Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 47:23
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.
Genesis 47:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
Context of Genesis 47:23
21and Joseph reduced the people to servitude 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. Then 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.”
Read all of Genesis 47Genesis 47:23 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם הֵן֩ קָנִ֨יתִי אֶתְכֶ֥ם הַיּ֛וֹם וְאֶת־אַדְמַתְכֶ֖ם לְפַרְעֹ֑ה הֵֽא־לָכֶ֣ם זֶ֔רַע וּזְרַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Then Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Now thatהֵןhên · look!H2005
- I have acquiredקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- you and your landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- for Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- hereהֵאhê' · beholdH1887
- is seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- to sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
Cross-references for Genesis 47:23
- Genesis 47:19Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”
- Genesis 41:27Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.
- Genesis 45:6For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
- Psalms 41:1Blessed is the one who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
- Psalms 107:36He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.
- Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
- Proverbs 11:26The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
- Proverbs 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
- Proverbs 13:23Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but without justice it is swept away.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
- Isaiah 28:24Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?
- Isaiah 55:10For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
- Matthew 24:45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
- 2 Corinthians 9:10Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Commentaries on Genesis 47:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh - It fully appears that the kingdom of Egypt was previously to the time of Joseph a very limited monarchy. The king had his estates; the priests had their lands; and the common people their patrimony independently of both. The land of Rameses or Goshen appears to have been the king's land, Genesis 47:11. The priests had their lands, which they did not sell to Joseph, Genesis 47:22, Genesis 47:26; and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-31Verses 1-31 - Jacob in Goshen 11. רעמסס ra‛mesês Rameses “son of the sun.” 31. מטה mı̂ṭṭāh “bed.” מטה maṭṭeh “staff.” Arrangements are now made for the settlement of Israel in Goshen. The administration of Joseph during the remaining years of the famine is then recorded. For the whole of this period his father and brothers are subject to him, as their political superior, according to the reading of his early dreams. We then approach to the death-bed…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-26Verses 13-26 Care being taken of Jacob and his family, which mercy was especially designed by Providence in Joseph's advancement, an account is given of the saving the kingdom of Egypt from ruin. There was no bread, and the people were ready to die. See how we depend upon God's providence. All our wealth would not keep us from starving, if rain were withheld for two or three years. See how much we are at God's mercy, and let us keep ourselves always in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-26The Lord blessed Pharaoh because Pharaoh was blessing Abraham’s descendants (12:3). Through Joseph’s smart management in Egypt, the Lord saved the people from hunger and helped Pharaoh prosper. During the famine, Joseph sold food to the Egyptians, accepting money, livestock, and eventually land as payment. Then Pharaoh owned almost all of Egypt. Meanwhile, God gave Israel some of the best land in Egypt where they could live, work, and multiply.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2823-28. Joseph said, Behold, &c.--The lands being sold to the government (Ge 47:19, 20), seed would be distributed for the first crop after the famine; and the people would occupy them as tenants-at-will on the payment of a produce rent, almost the same rule as obtains in Egypt in the present day.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 47:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 47
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries