Génesis 47:13

13 Y no había pan en toda la tierra, y el hambre era muy grave; y desfalleció de hambre la tierra de Egipto y la tierra de Canaán.

Génesis 47:13 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 47:13

And [there was] no bread in all the land
The land of Egypt and the parts adjacent, but in Pharaoh's storehouses, all being consumed that were in private hands the first two years of the famine: for the famine [was] very sore;
severe, pressed very hard: so that the land of Egypt, and [all] the land of Canaan, fainted by
reason of the famine;
that is, the inhabitants of both countries, their spirits sunk, as well as their flesh failed for want of food: or "raged" ^F2; became furious, and were like madmen, as the word signifies; according to Kimchi ^F3, they were at their wits' end, knew not what to do, as Aben Ezra interprets it, and became tumultuous; it is much they had not in a violent manner broke open the storehouses of corn, and took it away by force; that they did not must be owing to the providence of God, which restrained them, and to the care and prudence of Joseph as a means, who, doubtless, had well fortified the granaries; and very probably there were a body of soldiers placed everywhere, who were one of the three parts or states of the kingdom of Egypt, as Diodorus Siculus ^F4 relates; to which may be added, the mild and gentle address of Joseph to the people, speaking kindly to them, giving them hopes of a supply during the famine, and readily relieving them upon terms they could not object to.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (hlt) "insanivit vel acta fuit in rahiem", Vatablus; "furebat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F3 In Sepher Shorash rad (hhl) ; so Ben Melech in loc.
F4 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 67.

Génesis 47:13 In-Context

11 Así José hizo habitar a su padre y a sus hermanos, y les dio posesión en la tierra de Egipto, en lo mejor de la tierra, en la tierra de Ramesés como mandó el Faraón.

12 Y alimentaba José a su padre y a sus hermanos, y a toda la casa de su padre, de pan, hasta la boca del niño.

13 Y no había pan en toda la tierra, y el hambre era muy grave; y desfalleció de hambre la tierra de Egipto y la tierra de Canaán.

14 Y recogió José todo el dinero que se halló en la tierra de Egipto y en la tierra de Canaán, por los alimentos que de él compraban; y metió José el dinero en casa del Faraón.

15 Y acabado el dinero de la tierra de Egipto y de la tierra de Canaán, vino todo Egipto a José diciendo: Danos pan: ¿por qué moriremos delante de ti, por haberse acabado el dinero?