Print Page Options

Jacob Blesses Pharaoh

47 Then Joseph came and informed Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their cattle and everything that belongs to them have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.”

From among his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

So they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.” Then they said to Pharaoh, “We came to dwell temporarily in the land, since there is no pasture for the flocks that belong to your servants, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”

Pharaoh said to Joseph saying, “Your father and your brothers came to you. The land of Egypt is before you—settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, make them overseers of the livestock—over those that are mine.”

Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many days are the years of your life?”

Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourn are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. Moreover, the days of the years of my life have not attained the days of the years of the lives of my fathers, in the days of their sojourn.”

10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from Pharaoh’s presence. 11 Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, just as Pharaoh commanded. 12 And Joseph supported his father and his brothers and his father’s entire household with food for the mouths of the little ones.

Joseph’s Leadership in the Famine

13 Now there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe. Both the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain that they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 Then the money of the land of Egypt and of the land of Canaan ran out and all of Egypt came to Joseph saying, “Give us food. Why should we die in front of you because the money is gone?”

16 Joseph said, “Give your livestock and I’ll give it to you for your livestock, if the money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph and Joseph gave them food in exchange for horses, for flocks of sheep, for herds of cattle and for donkeys. He provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year. 18 When that year came to an end, they came to him in the second year and said to him, “We won’t hide from my lord that the money has run out and the livestock and the domestic animals are my lord’s. There is nothing left in my lord’s sight except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your eyes—both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food—we and our land will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Provide seed so that we may live and not die, and the land won’t be deserted.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh because the Egyptians, each one, sold his field, for the famine overcame them. Thus the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 He made the people slaves from one end of Egypt’s border to the other. 22 Only he did not buy the land belonging to the priests, because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they ate their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you, so that you can sow the land. 24 During the harvest you must give a fifth part to Pharaoh and four-fifths will be for you, for seed for the field and for your food, and for those in your houses, and for food for your little ones.”

25 “You’ve saved our lives,” they said. “We find favor in the eyes of my lord, and we’ll be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26 So Joseph set it as a statute until this very day concerning the land of Egypt: a fifth-part goes to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Meanwhile, Israel settled in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, acquired property in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.

Parashat Vayechi

Joseph’s Promise to Jacob

28 Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years, so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years. 29 As the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh and show me faithful kindness. Please do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I lie down with my fathers, you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

So he said, “I myself will do according to your word.”

31 “Swear to me,” he said. So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in worship on the head of his staff.[a]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:31 Or, at the head of his bed.

Jacob's Family Settles in Goshen

47 So Joseph (A)went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan. They are now in (B)the land of Goshen.” And from among his brothers he took five men and (C)presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to his brothers, (D)“What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, (E)“Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” They said to Pharaoh, (F)“We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your servants dwell (G)in the land of Goshen.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers (H)in the best of the land. (I)Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any (J)able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”

Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, (K)and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my (L)sojourning are 130 years. (M)Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and (N)they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their (O)sojourning.” 10 And Jacob (P)blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of (Q)Rameses, (R)as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph (S)provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their dependents.

Joseph and the Famine

13 Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. 14 (T)And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 15 And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. (U)Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” 16 And Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. He supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year. 18 And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent. The herds of livestock are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? (V)Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's. 21 As for the people, he made servants of them[a] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 (W)Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.

23 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. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a (X)fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; (Y)may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; (Z)the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.

27 Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, (AA)in the land of Goshen. (AB)And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. (AC)So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.

29 And (AD)when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now (AE)I have found favor in your sight, (AF)put your hand under my thigh and (AG)promise to deal kindly and truly with me. (AH)Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and (AI)bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then (AJ)Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.[b]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:21 Samaritan, Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew he removed them to the cities
  2. Genesis 47:31 Hebrew; Septuagint staff

47 Josef gick och berättade för farao: ”Min far och mina bröder har kommit hit från Kanaans land med alla sina hjordar och tillhörigheter. De befinner sig nu i Goshens land.”

Han hade tagit med sig fem av sina bröder och presenterade dem för farao. Farao frågade dem: ”Vad har ni för yrke?” De svarade: ”Vi, dina tjänare, är herdar, som våra förfäder. Vi har kommit för att bo en tid här i Egypten, för det finns inget bete för våra hjordar i Kanaan. Hungersnöden har varit mycket svår där. Vi ber dig om tillstånd att få bosätta oss i Goshens land.”

Farao sa då till Josef: ”Din far och dina bröder har alltså kommit till dig. Hela landet är öppet för dig. Låt dem bo i den bästa delen av landet – Goshen passar utmärkt. Och om du vet några av dem som är skickliga nog, så ge dem ansvaret också för mina hjordar.”

