Genesis 47:23

23 Then Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, [here is] seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

Genesis 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.

Genesis 47:23 In-Context

21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from [one] end of the borders of Egypt even to the [other] end thereof.

22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion [assigned them] by Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, [here is] seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth [part] to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.