Genesis 47:25

47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, ¹  and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ² 

Genesis 47:20

47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each ³  of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. ⁴  So the land became Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:26

47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, ⁵  which is in effect ⁶  to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 41:25

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ⁷  God has revealed ⁸  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ⁹ 

Genesis 45:8

45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ¹⁰  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 47:1

Joseph’s Wise Administration

47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of

Canaan. They are now ¹¹  in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:23-24

47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate ¹²  the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, ¹³  give ¹⁴  one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest ¹⁵  will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.”

Genesis 41:8

41:8 In the morning he ¹⁶  was troubled, so he called for ¹⁷  all the diviner-priests ¹⁸  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ¹⁹  but no one could interpret ²⁰  them for him. ²¹ 

Genesis 46:31

46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ²²  ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me.

Genesis 47:19

47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become ²³  Pharaoh’s slaves. ²⁴  Give us seed that we may live ²⁵  and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” ²⁶ 

[47:25]  ¹ tn Heb “we find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Some interpret this as a request, “may we find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[47:25]  ² sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.

[47:20]  ³ tn The Hebrew text connects this clause with the preceding one with a causal particle (כִּי, ki). The translation divides the clauses into two sentences for stylistic reasons.

[47:20]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text adds “upon them.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:26]  ⁵ tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.

[47:26]  ⁶ tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:25]  ⁷ tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25]  ⁸ tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25]  ⁹ tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[45:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[47:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Look they [are] in the land of Goshen.” Joseph draws attention to the fact of their presence in Goshen.

[47:23]  ¹³ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.

[47:24]  ¹⁵ tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:24]  ¹⁶ tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.

[47:24]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “four parts.”

[41:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8]  ¹⁹ tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.

[41:8]  ²⁰ tn The Hebrew text has the singular (though the Samaritan Pentateuch reads the plural). If retained, the singular must be collective for the set of dreams. Note the plural pronoun “them,” referring to the dreams, in the next clause. However, note that in v. 15 Pharaoh uses the singular to refer to the two dreams. In vv. 17-24 Pharaoh seems to treat the dreams as two parts of one dream (see especially v. 22).

[41:8]  ²¹ tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8]  ²² tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[46:31]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”

[47:19]  ²¹ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.

[47:19]  ²² sn Pharaoh’s slaves. The idea of slavery is not attractive to the modern mind, but in the ancient world it was the primary way of dealing with the poor and destitute. If the people became slaves of Pharaoh, it was Pharaoh’s responsibility to feed them and care for them. It was the best way for them to survive the famine.

[47:19]  ²³ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.

[47:19]  ²⁴ tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.