New American Standard Bible 1995
Genesis 47:23
23Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow 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
21As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other. 22Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. 24At the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” 25So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”
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
- to the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Beholdהֵןhên · look!H2005
- I have todayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- boughtקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- you and your landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- for Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- nowהֵאhê' · beholdH1887
- is seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- for you, and you may sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
Cross-references for Genesis 47:23
- Genesis 47:19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”
- Genesis 41:27The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.
- Genesis 45:6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
- Psalms 41:1How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.
- Psalms 107:36And there He makes the hungry to dwell, So that they may establish an inhabited city,
- Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment.
- Proverbs 11:26He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
- Proverbs 12:11He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
- Proverbs 13:23Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, But it is swept away by injustice.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
- Isaiah 28:24Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed? Does he continually turn and harrow the ground?
- Isaiah 55:10For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
- Matthew 24:45“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them 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 seed for sowing and 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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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