Genesis 47:27-47:31

     Thus Israel¹ settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly.¹ Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.
     When the time of Israel's death drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor with you,³ put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt. When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place."⁴
     He answered, "I will do as you have said."
     And he said, "Swear to me"; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the head of his bed.

^[1] Refers to the "nation" now, not just a family.
^[2] Though all is difficult, Israel continues to be blessed in land and fertility.
^[3] A twist of roles where the father speaks respectfully to the son in power.
^[4] Emphasizes Israel's ties to the promised land.


Take-home: Though Israel has been blessed greatly by Egypt, the land promised by God is still what is held dear to them and is held up as a distinctive of their people.

Genesis 47:13-47:26

     Now there was no food in all the land,¹ for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. When the money from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give us food! Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone."
     And Joseph answered, "Give me your livestock,² and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone."
     So they brought their livestock to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. That year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock.
     When that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, "We can not hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. Shall we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We with our land will become slaves to Pharaoh;³ just give us seed, so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."
     So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them; and the land became Pharaoh's. As for the people, he made slaves of them from⁴ one end of Egypt to the other. Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh, and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.
     Then Joseph said to the people, "Now that I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh, here is seed for you; sow the land. And at the harvests you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own,⁵ as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones."
     They said, "You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh."
     So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day,⁶ that Pharaoh should have the fifth. The land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.

^[1] Except what is in Joseph's storehouses, of course.
^[2] Why? Is there a just reason for this, or is Joseph just looking to amass all the wealth and possessions of Egypt into the hands of Pharaoh?
^[3] This time the desperate solution comes directly from the mouths of the people.
^[4] Again, why does he do this? Is it just considered natural that those who cannot buy food must pay for it with their very selves? Joseph only has the food because of the tax he took from all of them - why should he charge them to recover it?
^[5] It could certainly be worse, though 20% of their gross product is a heavy levy to maintain in perpetuity.
^[6] Feels like this is the point of the passage.


Take-home: Joseph's actions feel somewhat unjust to me, though I don't think that's supposed to be the point of the story at all. My Study Bible states that this story is told to emphasize Joseph's wisdom as a shrewd manager and possibly also to explain Egypt's centralized economy. However, the Study Bible also notes that the events of the story do not correspond to any known period in Egyptian history, and the details of taxation and priestly holdings do not match Egyptian records.

Genesis 46:28-47:12

     Israel sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way before him into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen, Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.¹ Israel said to Joseph, "I can die now, having seen for myself that you are still alive."²
     Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh,³ and will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. The men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.' When Pharaoh calls you, and says, 'What is your occupation?' you shall say, 'Your servants have been keepers of livestock⁴ from our youth even until now, both we and our ancestors'--in order that you may settle in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent⁵ to the Egyptians."
     So Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; they are now in the land of Goshen." From among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh.
     Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?"
     And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, as our ancestors were." They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to reside as aliens in the land; for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, we ask you, let your servants settle in the land of Goshen."
     Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best⁶ part of the land; let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know that there are capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.⁷"
     Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob, and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed⁸ Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the years of your life?"
     Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my earthly sojourn are one hundred thirty; few and hard⁹ have been the years of my life. They do not compare with the years of the life of my ancestors during their long sojourn." Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
     Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and granted them a holding in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed.¹⁰ And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their dependents.¹¹

^[1] Joseph's emotions upon seeing his father are emphasized.
^[2] All Jacob needed was to see that his son was safe...or is that just how he expressed his joy at seeing him?
^[3] Emphasizes his connection to Pharaoh.
^[4] Repeats "keepers of livestock" - that's definitely the emphasis.
^[5] This sentence confused me on the first read. But my Study Bible explains that if the Hebrews had mentioned their agricultural aspect, they would have needed land and been seen as a threat to the Egyptians. Emphasizing their shepherding side, something the Egyptians don't respect and that doesn't require a set piece of land to be kept, makes them less of a threat.
^[6] Once again Pharaoh shows his deep respect for Joseph.
^[7] Shows his respect and trust.
^[8] What does it mean for Jacob to bless Pharaoh? My Study Bible points out the tradition in Genesis of the Hebrew fathers blessing their neighbors.
^[9] "few and hard" - running from Esau, worked long for Laban, crippled in wrestling, lost Rachel in childbirth, lost Joseph his favorite, and now has had years of drought mixed with fear.
^[10] It all worked out well for them.
^[11] This account ends by emphasizing that they are now provided for.

Take-home: Joseph and Jacob share an emotional reunion. Joseph's connections to Pharaoh are emphasized, and we are reminded the deep grace that has been shown Joseph because of his walking with God, even in a foreign land. The Israelites position themselves as shepherders in order not to threaten their Egyptian hosts.

Genesis 46:8-46:27

     Now these are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his offspring, who came to Egypt. Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and the children of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The children of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite¹ woman. The children of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The children of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the children of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The children of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron. The children of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel (these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; in all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). The children of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The children of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel (these are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and these she bore to Jacob--sixteen persons).  The children of Jacob's wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest² of On, bore to him. The children of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard (these are the children of Rachel, who were born to Jacob--fourteen persons in all).  The children of Dan: Hashum. The children of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem (these are the children of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and these she bore to Jacob--seven persons in all). All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including the wives of his sons, were sixty-six³ persons in all. The children of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy⁴.

^[1] It is significant that she is not Hebrew.
^[2] Still crazy to me that she is the daughter of a pagan priest.
^[3] Only a few women had been mentioned, and my Study Bible states that they are not included in this count of sixty-six.
^[4] Seventy is a significant number of completeness. It seems a little stretched to get seventy from the above list of names (figuring out which ones are and aren't counted), but the symbolism of the number seems more important than the exact count.


Take-home: Jacob's whole clan, representing the promised people of God and symbolized by the complete number 70, is now moved into Egypt.

Genesis 45:16-46:7

     When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, "Joseph's brothers have come," Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.¹ Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your animals and go back to the land of Canaan. Take your father and your households and come to me, so that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land.' You are further charged to say, 'Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Give no thought to your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.²'"
     The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons according to the instruction of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. To each one of them he gave a set of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments.³ To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, "Do not quarrel⁴ along the way."
     So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. And they told him, "Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt." He was stunned; he could not believe them.⁵
     But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.⁶"
     When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.⁷ God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob."
     And he said, "Here I am."⁸
     Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation⁹ there. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph's own hand shall close your eyes.¹⁰"
     Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

^[1] Shows great respect for Joseph through Joseph's family.
^[2] Even greater respect and gratitude shown here.
^[3] Special love for Benjamin.
^[4] Why did he add this? Did he expect them to quarrel? My Study Bible says that he may have been telling them not to fight old battles over whose fault it was that they had mistreated Joseph many years ago, but it also mentions that "quarrel" in this context could mean "be agitated", and that he might just be telling them that they have nothing to fear anymore.
^[5] No surprise.
^[6] His love for his son trumps the news of material wealth and food security.
^[7] Focus is brought back to God again.
^[8] The very personal God-patriarch address again.
^[9] Promises to fulfill the promise again.
^[10] Addresses Jacob's root concern.


Take-home: Pharaoh shows great gratitude for what Joseph has done and respect for his family. The man who was once owned as a slave, then tossed in an Egyptian prison, has risen to great prominence and is deeply respected by all around him due to his patience, obedience, and faith in God. Jacob is shocked to hear of what has become of Joseph, and clearly still loves him. Jacob thanks God and God reminds him that his promises to Jacob and his fathers before him will be fulfilled.