Chapter 47

Chapter 47

1 Joseph came and reported to Pharaoh, saying, “My father and my brothers have come from the land of Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and everything they own. Look! They are right now in the region of Goshen.”

2 He selected five men from among his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They answered Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our ancestors.”

4 They said further to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in this land, because there is no pasture for the flocks belonging to your servants, since the food shortage is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants settle in the region of Goshen.”

5 Then Pharaoh spoke directly to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.

6 The land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and your brothers in the very best part of the land. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if you know of any highly capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and had him stand before Pharaoh, and Jacob bestowed the power of life upon Pharaoh.

8 Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

9 Jacob answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my life as a foreigner are 130 years. The days of the years of my life have been few and difficult, and they have not attained the lifespans of my ancestors during their years as foreigners.”

10 Then Jacob bestowed the power of life upon Pharaoh and departed from his presence.

11 Joseph settled his father and his brothers, giving them a permanent property in the land of Egypt, in the very best part of the region, in the land of Rameses, exactly as Pharaoh had commanded.

12 Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and his father’s entire household with food, down to the needs of the youngest dependents.

13 Now there was no food in the entire region, because the food shortage was exceptionally severe; both the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the food shortage.

14 Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain that the people were purchasing, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace.

15 When the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was completely depleted, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying, “Give us food! Why should we die right before your eyes just because our money is gone?”

16 Joseph replied, “Provide your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is depleted.”

17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys; and he sustained them with food in exchange for all their livestock during that year.

18 When that year came to an end, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We cannot hide from my master that our money is completely depleted and our livestock herds belong to my master. Nothing is left in the presence of my master except our bodies and our land.”

19 Why should we perish right before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will become servants to Pharaoh. Provide seed so that we may survive and not die, and so that the land will not become a desolate wasteland.”

20 So Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the food shortage was so severe upon them; thus the land became Pharaoh’s property.

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

22 Only the land of the priests he did not purchase, because the priests had a fixed allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the fixed allotment that Pharaoh provided them; therefore, they did not sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Look! I have purchased you and your land today for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you; sow the land.

24 When the harvest comes, you must give one-fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own—as seed for the field, as food for yourselves and your households, and for your dependents to eat.”

25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! May we find favor in the eyes of my master, and we will be servants to Pharaoh.”

26 So Joseph established it as a statute over the land of Egypt to this very day, that one-fifth belongs to Pharaoh; only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s property.

27 Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; they acquired property in it, were fruitful, and multiplied exceptionally.

28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years; so the total days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.

29 When the days drew near for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and deal with me in unswerving loyalty and truth: please do not bury me in Egypt.

30 When I lay down with my ancestors, you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And Joseph answered, “I myself will do exactly according to your word.”

31 Jacob insisted, “Swear an oath to me.” So he swore an oath to him. Then Israel bowed down in worship at the head of the bed.