Joseph Settles Israel in Goshen, Preserves Egypt Through Famine Administration, and Jacob Finishes His Days in the Land of Exile Under Promise
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) , Public Domain · Translation notes · Reference sources
Joseph presents five of his brothers and then his father Jacob before Pharaoh. The brothers identify themselves as shepherds and explain that they have come to sojourn because the famine is severe and there is no pasture for their flocks in Canaan. Pharaoh responds favorably, telling Joseph that the land of Egypt is before him and that his family may dwell in the best of the land, in Goshen, and even appoint capable men among them over Pharaoh’s livestock.
Joseph brings Jacob before Pharaoh, and Jacob blesses Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, and Jacob describes the years of his pilgrimage as 130 years, few and evil compared to the days of his fathers. Jacob blesses Pharaoh again and departs from before him.
Joseph settles his father and brothers in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded, and provides food for his father, brothers, and all his father’s household according to the number of their dependents.
The famine grows very severe, and the Egyptians exhaust first their money to buy grain, then their livestock, then their land and themselves. Joseph acquires all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, relocates the people, provides seed, and establishes a permanent fifth as Pharaoh’s due from the produce, leaving four-fifths for seed and food. Only the land of the priests is exempt because they receive an allotment from Pharaoh.
Israel settles in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, gains possessions in it, and is fruitful and multiplies greatly.
Jacob lives in Egypt seventeen years, reaching 147 years in total. When the time draws near for Israel to die, he calls Joseph and asks him to place his hand under Jacob’s thigh and deal with him in steadfast love and faithfulness by not burying him in Egypt but carrying him to the burial place of his fathers. Joseph swears to do so, and Israel bows in worship on the head of his bed.
Biblical Theology
Genesis 47 contributes to Christology by continuing Joseph’s role as the exalted preserver through whom life is distributed in a time of judgment and scarcity. Joseph provides bread, land stability, and life to those who come under his administration, and he preserves the covenant family in particular. This continues the pattern of the rejected and exalted son who becomes life-giver for many...
Genesis 47 teaches that God’s providence can preserve His people in exile-like conditions, grant them fruitfulness in foreign lands, and yet keep their covenant identity fixed on a promised future beyond the place of present provision. The chapter begins with Joseph’s careful presentation of his brothers and father to Pharaoh...
Genesis 47 is covenantally significant because it shows the covenant family securely settled and preserved in Goshen during the famine, while also emphasizing that Egypt is not their final inheritance. Israel is fruitful and multiplies greatly there, directly advancing the promise of offspring. Yet Jacob’s burial request makes clear that the covenant hope still points back to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...
Genesis 47 is covenantally significant because it shows the covenant family securely settled and preserved in Goshen during the famine, while also emphasizing that Egypt is not their final inheritance. Israel is fruitful and multiplies greatly there, directly advancing the promise of offspring...
Genesis 12:1-3
Genesis 46:1-4
Exodus 1:7
Genesis 49:29-32
Joseph presents five of his brothers and then his father Jacob before Pharaoh. The brothers identify themselves as shepherds and explain that they have come to sojourn because the famine is severe and there is no pasture for their flocks in Canaan. Pharaoh responds favorably, telling Joseph that the land of Egypt is before him and that his family may dwell in the best of the land, in Goshen, and even appoint capable men among them over Pharaoh’s livestock.
God positions His people within worldly structures while maintaining their identity and demonstrating His blessing through them.
Biblical Theology
Genesis 47:1-12 records the covenant family's formal establishment in Egypt: Joseph presenting his brothers as shepherds, Pharaoh granting Goshen, Jacob brought before Pharaoh, Jacob blessing Pharaoh ('the lesser is blessed by the greater' reversed), and Israel settled in the best of the land...
It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior — Jacob blessing Pharaoh inverts the expected hierarchy: the aged patriarch without a kingdom blessing the ruler o...
1 So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”
2 And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 “What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you,
6 the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
Joseph brings Jacob before Pharaoh, and Jacob blesses Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, and Jacob describes the years of his pilgrimage as 130 years, few and evil compared to the days of his fathers. Jacob blesses Pharaoh again and departs from before him.
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8 “How many years have you lived?” Pharaoh asked.
9 “My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”
10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.
Joseph settles his father and brothers in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded, and provides food for his father, brothers, and all his father’s household according to the number of their dependents.
11 So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
12 Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.
The famine grows very severe, and the Egyptians exhaust first their money to buy grain, then their livestock, then their land and themselves. Joseph acquires all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, relocates the people, provides seed, and establishes a permanent fifth as Pharaoh’s due from the produce, leaving four-fifths for seed and food. Only the land of the priests is exempt because they receive an allotment from Pharaoh.
God’s provision in crisis often involves both preservation and transformation of existing systems.
Biblical Theology
Genesis 47:13-26 records the famine's systemic impact on Egypt: money exhausted, livestock transferred, land sold, persons themselves becoming Pharaoh's servants — all preserved alive by Joseph's administration, the Egyptians acknowledging 'you have saved our lives...
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore... for the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water — Joseph pres...
13 There was no food, however, in all that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine.
14 Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace.
15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”
16 “Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.”
17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. Throughout that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the second year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord that our money is gone and all our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.
19 Why 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.”
20 So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s,
21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other.
22 However, 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.
23 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.
24 At 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.”
26 So Joseph established a law that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh, and it is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.
Israel settles in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, gains possessions in it, and is fruitful and multiplies greatly.
God’s people may flourish in the present, but their ultimate hope is anchored in God’s promised future.
Biblical Theology
Genesis 47:27-31 records Israel fruitful in Goshen — the Abrahamic multiplication visible in Egypt — and Jacob near death making Joseph swear to bury him in Canaan. The passage holds the two registers of covenant life in Egypt: present fruitfulness and future-oriented hope...
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on th...
27 Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.
Jacob lives in Egypt seventeen years, reaching 147 years in total. When the time draws near for Israel to die, he calls Joseph and asks him to place his hand under Jacob’s thigh and deal with him in steadfast love and faithfulness by not burying him in Egypt but carrying him to the burial place of his fathers. Joseph swears to do so, and Israel bows in worship on the head of his bed.
28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years.
29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,
30 but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”
31 “Swear to me,” Jacob said. So Joseph swore to him, and Israel bowed in worship at the head of his bed.