Genesis 47:1-4
There's no real understanding of why Joseph took just five brothers. It's possible he didn't want Pharaoh to think he brought a nation to Goshen, just a family. While it appears Joseph managed many of the Pharaoh's affairs, he still went before him to inform him and ask for permission to live in the land of Goshen for a time.
The first question from Pharaoh is regarding occupation. Pharaoh had previously offered the Jews a fresh start. They didn't need to bring anything with them, Pharaoh would offer the best of Egypt to them. This may have been a place in Egypt, a job in farming or some other craft. They brought their livelihood with them. It's all they knew, learned from their father and their father's father. This told Pharaoh they were not a threat or a competition with Egypt's farmers (Pharaoh himself who owned all the land); nor were they a burden on the land. They also let him know it was 'for a while' (4).
Genesis 47:5-6
Pharaoh gives a formal decree and directs it to Joseph. This gives some indication that this was normal and is likely a special favor for Joseph. Because of Joseph, the sons of Israel were blessed. The king even offers an elevated status for one who could take care of his livestock.
Genesis 47:7-10
What a sight; probably the most powerful man in those days meeting the patriarch of a family that will change the world. Jacob stood before this king and gave a blessing to him. This blessing was, no doubt, in the name of the God of Abraham and Isaac, Yahweh. This is interesting when you consider that the Pharaoh's were believed to be the embodiment of the sun god, Ra. For the Pharaoh to acknowledge another God and to recognize Jacob as a man of God was significant. You have to wonder if this was because of the presence of Joseph.
Jacob said that his pilgrimage was now 130 years. He knew it was a pilgrimage, he was passing through toward another place: the city built by God, heaven. He considered his years few and evil in comparison to his father and father's father.
Genesis 47:11-15
Joseph got his family settled into the land and made sure they had food to eat. The reference to Rameses is another name for Goshen that would come later in Moses' day.
Genesis 47:13-17
The famine had been so severe for so long, no one had any money left to purchase food. The famine had wrecked their economy. The government had the money and the food and the famine continued. Joseph still had grain in storage. The grain was useless if people died; a nation whose people starved to death didn't need a Pharaoh. It was in his best interest to serve the people. That year, the people at by bringing their livestock for payment. They were extremely grateful.
Genesis 47:18-25
The famine went on till the livestock was gone. The people offered their land and themselves as payment for food. All the land of Egypt was purchased by food and the people were in servitude to Pharaoh.
When Joseph owned everything for the Pharaoh, he had the people farming on his behalf. This would build an economy. The Pharaoh would still have plenty of income and while giving the people a chance to make money and feed themselves, not to mention purpose and esteem.
The people weren't bitter at Joseph at all (I can hear people today saying, 'That's not fair!'). They knew it was Joseph who saved their life. They were willing to work and purchase what others had the foresight to set aside. In thankfulness they put themselves in bondage to the Pharaoh. Joseph established law where they would farm the land and benefit from it but pay a flat 20% tax to the Pharaoh.
Genesis 47:26-31
We aren't given any indication why they stayed in Egypt after the famine ended. But it ended at the 7 years as predicted. Jacob was 130 when he went to Egypt and lived there 17 years. (He had Joseph the first 17 years of his life and the last 17 years of his own life.)
Jacob called Joseph in and made him swear an oath to not be buried in Egypt but to be carried back to the Promised Land and buried with is fathers. The 'hand under my thigh' may be a euphemism for genitalia. The phrase is used here and Genesis 24:2 when Abraham had his servant swear not to let Isaac marry a Canaanite woman but to get a wife from among his family.
©2019 Doug Ford
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