Genesis 47: Jacob meets Pharaoh, and the famine years
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What happens?
Joseph presents five of his brothers, and then his father Jacob, to Pharaoh, and the family settles in the best of the land. As the famine goes on, the Egyptians give Joseph their money, then their livestock, then their land and themselves for food, and Joseph makes a law that a fifth of each harvest goes to Pharaoh. Near death, Jacob makes Joseph swear to bury him in Canaan.
Who is speaking?
Joseph, his brothers, Pharaoh and Jacob speak, and the Egyptians speak to Joseph during the famine. God does not speak in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.”
In plain English: Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, "My father and my brothers have come from the land of Canaan, with their flocks, their herds, and everything they own. They are now in the land of Goshen."
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2From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.
In plain English: He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
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3Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.”
In plain English: Pharaoh asked Joseph's brothers, "What is your work?" They answered Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers."
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4They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
In plain English: They also said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live in this land as foreigners, because there is no pasture for your servants' flocks. The famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So please let your servants live in the land of Goshen."
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5Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.
In plain English: Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.
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6The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”
In plain English: The land of Egypt is open to you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."
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7Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
In plain English: Joseph brought his father Jacob in and had him stand before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed (or: greeted) Pharaoh.
The Hebrew word: "Blessed" is barak. It can also mean to greet someone.
How it is translated: In its 289 verses this Bible says "bless" or a longer form of it about 9 times out of 10, and "greet" or a longer form of it in 6.
What changes: Read as "greeted", Jacob greets Pharaoh when he comes in (here) and takes his leave when he goes out (). Read as "blessed", Jacob blesses Pharaoh both times.
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8Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
In plain English: Pharaoh asked Jacob, "How old are you?"
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9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and evil. They have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
In plain English: Jacob answered Pharaoh, "The years of my travels (my life as a foreigner) are one hundred thirty. The years of my life have been few and hard (or: evil), and they have not reached the years my fathers lived in their travels."
The Hebrew word: "Pilgrimage" is magur: a place where a person stays for a while, as a guest or a foreigner. It is related to gur, "live as foreigners", in .
What changes: In English "pilgrimage" can sound like a religious journey. Read as "years of living as a foreigner", Jacob is speaking of a life spent in lands that were not his own.
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10Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
In plain English: Jacob blessed Pharaoh (or: said farewell to him) and left Pharaoh's presence.
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11Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
In plain English: Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them land of their own in Egypt, in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered.
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12Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their families.
In plain English: Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and his father's whole household, according to the size of each family.
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13There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
In plain English: There was no food anywhere in the land, because the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were worn out by the famine.
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14Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
In plain English: Joseph collected all the money in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in payment for the grain people bought, and he brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
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15When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.”
In plain English: When the money in Egypt and Canaan was all used up, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food! Why should we die in front of you? Our money is gone."
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16Joseph said, “Give me your livestock; and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.”
In plain English: Joseph said, "Give me your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone."
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17They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year.
In plain English: So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys. That year he fed them in exchange for all their livestock.
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18When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands.
In plain English: When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said, "We will not hide from my lord that our money is all gone, and our herds of livestock belong to my lord. Nothing is left for my lord except our bodies and our land.
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19Why 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 Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.”
In plain English: Why should we die in front of you, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will belong to Pharaoh as servants (or: slaves). Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land does not become a wasteland."
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20So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s.
In plain English: So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's.
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21As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it.
In plain English: As for the people, he moved them into the cities (an old translation reads: he made them servants), from one end of Egypt to the other.
Good to know: The old Greek translation reads "he brought the people into bondage to him, for servants" here, instead of "he moved them into the cities". In Hebrew the two readings look very alike.
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22Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land.
In plain English: Only the priests' land he did not buy. The priests had a set share from Pharaoh, and they lived on the share Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
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23Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
In plain English: Joseph said to the people, "Today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you, so you can plant the land.
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24It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, 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.”
In plain English: At harvest time you will give a fifth to Pharaoh. Four fifths will be yours, for seed for the fields and food for yourselves, your households, and your little ones."
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25They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”
In plain English: They said, "You have saved our lives! May we find favor with my lord; we will be Pharaoh's servants (or: slaves)."
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26Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.
In plain English: Joseph made it a law in the land of Egypt, which lasts to this day, that Pharaoh should have a fifth. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's.
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27Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
In plain English: Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. They gained property there, had many children, and grew greatly in number.
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28Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.
In plain English: Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years. So Jacob lived one hundred forty-seven years in all.
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29The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, 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 Egypt,
In plain English: When the time came near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor with you, please put your hand under my thigh and show me kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt.
Good to know: Abraham's servant made a promise the same way, with his hand under Abraham's thigh ().
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30but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.” Joseph said, “I will do as you have said.”
In plain English: When I lie down with my fathers in death, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." Joseph said, "I will do as you have said."
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31Israel said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.
In plain English: Israel said, "Swear it to me," and Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down (or: worshiped) at the head of his bed (or: leaning on the top of his staff).
The Hebrew word: "Bed" is mittah. Hebrew was first written with letters only, without vowel marks, and the same letters can also be read matteh, "staff".
What changes: Read as "staff", Israel bowed over the top of his staff. The old Greek translation reads it that way, and so does : "leaning on the top of his staff".
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