Genesis 47
1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”
2 He took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They answered Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.”
4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in this land, because there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.
6 The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if you know of capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”
7 Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8 Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many years have you lived?”
9 Jacob answered Pharaoh, “The years of my wandering have been one hundred and thirty. My years have been few and troubled, and they have not reached the years of my fathers during their wanderings.”
10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from Pharaoh’s presence.
11 Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered.
12 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and his father’s entire household, according to the number of their children.
13 There was no food throughout the land, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were wasting away because of the famine.
14 Joseph gathered all the silver found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they bought, and Joseph brought the silver to Pharaoh’s house.
15 When the silver was gone from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die before you? The silver is gone.”
16 Joseph answered, “Bring your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, since the silver is gone.”
17 They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, their flocks of sheep, their herds of cattle, and their donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We will not hide from my lord that the silver is gone and the livestock now belongs to my lord. Nothing remains before my lord except our bodies and our land.
19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed so we may live and not die, and so the land will not become desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because the Egyptians each sold their fields as the famine pressed hard upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s.
21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities, from one end of Egypt’s territory to the other.
22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, because the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and ate from the allowance Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “See, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you; sow the land.
24 At harvest, you will give a fifth to Pharaoh. The other four parts will be yours, as seed for the field and as food for you, for those in your households, and for your children.”
25 They said, “You have saved our lives. May we find favor in my lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”
26 Joseph made this a law over the land of Egypt, lasting to this day: a fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.
27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. They acquired property there, became fruitful, and multiplied greatly.
28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years. The days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred and forty-seven years.
29 As the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh and show me steadfast love and faithfulness: do not bury me in Egypt.
30 When I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.”
31 Israel said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app