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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Literal Standard Version

Genesis 47:1

And Joseph comes and declares [it] to Pharaoh, and says, "My father, and my brothers, and their flock, and their herd, and all they have, have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they [are] in the land of Goshen."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jacob;   Joseph;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Egypt;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Farming;   Goshen;   Joseph the son of jacob;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cattle;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Goshen ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Goshen;   Shepherds;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jacob;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;   Duration of the Sojourn in Egypt;   Encampment at Sinai;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Goshen (1);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cattle;   Ephraim;   Sarah (Sarai);  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Then Yosef went in and told Par`oh, and said, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Kana`an; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
King James Version
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Lexham English Bible
So Joseph went and reported to Pharaoh. And he said, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks and their herds, and all that they have, have come from the land of Canaan. Now they are here in the land of Goshen."
New Century Version
Joseph went in to the king and said, "My father and my brothers have arrived from Canaan with their flocks and herds and everything they own. They are now in the land of Goshen."
New English Translation
Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen."
Amplified Bible
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks and their herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan, and they are in the land of Goshen."
New American Standard Bible
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came Ioseph and tolde Pharaoh, and sayde, My father, and my brethren, and their sheepe, and their cattell, and all that they haue, are come out of the land of Canaan, and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
Contemporary English Version
Joseph 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,
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Yosef went in and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers have come from the land of Kena‘an with their flocks, livestock and all their possessions; right now they are in the land of Goshen."
Darby Translation
And Joseph came and told Pharaoh and said, My father and my brethren, and their sheep and their cattle, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joseph went in to Pharaoh and said, "My father and my brothers and all their families are here. They have all their animals and everything they own from the land of Canaan with them. They are now in the land of Goshen."
English Standard Version
So Joseph 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 the land of Goshen."
George Lamsa Translation
THEN Joseph came and informed Pharaoh, and said to him, My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, are come from the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are now settled in the land of Goshen.
Good News Translation
So Joseph took five of his brothers and went to the king. He told him, "My father and my brothers have come from Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own. They are now in the region of Goshen."
Christian Standard Bible®
So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”
Literal Translation
And Joseph came in and made known to Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brothers, and their flocks and their herds, and all which is theirs, have come in from the land of Canaan.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then came Ioseph, and tolde Pharao & sayde: My father and my brethren, their small & greate catell, & all yt they haue, are come out of ye lande of Canaan:
American Standard Version
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Bible in Basic English
Then Joseph went to Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brothers with their flocks and their herds and all they have, are come from Canaan, and are now in the land of Goshen.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ioseph came therfore & tolde Pharao, and said: My father & my brethre, theyr sheepe, and theyr cattell, and all that they haue, are come out of ye lande of Chanaan: and beholde, they are in the lande of Gosen.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said: 'My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.'
King James Version (1611)
Then Ioseph came and tolde Pharaoh, and saide, My father and my brethren, and their flockes, and their heards, and all that they haue, are come out of the land of Canaan: and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joseph came and told Pharao, saying, My father, and my brethren, and their cattle, and their oxen, and all their possessions, are come out of the land of Chanaan, and behold, they are in the land of Gesem.
English Revised Version
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
Berean Standard Bible
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."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Joseph entride, and telde to Farao, and seide, My fadir and brethren, the scheep and grete beestis of hem, and alle thingis whiche thei welden, camen fro the lond of Canaan; and lo! thei stonden in the lond of Gessen.
Young's Literal Translation
And Joseph cometh, and declareth to Pharaoh, and saith, `My father, and my brethren, and their flock, and their herd, and all they have, have come from the land of Canaan, and lo, they [are] in the land of Goshen.'
Update Bible Version
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brothers, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and, look, they are in the land of Goshen.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, have come from the land of Canaan; and behold, they [are] in the land of Goshen.
World English Bible
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
New King James Version
Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen."
New Living Translation
Then Joseph went to see Pharaoh and told him, "My father and my brothers have arrived from the land of Canaan. They have come with all their flocks and herds and possessions, and they are now in the region of Goshen."
New Life Bible
Then Joseph went to Pharaoh and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and cattle and all they own have come from the land of Canaan. See, they are in the land of Goshen."
New Revised Standard
So Joseph went 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 the land of Goshen."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then Joseph went in, and told Pharaoh, and said - My father and my brethren, and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, are come in from the land of Canaan, - and, here they are, in the land of Goshen.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Joseph went in and told Pharao, saying: My father and brethren, their sheep and their herds, and all that they possess, are come out of the land of Chanaan: and behold they stay in the land of Gessen.
Revised Standard Version
So Joseph 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 the land of Goshen."
THE MESSAGE
Joseph went to Pharaoh and told him, "My father and brothers with their flocks and herds and everything they own have come from Canaan. Right now they are in Goshen."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."

