Genesis — Chapter 47

King James Version (KJV)

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Genesis 47:1 Then ^RJoseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.

Genesis 47:2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and ^Rpresented them unto Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, ^RWhat is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

Genesis 47:4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, ^RFor to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

Genesis 47:5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:

Genesis 47:6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of ^RGoshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

Genesis 47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: ^Rand Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, ^THow old art thou?

Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are ^Ran hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

Genesis 47:10 ^RAnd Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of ^RRameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

Genesis 47:12 And Joseph ^Rnourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, ^Taccording to their families.

Genesis 47:13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, ^Rso that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

Genesis 47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and ^RJoseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.

Genesis 47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, ^RGive us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

Genesis 47:16 And Joseph said, ^RGive your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

Genesis 47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange ^Rfor horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he ^Tfed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

Genesis 47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

Genesis 47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? ^Rbuy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

Genesis 47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:21 And as for the people, he removed them ^Rto cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

Genesis 47:22 Only the ^Tland ^Rof the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, ^Rhere is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

Genesis 47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give ^Rthe fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

Genesis 47:25 And they said, ^RThou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.

Genesis 47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; ^Rexcept the land of the ^Tpriests only, which became not Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and ^Rgrew, and multiplied exceedingly.

Genesis 47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt ^Rseventeen years: so ^Tthe whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

Genesis 47:29 And the time drew nigh that Israel ^Rmust die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

Genesis 47:30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

Genesis 47:31 And he said, ^RSwear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Genesis 47:1–12 — Jacob’s Family Settles in Egypt

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Joseph presents his brothers and father to Pharaoh. The family receives a dwelling place in the best of the land, and Joseph supplies bread for the household.

Key Truth: Joseph provides for his family during the famine.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Genesis 47:13–26 — The Famine and Egypt’s Land

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

As the famine continues, people exchange money, cattle, and land for food. Joseph purchases the land for Pharaoh except the priests’ land, and establishes a fifth part of the increase for Pharaoh.

Key Truth: The passage records the famine’s severe economic effects and the arrangement established in Egypt.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Genesis 47:27–31 — Jacob’s Burial Request

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Israel grows and multiplies in Goshen. After seventeen years in Egypt, Jacob asks Joseph not to bury him there but to carry him to his fathers’ buryingplace.

Key Truth: Jacob asks to be buried with his fathers outside Egypt.

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