Genesis 47 – Getting Settled

 Joseph went and told Pharaoh about the arrival of his family with all of their possessions to Goshen. He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. I wonder which five brothers Joseph chose to present and why he chose them specifically. Indeed, Pharaoh did ask about their occupation. The brothers did as Joseph said and told him that they were shepherds. They also told Pharaoh that they came to Egypt because there wasn't any pasture in Canaan because of the severe famine. They asked for permission to dwell in Goshen. Pharaoh told Joseph that his family could dwell in the best of the land, which was apparently, Goshen. He also told Joseph that if he knew of any competent men among his brothers, that he should make them chief herdsmen over his livestock. Look at God! He not only gave them the best of the land, but He also gave them important jobs. This is truly a case of not what you know, even though they had to be skilled shepherds, but of Who you know. ''Who" capitalized because I'm referring to God, not Pharaoh. Have you ever been granted favor in any type of situation because of Who you know? Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed him. Pharaoh asked Jacob his age. Jacob told him that he was 130 years old. Then Jacob basically tells Pharaoh that they were hard years when he says "few and evil have been the days of the years of my life..." Jacob also stated that his life would not be as long as that of his forefathers. Isaac, Jacob's father, lived to be 180 years old (Genesis 35:28) and Abraham, Jacob's grandfather, lived to be 175 years old (Genesis 25:7). Despite all of the blessings that God gave Jacob, when he talked about his life, he spoke negatively. We all have our "ups and downs" in life, but when you reflect on the years of your life, do you highlight the blessings or the troubles? Before Jacob left Pharaoh's presence, he blessed him again.

Joseph helped his family get settled and gave them possession in the best land of Egypt, the land of Rameses as commanded by Pharaoh. All along, the "Relocation Location" was called Goshen. Now, it is called Rameses. So, I googled. One source, ministrymagazine.org, indicates that Goshen and Rameses referred to the same district and within the district was also the city of Rameses. Joseph provided them all with bread in accordance to the number in their families.

The famine was so severe that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan suffered because of it. Joseph collected all of the money from the people in all of Egypt and Canaan for the grain sold to them. He took the money to Pharaoh. When the people had spent all of their money, the Egyptians came to Joseph and told him to give them bread or they would die in his presence, because they had no more money. Earlier the scripture said the people in the land of Egypt and Canaan bought grain. When there was no more money, the scripture only says that the Egyptians went to Joseph. Is this because the Canaanites died off due to the famine because they were too weak to make the journey to Egypt? Joseph told the people to give their livestock in exchange for bread, if they don't have any money. So, they brought their horses, flocks, cattle and donkeys. Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the livestock that year. When that year ended, the people came to Joseph the next year and said that they have no money and they had given away their livestock. There was nothing left to give, but their bodies and lands. They claimed that they and the land would die. So, in exchange for bread, they agreed to sell themselves to be Pharaoh's servants and to sell their land so that they wouldn't die and the land wouldn't become desolate. Joseph bought all of the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his field because the famine was so severe. Pharaoh moved the people into the cities, from one end of Egypt's borders to the other end. The only land that he did not buy belonged to the priests because they were allotted rations from Pharaoh which they ate. So, they didn't have to sell their land. Since the only land that was not sold to Joseph belonged to the priests, then it appears that his family must have sold the land given to them back to Pharaoh and they too, were not exempt from selling their livestock and becoming Pharaoh's servants. Joseph gave the people seed to sow the land. When harvest season came, they were to give one-fifth to Pharaoh and to keep four-fifths for themselves a seed for the field and food. So, even though there was a severe famine, God obviously did allow some growth for a harvest. The people proclaimed that Joseph saved their lives and therefore, they wanted to find favor in his eyes and were willing to be Pharaoh's servants. Thereafter, Joseph made a law over all Egypt, that Pharaoh was to get one-fifth excluding the land of the priests.

Israel (the nation) lived in the land of Egypt in the region of Goshen. They had possessions there. They grew and multiplied exceedingly. Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years. He died at the age of 147 years old. As Jacob's years were dwindling, he made Joseph promise not to bury him in Egypt. He wanted to be buried in the burial place of his fathers. Joseph vowed that he would do as Jacob desired. Jacob made Joseph swear to him that he would honor his wishes and Joseph did so. Then Jacob humbly bowed at the head of his bed.

We continue our journey to Chapter 48.

To God Be The Glory!

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