Genesis

Genesis 47:20–26

20So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21and Joseph reduced the people to servitudeb from one end of Egypt to the other. 22However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.

23Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land. 24At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

25“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26So Joseph established a law that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh, and it is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Footnotes

  • b 47:21 SP, LXX, Vulgate; Hebrew removed the people to the cities

Read all of Genesis 47

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 47:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Josephיוֹסֵ֜ףyō·w·sêp̄Noun - proper - masculine singularH3130 Joseph
acquiredוַיִּ֨קֶןway·yi·qenConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
for Pharaohלְפַרְעֹ֔הlə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the landאַדְמַ֤ת’aḏ·maṯNoun - feminine singular constructH127 ground, land
in Egyptמִצְרַ֙יִם֙miṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֙יִם֙miṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4713 Mitsrite
one and allאִ֣ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
soldמָכְר֤וּmā·ḵə·rūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH4376 sell
their fieldsשָׂדֵ֔הוּśā·ḏê·hūNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7704 id.
becauseכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the famineהָרָעָ֑בhā·rā·‘āḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7458 famine, hunger
was so severeחָזַ֥קḥā·zaqVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
upon themעֲלֵהֶ֖ם‘ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH5921 height
The landהָאָ֖רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
became Pharaoh’sוַתְּהִ֥יwat·tə·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be

Genesis 47:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and Joseph reducedהֶעֱבִ֥ירhe·‘ĕ·ḇîrVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the peopleהָעָ֔םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
to servitudeלֶעָרִ֑יםle·‘ā·rîmPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine pluralH5892 excitement
from one endמִקְצֵ֥הmiq·ṣêhPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH7097 end, extremity
of Egyptמִצְרַ֖יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
toוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the otherקָצֵֽהוּ׃qā·ṣê·hūNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7097 end, extremity

Genesis 47:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Howeverרַ֛קraqAdverbH7535 thin
he did notלֹ֣אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
acquireקָנָ֑הqā·nāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7069 get, acquire
the priests’ portionהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםhak·kō·hă·nîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
of the landאַדְמַ֥ת’aḏ·maṯNoun - feminine singular constructH127 ground, land
forכִּי֩kîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
it had been given to them by Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֗הpar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
They ateוְאָֽכְל֤וּwə·’ā·ḵə·lūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralH398 eat
the rations thatחֻקָּם֙ḥuq·qāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֔הpar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
suppliedנָתַ֤ןnā·ṯanVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
soעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
they did notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
sellמָכְר֖וּmā·ḵə·rūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH4376 sell
their landאַדְמָתָֽם׃’aḏ·mā·ṯāmNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH127 ground, land

Genesis 47:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Josephיוֹסֵף֙yō·w·sêp̄Noun - proper - masculine singularH3130 Joseph
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the peopleהָעָ֔םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
Now thatהֵן֩hênInterjectionH2005 lo! behold
I have acquiredקָנִ֨יתִיqā·nî·ṯîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH7069 get, acquire
you and your landאַדְמַתְכֶ֖ם’aḏ·maṯ·ḵemNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH127 ground, land
for Pharaohלְפַרְעֹ֑הlə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
this dayהַיּ֛וֹםhay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
hereהֵֽא־hê-InterjectionH1887 lo, behold!
is seedזֶ֔רַעze·ra‘Noun - masculine singularH2233 sowing, seed, offspring
for youלָכֶ֣םlā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
to sowוּזְרַעְתֶּ֖םū·zə·ra‘·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH2232 sow, scatter seed
in the landהָאֲדָמָֽה׃hā·’ă·ḏā·māhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH127 ground, land

Genesis 47:24

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
At harvest timeבַּתְּבוּאֹ֔תbat·tə·ḇū·’ōṯPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine pluralH8393 product, revenue
you are to giveוּנְתַתֶּ֥םū·nə·ṯat·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH5414 give, put, set
a fifthחֲמִישִׁ֖יתḥă·mî·šîṯNumber - ordinal feminine singularH2549 fifth
of it to Pharaohלְפַרְעֹ֑הlə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
and four-fifthsוְאַרְבַּ֣עwə·’ar·ba‘Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular constructH702 four
will beיִהְיֶ֣הyih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
yoursלָכֶם֩lā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
as seedלְזֶ֨רַעlə·ze·ra‘Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH2233 sowing, seed, offspring
for the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֧הhaś·śā·ḏehArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7704 id.
and food for yourselvesוּֽלְאָכְלְכֶ֛םū·lə·’ā·ḵə·lə·ḵemConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine pluralH400 food
and your householdsבְּבָתֵּיכֶ֖םbə·ḇāt·tê·ḵemPreposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH1004 house
and childrenלְטַפְּכֶֽם׃lə·ṭap·pə·ḵemPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH2945 children

Genesis 47:25

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
You have saved our livesהֶחֱיִתָ֑נוּhe·ḥĕ·yi·ṯā·nūVerb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common pluralH2421 live
they saidוַיֹּאמְר֖וּway·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
We have foundנִמְצָא־nim·ṣā-Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common pluralH4672 attain to, find
favorחֵן֙ḥênNoun - masculine singularH2580 favour, grace
in our lord’sאֲדֹנִ֔י’ă·ḏō·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH113 lord
eyesבְּעֵינֵ֣יbə·‘ê·nêPreposition-b; Noun - cdcH5869 eye
and we will beוְהָיִ֥ינוּwə·hā·yî·nūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common pluralH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
Pharaoh’sלְפַרְעֹֽה׃lə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
servantsעֲבָדִ֖ים‘ă·ḇā·ḏîmNoun - masculine pluralH5650 slave, servant

Genesis 47:26

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Josephיוֹסֵ֡ףyō·w·sêp̄Noun - proper - masculine singularH3130 Joseph
establishedוַיָּ֣שֶׂםway·yā·śemConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
a lawלְחֹק֩lə·ḥōqPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
that a fifthלַחֹ֑מֶשׁla·ḥō·mešPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2569 fifth part
of the produce belongs to Pharaohלְפַרְעֹ֖הlə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
and it is in effectעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
inעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the landאַדְמַ֥ת’aḏ·maṯNoun - feminine singular constructH127 ground, land
of Egyptמִצְרַ֛יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
to thisהַזֶּ֜הhaz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
dayהַיּ֨וֹםhay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
Onlyרַ֞קraqAdverbH7535 thin
the priests’הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙hak·kō·hă·nîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
landאַדְמַ֤ת’aḏ·maṯNoun - feminine singular constructH127 ground, land
does notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
belong toהָיְתָ֖הhā·yə·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
Pharaohלְפַרְעֹֽה׃lə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 47:21 Genesis 41:48

Genesis 47:22 Ezra 7:24

Genesis 47:24 Genesis 41:34 · Psalm 41:1 · Psalm 112:5

Genesis 47:25 Genesis 33:15

Genesis 47:26 Genesis 47:22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.