47Genesis 47

2Joseph took five of his brothers to the king and told him, “My father and my brothers have come from Canaan. They have brought their sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else they own to the region of Goshen.” Then he introduced his brothers to the king,Select Genesis 47:2

3who asked them, “What do you do for a living?” “Sir, we are shepherds,” was their answer. “Our families have always raised sheep.Select Genesis 47:3

4But in our country all the pastures are dried up, and our sheep have no grass to eat. So we, your servants, have come here. Please let us live in the region of Goshen.”Select Genesis 47:4

5The king said to Joseph, “It's good that your father and brothers have arrived.Select Genesis 47:5

6I will let them live anywhere they choose in the land of Egypt, but I suggest that they settle in Goshen, the best part of our land. I would also like for your finest shepherds to watch after my own sheep and goats.”Select Genesis 47:6

7Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and introduced him to the king. Jacob gave the king his blessing,Select Genesis 47:7

8and the king asked him, “How old are you?”Select Genesis 47:8

9Jacob answered, “I have lived only 130 years, and I have had to move from place to place. My parents and my grandparents also had to move from place to place. But they lived much longer, and their life was not as hard as mine.”Select Genesis 47:9

10Then Jacob gave the king his blessing once again and left.Select Genesis 47:10

11Joseph obeyed the king's orders and gave his father and brothers some of the best land in Egypt near the city of Rameses.Select Genesis 47:11

12Joseph also provided food for their families.Select Genesis 47:12

A Famine in Egypt

13The famine was bad everywhere in Egypt and Canaan, and the people were suffering terribly.Select Genesis 47:13

14So Joseph sold them the grain that had been stored up, and he put the money in the king's treasury.Select Genesis 47:14

15But when everyone had run out of money, the Egyptians came to Joseph and demanded, “Give us more grain! If you don't, we'll soon be dead, because our money's all gone.”Select Genesis 47:15

16“If you don't have any money,” Joseph answered, “give me your animals, and I'll let you have some grain.”Select Genesis 47:16

17From then on, they brought him their horses and donkeys and their sheep and goats in exchange for grain. Within a year Joseph had collected every animal in Egypt.Select Genesis 47:17

18Then the people came to him and said: Sir, there's no way we can hide the truth from you. We are broke, and we don't have any more animals. We have nothing left except ourselves and our land.Select Genesis 47:18

19Don't let us starve and our land be ruined. If you'll give us grain to eat and seed to plant, we'll sell ourselves and our land to the king. We'll become his slaves.Select Genesis 47:19

20The famine became so severe that Joseph finally bought every piece of land in Egypt for the kingSelect Genesis 47:20

21and made everyone the king's slaves,Select Genesis 47:21

22except the priests. The king gave the priests a regular food allowance, so they did not have to sell their land.Select Genesis 47:22

23Then Joseph said to the people, “You and your land now belong to the king. I'm giving you seed to plant,Select Genesis 47:23

24but one fifth of your crops must go to the king. You can keep the rest as seed or as food for your families.”Select Genesis 47:24

25“Sir, you have saved our lives!” they answered. “We are glad to be slaves of the king.”Select Genesis 47:25

26Then Joseph made a law that one fifth of the harvest would always belong to the king. Only the priests did not lose their land.Select Genesis 47:26

Jacob Becomes an Old Man

27The people of Israel made their home in the land of Goshen, where they became prosperous and had large families.Select Genesis 47:27

28Jacob himself lived there for 17 years, before dying at the age of 147.Select Genesis 47:28

29When Jacob knew he did not have long to live, he called in Joseph and said, “If you really love me, you must make a solemn promise not to bury me in Egypt.Select Genesis 47:29

30Instead, bury me in the place where my ancestors are buried.” “I will do what you have asked,” Joseph answered.Select Genesis 47:30

31“Will you give me your word?” Jacob asked. “Yes, I will,” Joseph promised. After this, Jacob bowed down and prayed at the head of his bed.Select Genesis 47:31