Genesis 47:20-31

Result of the Famine

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh's.

21 As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt's border to the other.

22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore *, they did not sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land.

24 "At the harvest you shall give a ¹fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths * shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones."

25 So they said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's slaves."

26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; ²only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's.

27 Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in Goshen, and they ³acquired property in it and ⁴were fruitful and became very numerous.

28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt ⁵seventeen * years; so the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven * years.

29 When ⁶the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your sight, ⁷place now your hand under my thigh and ⁸deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt,

30 but when I ⁹lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in ¹⁰their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said."

31 He said, "¹¹Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then ¹²Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.

Genesis 47:20-31 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.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 41:34
• 2. Genesis 47:22
• 3. Genesis 47:11
• 4. Genesis 17:6; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 35:11; Exodus 1:7; Deuteronomy 26:5; Acts 7:17
• 5. Genesis 47:9
• 6. Deuteronomy 31:14; 1 Kings 2:1
• 7. Genesis 24:2
• 8. Genesis 24:49
• 9. Genesis 15:15; Deuteronomy 31:16
• 10. Genesis 23:17-20; Genesis 25:9, 10; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:29-32; Genesis 50:5, 13; Acts 7:15, 16
• 11. Genesis 21:23, 24; Genesis 24:3; Genesis 31:53; Genesis 50:25
• 12. 1 Kings 1:47

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "Egypt, every man"
• [b]. Lit "ate their allotment"
• [c]. Lit "It shall come about...that you shall"
• [d]. Lit "four parts"
• [e]. Lit "alone did"
• [f]. Lit "dwelt"
• [g]. Lit "in the land of Goshen"
• [h]. Lit "days of Jacob, the years of his life"
• [i]. Lit "the days of Israel to die drew near"
• [j]. Lit "truth"