創世記 47
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
雅各全家定居埃及
47 約瑟來到法老面前，對他說：「我父親和我的弟兄們已經帶著他們的羊群、牛群和所有的一切從迦南來了，現在就在歌珊。」 2 約瑟從弟兄中帶了五個人去見法老。 3 法老問他們：「你們做什麼工作？」他們回答說：「僕人們祖祖輩輩都是牧羊的。 4 迦南的饑荒很嚴重，羊群沒有草吃，所以我們到這裡來寄居，求你准許僕人們住在歌珊。」 5 法老對約瑟說：「你父親和弟兄們都來了， 6 整個埃及就在你面前，儘管安排他們住在國中最好的地方。他們可以住在歌珊。如果你知道他們中間有能幹的人，可以派他們看管我的牲畜。」
7 約瑟又帶父親雅各去見法老，雅各就為法老祝福。 8 法老問雅各：「你多大歲數了？」 9 雅各回答說：「我在世上寄居一百三十年了，我的日子又苦又短，不像我祖先那樣高壽。」 10 雅各為法老祝福後，就告退了。 11 約瑟遵照法老之命把埃及最好的地方——蘭塞境內的土地給他父親和弟兄們居住，作他們的產業。 12 約瑟按各家人口提供糧食給父親、弟兄及其他家人。
饑荒
13 饑荒很嚴重，到處都缺糧，埃及和迦南都飽受饑荒之苦。 14 約瑟把埃及人和迦南人向他買糧的銀子收集起來，存放在法老的庫房裡。 15 埃及人和迦南人的銀子都用光了，埃及人就來見約瑟，對他說：「我們的錢財都用光了，求你給我們糧食，免得我們餓死在你面前。」 16 約瑟說：「你們的錢財如果用盡了，可以用你們的牲畜來交換糧食。」 17 於是，他們把牲畜趕到約瑟那裡，用他們的牛、羊、驢和馬跟約瑟換糧食。那一年，他們就依靠換來的糧食生活。
18 到了第二年，他們又來見約瑟，對他說：「不瞞我主，我們的錢都用光了，牲畜也給你了，除了我們自己和田地以外，我們一無所有。 19 求你不要讓我們人死地荒。我們願意用自己和我們的田地來換糧食，我們和我們的田地都歸法老。求你給我們種子，我們好活下去，不致餓死，土地也不致荒廢。」
20 埃及人為饑荒所迫，紛紛賣掉自己的田地。約瑟替法老收購了埃及全國的田地，最後，所有的田地都歸法老了。 21 約瑟使埃及全境的人都成為法老的奴僕。 22 約瑟唯獨沒有買祭司的田地，因為祭司吃法老的俸祿，有足夠的供給，不用賣地。 23 約瑟對百姓說：「我為法老買了你們和你們的土地，這裡有種子，你們可以拿去耕種。 24 但是你們要把收成的五分之一給法老，其餘的，你們可以留下來作種子和全家人的口糧。」 25 他們說：「你救了我們的命，求你恩待我們，讓我們做法老的奴僕吧。」 26 於是，約瑟立下一條法令，到今天還有效，就是埃及出產的五分之一歸給法老。只有祭司的田地不歸法老。
27 以色列人住在埃及的歌珊，在那裡獲得了產業，人口興旺。 28 雅各在埃及住了十七年，他一共活了一百四十七歲。
29 他快要離世的時候，把兒子約瑟叫來，說：「你如果恩待我，請你把手放在我大腿底下起誓，你會以慈愛和信實待我，不把我葬在埃及。 30 我與祖先同眠後，你要把我帶出埃及安葬在我祖先的身邊。」約瑟說：「我必照你說的做。」 31 雅各要約瑟起誓，約瑟照做了。於是，以色列在床頭[a]敬拜上帝。
Footnotes
- 47·31 「在床頭」或譯「拄著拐杖」。
Genesis 47
The Voice
47 So Joseph went to Pharaoh.
Joseph (to Pharaoh): My father and brothers have arrived from the land of Canaan with their flocks and herds and the rest of their belongings. They are now waiting in the land of Goshen.