Contextual Overview

1And Joseph comes and declares [it] to Pharaoh, and says, "My father, and my brothers, and their flock, and their herd, and all they have, have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they [are] in the land of Goshen."2And out of his brothers he has taken five men, and sets them before Pharaoh; 3and Pharaoh says to his brothers, "What [are] your works?" And they say to Pharaoh, "Your servants [are] feeders of a flock, both we and our fathers"; 4and they say to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for the flock which your servants have, for the famine in the land of Canaan [is] grievous; and now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen." 5And Pharaoh speaks to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you: 6the land of Egypt is before you; cause your father and your brothers to dwell in the best of the land—they dwell in the land of Goshen, and if you have known, and there are among them men of ability, then you have set them [as] heads over the livestock I have." 7And Joseph brings in his father Jacob, and causes him to stand before Pharaoh; and Jacob blesses Pharaoh. 8And Pharaoh says to Jacob, "How many [are] the days of the years of your life?" 9And Jacob says to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojournings [are] one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers, in the days of their sojournings." 10And Jacob blesses Pharaoh, and goes out from before Pharaoh.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joseph: Genesis 45:16, Genesis 46:31, Hebrews 2:11

in the land: Genesis 45:10, Genesis 46:28, Genesis 46:34, Exodus 8:22, Exodus 9:26

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:12 - according to their families Acts 7:13 - Joseph

Cross-References

Genesis 45:10
and you have dwelt in the land of Goshen, and been near to me, you and your sons, and your son's sons, and your flock, and your herd, and all that you have,
Genesis 45:16
And the sound has been heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, "The brothers of Joseph have come"; and it is good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants,
Genesis 46:28
And Judah he has sent before him to Joseph, to direct before him to Goshen, and they come into the land of Goshen;
Genesis 46:31
And Joseph says to his brothers, and to the house of his father, "I go up, and declare to Pharaoh, and say to him, My brothers, and the house of my father who [are] in the land of Canaan have come to me;
Genesis 46:34
That you have said, Your servants have been men of livestock from our youth, even until now, both we and our fathers, in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for the abomination of the Egyptians is everyone feeding a flock."
Exodus 8:22
And I have separated in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people are staying, that the beetle is not there, so that you know that I [am] YHWH in the midst of the land,
Exodus 9:26
only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel [are], there has been no hail.
Hebrews 2:11
for both He who is sanctifying and those sanctified [are] all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh,.... After he had been with his father, had had an interview with him, and had took his leave of him for a time, he came to Pharaoh's court:

and said, my father, and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; Pharaoh had desired they might come, and Joseph now acquaints him they were come; not being willing it should be said that they were come in a private manner, and without his knowledge; nor to dispose of them himself without the direction and approbation of Pharaoh, who was superior to him; and he makes mention of their flocks and herds, and other substance, partly to show that they were not a mean beggarly family that came to live upon him, and partly that a proper place of pasturage for their cattle might be appointed to them:

and behold, they [are] in the land of Goshen; they are stopped at present, until they should have further directions and orders where to settle; and this is the rather mentioned, because it was the place Joseph proposed with himself to fix them in, if Pharaoh approved of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Jacob in Goshen

11. רעמסס ra‛mesês, Ra‘meses “son of the sun.”

31. מטה mı̂ṭṭāh, “bed.” מטה maṭṭeh “staff.”

Arrangements are now made for the settlement of Israel in Goshen. The administration of Joseph during the remaining years of the famine is then recorded. For the whole of this period his father and brothers are subject to him, as their political superior, according to the reading of his early dreams. We then approach to the death-bed of Jacob, and hear him binding Joseph by an oath to bury him in the grave of his fathers.

Genesis 47:1-12

Joseph announces to Pharaoh the arrival of his kindred. “Of the whole of his brethren,” more exactly from the end of his brethren. Five men, a favorite number in Egypt. Shepherds, owners and feeders of sheep and other cattle. “Pasture.” Hence, it appears that the drought had made the grazing extremely scanty. Men of ability, competent to take the oversight of others. “Jacob his father,” he presents before Pharaoh, after he has disposed of all business matters. “Jacob blessed Pharaoh.” This is the patriarch’s grateful return for Pharaoh’s great kindness and generosity toward him and his house. He is conscious of even a higher dignity than that of Pharaoh, as he is a prince of God; and as such he bestows his precious benediction. Pharaoh was struck with his venerable appearance, and inquired what was his age. “Pilgrimage” - sojourning, wandering without any constant abode or fixed holding.

Such was the life of the patriarchs in the land of promise Hebrews 11:13. “Few and evil.” Jacob’s years at this time were far short of those of Abraham and Isaac, not to speak of more ancient men. Much bitterness also had been mingled in his cup from the time that he beguiled his brother of the birthright and the blessing, which would have come to him in a lawful way if he had only waited in patience. Obliged to flee for his life from his father’s house, serving seven years for a beloved wife, and balked in his expected recompense by a deceitful father-in-law, serving seven long years more for the object of his affections, having his wages changed ten times during the six years of his further toil for a maintenance, afflicted by the dishonor of his only daughter, the reckless revenge taken by Simon and Levi, the death of his beloved wife in childbed, the disgraceful incest of Reuben, the loss of Joseph himself for twenty-two years, and the present famine with all its anxieties - Jacob, it must be confessed, has become acquainted with no small share of the ills of life. “Blessed Pharaoh.” It is possible that this blessing is the same as that already mentioned, now reiterated in its proper place in the narrative. “According to the little ones.” This means either in proportion to the number in each household, or with all the tenderness with which a parent provides for his infant offspring.

