Revised Literal Translation
Genesis 47:23
23Then 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.
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 as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. 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. 24And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. 25And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, 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
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Behold, I have boughtאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- Behold, I have boughtקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- you this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- and your landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- for Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- loהֵאhê' · beholdH1887
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- for you, and ye shall sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
Cross-references for Genesis 47:23
- Genesis 47:19Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
- Genesis 41:27And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty heads blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
- Genesis 45:6For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
- Psalms 41:1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Yhwh will deliver him in time of trouble.
- Psalms 107:36And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
- Psalms 112:5A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
- Proverbs 11:26He that withholdeth wheat, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
- Proverbs 12:11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
- Proverbs 13:23Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
- Isaiah 28:24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
- Isaiah 55:10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
- Matthew 24:45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
- 2 Corinthians 9:10Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits 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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries