THROUGH THE BIBLE COMMENTARY
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears.
Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
GENESIS
CHAPTER 47
1 Then Joseph 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. 2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For 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. 5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 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 Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
Joseph brought five of his brothers, carefully coached, befoe Pharoah.
He would not let them settle in the land until Pharoah had approved it.
In Mt. 20:23, Jesus say, "It is not mine to give." Christ's presentation
of us is approval in the sight of God. All we need is for HIM to say we are HIS.
That's all Pharoah needed from Joseph.
These brothers did exactly as Joseph had coached them - they told Pharoah they
were shepherds. This fact did not endear them; they would be left
alone because of this occupation. But men ought to have a JOB!
Pharoah, recognizing the worth of Joseph, requested that these men
be put in charge of his flock also.
7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? 9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an 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. 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
Pharoah gave a portion of the land, Goshen (a fertile hill country) for
these Hebrews. Pharoah did not assign the land to the Hebrews, but he
assigned the Hebrews to the land. They were to "sojourn" there, not be
permanent. So is our live here on earth. We are "assigned" here, not
to be permanent!
Now Joseph brings in Jacob to Pharoah and this is very interesting.
Notice Jacob's description of his life. One hundred thirty years
that were "few and evil." Few, meaning that he had not grown as
old as his forefathers. And evil, meaning that the world deals
misery to all men. (See. Ecc. 1:1-4, 5:15)
Jacob saw his whole life as a "pilgrimage." So should we!
We have but a short time. Life is brief and uncertain.
Then, we must meet God and give an account of ourselves.
Jacob prayed for Pharoah, and then left. Good Christians should
pray for lost people. And when we can do nothing else, we can
pray for those in authority over us.
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 Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
Joseph made sure his father's house had "bread" for all there
families. David wrote, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have
I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
When we take care of God's business, He will take care of us!
13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 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 Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. 16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
Now the people of Egypt come when the famine is really bad, and beg
for bread. Did they not listen? Did the world listen to Noah?
Joseph, a very intelligent and diligent business man for his master,
swapped their cattle for the food they needed.
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: 19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy 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. 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.
The next year, the people had to come back or starve. Now Joseph buys
their land for food. That's how Pharoah became the "sole proprietor" of
all Egypt (vs 20).
21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22 Only the land of 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.
Since they now belonged to Pharoah, he could move the people wherever he
wanted them. Joseph settled them where it would be most prosperous for the
nation, and Pharoah.
Being compassionate, Joseph did not buy the priest's land - he just cared
for them. They may not serve the right God - but they serve PEOPLE!
23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the 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. 25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
Notice how Joseph makes a good situation for Pharoh, and also a good
situation for the people. They can live on the land, they must farm the
land, and 1/5 of the crop goes to Pharoah. But 4/5 of the crop they can
retain for themselves. That's a pretty good government. We pay about
55% of our paycheck on taxes!
The people noticed this was good (vs 25).
26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. 27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
Jacob lived another 17 years, and died at 147. During his lifetime, the
little nation grew, and "multiplied exceedingly." (vs 27)
29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must 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: 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. 31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
This is the "short account" of Jacob's death. Another, more detailed account
is in the next two chapters.
We shall reserve our comments for this event until then.
Remember, Joseph is a "typification" of our Lord, Jesus.
He ALWAYS has our best interests in the center of his heart (Rom. 8:28).
And He ALWAYS will care for us.
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.