2 Now Joseph had chosen five of his brothers and brought them along to present to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh (to Joseph’s brothers): 3 What is your occupation?
Joseph’s Brothers: Your servants are shepherds. We tend sheep and goats as our ancestors did before us.
4 We’ve come to reside in this land as foreigners for a time because there is no place in the land of Canaan for us to pasture our flocks on account of the severity of the famine. Now please, allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen until this famine is over.
Pharaoh (to Joseph): 5 Your father and brothers have come to you for help. 6 You have the entire land of Egypt at your disposal. Settle your family in the best areas of the land. Let them live in Goshen, and if you know of any who are particularly good at what they do, then put them in charge of my livestock.
7 Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob gave Pharaoh a blessing.
Jacob blesses Pharaoh. As we have seen, words spoken as a blessing have great meaning at this time. It may be no more than a greeting spoken, such as “shalom,” which means “peace.” However the story of Genesis prompts us to consider another possibility. In God’s plan to redeem and reclaim His creation, He chooses Abraham and his descendants to be a blessing to all the families on earth. Jacob, Abraham’s grandson and God’s covenant partner, speaks a blessing over Pharaoh that creates a new reality for Egypt and its king. Little does Pharaoh know that this humble nomadic family in need of his help will one day change the course of history.
Pharaoh (to Jacob): 8 How old are you now?
Jacob: 9 I have journeyed through life for 130 years. My life has been short and hard. But they don’t compare with the many years my ancestors traveled this earth.
10 Jacob gave Pharaoh a blessing for a second time and left his presence. 11 So Joseph settled his father and brothers on some of the best land in Egypt—granting them property of their own in a region known as Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed. 12 And Joseph also provided them with food, according to the number of all of their dependents.
13 As time went on, the famine became more severe, and food became scarce in the lands of Egypt and Canaan. The people were starving. 14 Everyone from the lands of Egypt and Canaan spent all the money they had to buy grain. Joseph collected all the money and stored it in Pharaoh’s palace. 15 But when the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, the Egyptians came to Joseph to plead with him.
Egyptians: Please, give us food! Why should we all die here in front of you? Our money is gone.
Joseph: 16 You can pay with livestock then. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.
17 So the people brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys. That year, he supplied them with food in exchange for livestock. 18 But when that year was over, they came to him the next year.
Egyptians: My lord, we cannot hide the fact that our money is all spent, and now the herds of livestock all belong to you. We have nothing left to exchange for food except our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we and our land perish now right before your eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will become slaves to Pharaoh. We will work the land for him. Just please give us seed, so that we can live and avoid dying of hunger and so that the land doesn’t become wild and deserted.
20 So Joseph agreed. He bought up all of the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians sold their fields because the famine was too severe for them to get by on their own, and so all of the land became the property of Pharaoh. 21 As for the people, he made slaves of them, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 But he did not purchase the land belonging to the priests because they received an allowance from Pharaoh and were able to live off of it. So they didn’t have to sell their land.
Joseph (to the people): 23 See I have done what you asked. I have bought you and your lands for Pharaoh. Now here is the seed you need to sow the land. 24 When the harvest arrives, you will be required to give one-fifth of what you produce to Pharaoh; and four-fifths will be your own to plant the fields and feed your families, households, and children.
Egyptians: 25 You have saved our lives. If it pleases my lord, we are honored to serve as slaves to Pharaoh under these terms.
26 So Joseph made a law regarding the land of Egypt—which stands to this day—declaring Pharaoh is due one-fifth of all the land produces. Only the land of the priests remained personal property.
27 So this was how Israel and his descendants came to live in the land of Egypt, in the region known as Goshen. They acquired property in the area, had children, and their number increased rapidly. 28 Jacob lived another 17 years in the land of Egypt; he lived to be 147. 29 And when Israel was close to death, he called his son Joseph to his side.
Jacob (to Joseph): If I have found favor with you, I need a favor from you. Put your hand here under my thigh. Swear to deal kindly and faithfully with me by honoring my dying wish: please do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I die let me lie with my ancestors. Take my body away from Egypt, and bury me where they are buried.
Joseph: I will do as you ask, Father.
Jacob: 31 Swear to me.
And Joseph took the oath. Then, Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.