his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Par`oh's.

21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Mitzrayim even to the other end of it.

22 Only he didn't buy the land of the Kohanim, for the Kohanim had a portion from Par`oh, and ate their portion which Par`oh gave them. That is why they didn't sell their land.

23 Then Yosef said to the people, "Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Par`oh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.

24 It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Par`oh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones."

25 They said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Par`oh's servants."

26 Yosef made it a statute concerning the land of Mitzrayim to this day, that Par`oh should have the fifth. Only the land of the Kohanim alone didn't become Par`oh's.

27 Yisra'el lived in the land of Mitzrayim, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.

28 Ya`akov lived in the land of Mitzrayim seventeen years. So the days of Ya`akov, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.

29 The time drew near that Yisra'el must die, and he called his son Yosef, and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don't bury me in Mitzrayim,

Genesis 47:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

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.