Sedan tog Josef sin far Jakob till farao och Jakob hälsade farao med en välsignelse. ”Hur gammal är du?” frågade farao honom. Jakob svarade: ”Min vandringstid har bara blivit 130 få och hårda år, inte alls som mina förfäders.” 10 Sedan välsignade Jakob farao innan han gick därifrån.

11 Josef lät sin far och sina bröder bosätta sig i Egypten och gav dem land i de bästa områdena, i Ramses land, precis som farao hade befallt. 12 Josefs far och bröder och hela hans fars husfolk fick också sitt underhåll av Josef, alltefter familjernas storlek.

13 Hungersnöden blev allt värre i hela regionen, hela Egypten och Kanaans land var utan mat och höll på att gå under av svält. 14 Josef tog emot alla de pengar som fanns i Egypten och Kanaan i utbyte mot säd och förde dem till faraos palats. 15 När även pengarna tog slut både i Egypten och i Kanaan, kom egypterna till Josef och sa:

”Våra pengar är slut, men ge oss bröd! Varför ska vi behöva dö här inför dig?” 16 ”Nåväl”, svarade Josef. ”Om era pengar är slut, får ni ge mig era djur i utbyte mot mat.”

17 Då förde de sin boskap till Josef i utbyte mot mat. Josef försörjde dem det året i utbyte mot alla hästar, hjordar, kreatur och åsnor i hela Egypten.

18 Följande år kom de tillbaka igen och sa: ”Vi kan inte dölja detta för dig, herre. Våra pengar är slut och vår boskap är borta, och det finns inget vi kan erbjuda dig annat än oss själva och den mark vi äger. 19 Varför ska vi behöva förgås här inför dig, både vi och vår jord? Köp oss och marken vi äger, i utbyte mot mat, så ska vi med vår mark bli slavar åt farao. Vi överlämnar oss själva i utbyte mot mat, så att vi får leva och så att vårt land inte blir ödelagt.”

20 Då köpte Josef upp all mark i Egypten åt farao. Alla egypter sålde sina åkrar till honom, eftersom svälten var så svår, och till slut ägde farao hela landet. 21 På så sätt blev hela Egyptens folk faraos slavar[a]. 22 Det enda land han inte köpte var prästernas, för de fick sitt underhåll från farao och fick således mat av farao och behövde alltså inte sälja sin jord.

23 Sedan sa Josef till folket: ”Nu har jag köpt både er och all mark åt farao. Här får ni utsäde till åkrarna. 24 Men när ni skördar, så tillhör en femtedel av allt ni får farao. Behåll de resterande fyra femtedelarna till utsäde och till mat åt er själva och era familjer och era barn.” 25 ”Du har räddat våra liv”, sa de. ”Låt oss alltid få möta din välvilja, herre! Vi blir gärna faraos slavar.”

26 Då stiftade Josef en lag för hela Egyptens land och den gäller fortfarande: farao ska ha en femtedel av all skörd som skatt. Detta gällde dock inte det land som ägdes av prästerna.

Jakob och Josef dör i Egypten

Jakob välsignar Josef

27 Israeliterna[b] bodde alltså i Goshens land i Egypten och skaffade sig mark där. De var fruktsamma och förökade sig mycket.

28 Jakob levde sjutton år i Egypten och blev 147 år gammal. 29 När tiden närmade sig för honom att dö, kallade han på sin son Josef och sa till honom: ”Visa mig den välviljan att lägga handen under min höft och svär[c] att du ska visa mig den godheten och trofastheten att du inte begraver mig i Egypten, 30 utan när jag gått till vila hos mina fäder[d], ta mig ut ur Egypten och begrav mig i deras grav.” Och Josef lovade att göra som han sa. 31 ”Lova det med en ed”, fortsatte Jakob. Då svor Josef eden, och Israel böjde sig ner, lutad mot sin stav[e].

Footnotes

  1. 47:21 Enligt den samaritanska texten och Septuaginta (och även den latinska Vulgata). Enligt den masoretiska texten blir översättningen: …förflyttades människorna till städer.
  2. 47:27 Israel var det namn Gud gav Jakob i 32:28. Israeliterna betyder alltså Jakobs släkt.
  3. 47:29 Se not till 24:3.
  4. 47:30 Gå till vila hos sina fäder var ett vanligt sätt att beteckna döden.
  5. 47:31 Enligt Septuaginta och Heb 11:21. Enligt den masoretiska texten: Israel böjde knä vid sängens huvudgärd.

Jacob [Israel] Meets Pharaoh

47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers have arrived from Canaan with their flocks, herds, and everything they have. Now they are in Goshen.” Since he had taken five of his brothers with him, he presented them to Pharaoh.

Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What kind of work do you do?”

They answered Pharaoh, “We are shepherds, as were our ancestors. We have come to live in this land for a while. The famine is so severe in Canaan that there’s no pasture for our flocks. So please let us live in Goshen.”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. All of Egypt is available to you. Have your father and your brothers live in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. If they are qualified, put them in charge of my livestock.”

Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and had him stand in front of Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

Jacob answered Pharaoh, “The length of my stay on earth has been 130 years. The years of my life have been few and difficult, fewer than my ancestors’ years.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left.

11 As Pharaoh had ordered, Joseph had his father and his brothers live in the best part of Egypt, the region of Rameses. He gave them property there. 12 Joseph also provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s family with food based on the number of children they had.

Joseph Acquires All the Land in Egypt for Pharaoh

13 The famine was so severe that there was no food anywhere. Neither Egypt nor Canaan were producing crops because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in Egypt and in Canaan as payment for the grain people bought. Then he took it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money in Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Give us food,” they said. “Do you want us to die right in front of you? We don’t have any more money!”

16 Joseph replied, “If you don’t have any more money, give me your livestock, and I’ll give you food [a] in exchange.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. During that year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year. “Sir,” they said to him, “you know that our money is gone, and you have all our livestock. There’s nothing left to bring you except our bodies and our land. 19 Do you want us to die right in front of you? Do you want the land to be ruined? Take us and our land in exchange for food. Then we will be Pharaoh’s slaves and our land will be his property. But give us seed so that we won’t starve to death and the ground won’t become a desert.”

20 Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his fields because the famine was so severe. The land became Pharaoh’s. 21 All over Egypt Joseph moved the people to the cities. 22 But he didn’t buy the priests’ land because the priests received an income from Pharaoh, and they lived on that income. That’s why they didn’t sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Plant crops in the land. 24 Every time you harvest, give one-fifth of the produce to Pharaoh. Four-fifths will be yours to use as seed for your fields and as food for your households.”

25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “Please, sir, we are willing to be Pharaoh’s slaves.”

26 Joseph made a law concerning the land in Egypt which is still in force today: One-fifth ⌞of the produce⌟ belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests didn’t belong to Pharaoh.

Jacob’s [Israel’s] Last Days in Egypt

27 So the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and had many children.

28 Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years, so he lived a total of 147 years. 29 Israel was about to die. He called for his son Joseph and said to him, “I want you to swear that you love me and are faithful to me. Please don’t bury me here. 30 I want to rest with my ancestors. Take me out of Egypt, and bury me in their tomb.”

“I will do as you say,” Joseph answered.

31 “Swear to me,” he said. So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in prayer with his face at the head of his bed.

Footnotes

  1. 47:16 Samaritan Pentateuch, Greek, Targum; Masoretic Text “I’ll give to you.”

47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan(A) and are now in Goshen.”(B) He chose five of his brothers and presented them(C) before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”(D)

“Your servants(E) are shepherds,(F)” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while,(G) because the famine is severe in Canaan(H) and your servants’ flocks have no pasture.(I) So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”(J)

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, and the land of Egypt is before you; settle(K) your father and your brothers in the best part of the land.(L) Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability,(M) put them in charge of my own livestock.(N)

Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him(O) before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[a] Pharaoh,(P) Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.(Q) My years have been few and difficult,(R) and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.(S) 10 Then Jacob blessed[b] Pharaoh(T) and went out from his presence.

11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land,(U) the district of Rameses,(V) as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.(W)

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.(X) 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,(Y) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.(Z) 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,(AA) all Egypt came to Joseph(AB) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?(AC) Our money is all gone.”

16 “Then bring your livestock,(AD)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.(AE) 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,(AF) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.(AG) 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(AH) and our livestock belongs to you,(AI) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes(AJ)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,(AK) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.(AL) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,(AM) and that the land may not become desolate.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe(AN) for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[c](AO) from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests,(AP) because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment(AQ) Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed(AR) for you so you can plant the ground.(AS) 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth(AT) of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord;(AU) we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”(AV)

26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth(AW) of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.(AX)

27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(AY) They acquired property there(AZ) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(BA)

28 Jacob lived in Egypt(BB) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(BC) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(BD) to die,(BE) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(BF) put your hand under my thigh(BG) and promise that you will show me kindness(BH) and faithfulness.(BI) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(BJ) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(BK)

“I will do as you say,” he said.

31 “Swear to me,”(BL) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(BM) and Israel(BN) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[d](BO)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:7 Or greeted
  2. Genesis 47:10 Or said farewell to
  3. Genesis 47:21 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Vulgate); Masoretic Text and he moved the people into the cities
  4. Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed