God’s Word Translation
Genesis 47:6
6All of Egypt is available to you. Have your father and your brothers live in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. If they are qualified, put them in charge of my livestock.”
Genesis 47:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.”
Context of Genesis 47:6
4We have come to live in this land for a while. The famine is so severe in Canaan that there’s no pasture for our flocks. So please let us live in Goshen.” 5Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. All of Egypt is available to you. Have your father and your brothers live in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. If they are qualified, put them in charge of my livestock.” 7Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and had him stand in front of Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
Read all of Genesis 47Genesis 47:6 word by word
אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא בְּמֵיטַ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ הוֹשֵׁ֥ב אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אַחֶ֑יךָ יֵשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֔שֶׁן וְאִם־יָדַ֗עְתָּ וְיֶשׁ־בָּם֙ אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֔יִל וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ם שָׂרֵ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה עַל־אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- before theeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- in the bestמֵיטָבmêyţâb · bestH4315
- makeיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- of Goshenגֹּ֫שֶׁןgôshen · GoshenH1657
- and if thou knowestיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- and if thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of activityחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
- among them, then make themשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- over my cattleמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
Cross-references for Genesis 47:6
- Genesis 47:11As Pharaoh had ordered, Joseph had his father and his brothers live in the best part of Egypt, the region of Rameses. He gave them property there.
- Genesis 13:9Isn’t all this land yours also? Let’s separate. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right, and if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”
- Genesis 20:15Abimelech said, “Look, here’s my land. Live anywhere you like.”
- Genesis 34:10You can live with us, and the land will be yours. Live here, move about freely in this area, and acquire property here.”
- Genesis 45:18Take your father and your families, and come to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt. Then you can enjoy the best food in the land.’
- Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is like streams of water. Both are under the Lord’s control. He turns them in any direction he chooses.
- John 17:2After all, you’ve given him authority over all humanity so that he can give eternal life to all those you gave to him.
- Genesis 47:4We have come to live in this land for a while. The famine is so severe in Canaan that there’s no pasture for our flocks. So please let us live in Goshen.”
- Exodus 18:21“But choose capable men from all the people, men who fear God, men you can trust, men who hate corruption. Put them in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10 people.
- 1 Samuel 21:7That same day one of Saul’s servants who was obligated to stay in the Lord’s presence was there. His name was Doeg. A foreman for Saul’s shepherds, he was from Edom.
- 1 Chronicles 27:29for the herds grazing in Sharon Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys Shaphat, son of Adlai
- 2 Chronicles 26:10He built towers in the desert. He dug many cisterns because he had a lot of herds in the foothills and the plains. He had farmers and vineyard workers in the mountains and the fertile fields because he loved the soil.
- Proverbs 22:29Do you see a person who is efficient in his work? He will serve kings. He will not serve unknown people.
- Genesis 47:16Joseph replied, “If you don’t have any more money, give me your livestock, and I’ll give you food in exchange.”
- Exodus 9:3the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock, including your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats.
Commentaries on Genesis 47:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6In the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell - So it appears that the land of Goshen was the best of the land of Egypt. Men of activity - חיל אנשי anshey chayil, stout or robust men - such as were capable of bearing fatigue, and of rendering their authority respectable. Rulers over my cattle - מקנה mikneh signifies not only cattle, but possessions or property of any kind; though most usually cattle…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6Pharaoh responded as Joseph hoped by giving Jacob’s family the best part of the land; he even gave some of the brothers oversight of his own livestock (47:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. Joseph ... told Pharaoh, My father and my brethren--Joseph furnishes a beautiful example of a man who could bear equally well the extremes of prosperity and adversity. High as he was, he did not forget that he had a superior. Dearly as he loved his father and anxiously as he desired to provide for the whole family, he would not go into the arrangements he had planned for their stay in Goshen until he had obtained the sanction of his royal master.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 47:6
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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