Joseph and the Famine

¹³ There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.^{(A) 14} Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,^(B) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.^{(C) 15} When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,^(D) all Egypt came to Joseph^(E) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?^(F) Our money is all gone.”

¹⁶ “Then bring your livestock,^(G)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.^(H)” ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,^(I) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.^(J) And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

¹⁸ When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone^(K) and our livestock belongs to you,^(L) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. ¹⁹ Why should we perish before your eyes^(M)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,^(N) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.^(O) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,^(P) and that the land may not become desolate.”