Study Desk

Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival^[i] at Goshen.^(s) When they came to the land of Goshen,

Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time.^(t)

Then Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen your face and know you are still alive!"

Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him: My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.^(u)

The men are shepherds; they also raise livestock. They have brought their sheep and cattle and all that they have.

When Pharaoh addresses you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?'

you are to say, ‘Your servants, both we and our fathers, have raised livestock^[j] from our youth until now.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians."^(v)

So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: "My father and my brothers, with their sheep and cattle and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen."^(a)

He took five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.^(b)

Then Pharaoh asked his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants, both we and our fathers, are shepherds."^(c)

Then they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants' sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe.^(d) So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen."

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Now that your father and brothers have come to you,

the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land.^(e) They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."^(f)

Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Then Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years have you lived?"^[a]

Jacob said to Pharaoh, "My pilgrimage^(g) has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard,^(h) and they have not surpassed the years of my fathers during their pilgrimages."⁽ⁱ⁾

So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh's presence.

Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses,^(j) as Pharaoh had commanded.

And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food for their dependents.^(k)

But there was no food in that entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine.

Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were purchasing, and he brought the money to Pharaoh's palace.^(l)

When the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The money is gone!"

But Joseph said, "Give me your livestock. Since the money is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock."

So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses, the herds of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

When that year was over, they came the next year and said to him, "We cannot hide from our lord that the money is gone and that all our livestock belongs to our lord. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.

Why should we die here in front of you—both us and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. Then we with our land will become Pharaoh's slaves. Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land won't become desolate."

In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's,

and Joseph moved the people to the cities^[b] from one end of Egypt to the other.

The only land he didn't acquire was the priests' portion, for it was given to them by Pharaoh. They lived off^[c] the rations Pharaoh had given them; therefore they did not sell their land.

Then Joseph said to the people, "Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land.

At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh,^(m) and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents."

And they said, "You have saved our lives. We have found favor in our lord's eyes and will be Pharaoh's slaves."

So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests' land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.⁽ⁿ⁾

Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years.

When the time drew near for him to die,^(o) he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh^(p) and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.^(q) Do not bury me in Egypt.

When I rest with my fathers, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place."^(r) Joseph answered, "I will do what you have asked."

And Jacob said, "Swear to me." So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.^[d](s)