Genesis 47:13-26

Joseph introduces remarkable changes into the relation of the sovereign and the people of Egypt. “There was no bread in all the land.” The private stores of the wealthy were probably exhausted. “And Joseph gathered up all the silver.” The old stores of grain and the money, which had flowed into the country during the years of plenty, seem to have lasted for five years. “And Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house.” He was merely the steward of Pharaoh in this matter, and made a full return of all the payments that came into his hands. “The silver was spent.” The famishing people have no more money; but they must have bread. Joseph is fertile in expedients. He proposes to take their cattle. This was really a relief to the people, as they had no means of providing them with fodder. The value of commodities is wholly altered by a change of circumstances. Pearls will not purchase a cup of water in a vast and dreary wilderness. Cattle become worthless when food becomes scarce, and the means of procuring it are exhausted. For their cattle Joseph supplies them with food during the sixth year.

Genesis 47:18-20

The seventh year is now come. The silver and cattle are now gone. Nothing remains but their lands, and with these themselves as the serfs of the soil. Accordingly they make this offer to Joseph, which he cannot refuse. Hence, it is evident that Pharaoh had as yet no legal claim to the soil. In primeval times the first entrants into an unoccupied country became, by a natural custom, the owners of the grounds they held and cultivated. The mere nomad, who roamed over a wide range of country, where his flocks merely cropped the spontaneous herbage, did not soon arrive at the notion of private property in land. But the husbandman, who settled on a promising spot, broke up the soil, and sowed the seed, felt he had acquired by his labor a title to the acres he had cultivated and permanently occupied, and this right was instinctively acknowledged by others. Hence, each cultivator grew into the absolute owner of his own farm. Hence, the lands of Egypt belonged to the peasantry of the country, and were at their disposal. These lands had now become valueless to those who had neither provisions for themselves nor seed for their ground. They willingly part with them, therefore, for a year’s provision and a supply of seed. In this way the lands of Egypt fell into the hands of the crown by a free purchase. “And the people he removed into the cities.” This is not an act of arbitrary caprice, but a wise and kind measure for the more convenient nourishment of the people until the new arrangements for the cultivation of the soil should be completed. The priestly class were sustained by a state allowance, and therefore, were not obliged to alienate their lands. Hence, they became by this social revolution a privileged order. The military class were also exempted most probably from the surrender of their patrimonial rights, as they were maintained on the crown lands.

Genesis 47:23-26

I have bought you. - He had bought their lands, and so they might be regarded, in some sort, as the servants of Pharaoh, or the serfs of the soil. “In the increase ye shall give the fifth to Pharaoh.” This explains at once the extent of their liability, and the security of their liberty and property. They do not become Pharaoh’s bondmen. They own their land under him by a new tenure. They are no longer subject to arbitrary exactions. They have a stated annual rent, bearing a fixed ratio to the amount of their crop. This is an equitable adjustment of their dues, and places them under the protection of a statute law. The people are accordingly well pleased with the enactment of Joseph, which becomes henceforth the law of Egypt.

Genesis 47:27-31

And they were possessed thereof. - They become owners or tenants of the soil in Goshen. The Israelites were recognized as subjects with the full rights of freemen. “They grew and multiplied exceedingly.” They are now placed in a definite territory, where they are free from the contamination which arises from promiscuous intermarriage with an idolatrous race; and hence, the Lord bestows the blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication, so that in a generation or two more they can intermarry among themselves. It is a remarkable circumstance that until now we read of only two daughters in the family of Jacob. The brothers could not marry their sisters, and it was not desirable that the females should form affinity with the pagan, as they had in general to follow the faith of their husbands. Here the twelfth section of the Pentateuch terminates.

Genesis 47:28-31

Jacob lives seventeen years in Egypt, and so survives the famine twelve years. “He called his son Joseph.” Joseph retained his power and place near Pharaoh after the fourteen years of special service were completed; hence, Jacob looks to him for the accomplishment of his wishes concerning the place of his burial. “Put thy hand under my thigh” Genesis 24:2. He binds Joseph by a solemn asseveration to carry his mortal remains to the land of promise. “And Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.” On receiving the solemn promise of Joseph, he turns toward the head of the bed, and assumes the posture of adoration, rendering, no doubt, thanks to God for all the mercies of his past life, and for this closing token of filial duty and affection. The Septuagint has the rendering: ἐπί τὸ ἄκρον τῆσῥάβδον αὐτοῦ epi to ākron akron tēs rabdou autou “on the top of his staff,” which is given in the Epistle to the Hebrews Hebrews 11:21. This is obtained by a mere change in the vowel pointing of the last word.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XLVII

Joseph informs Pharaoh that his father and brethren are

arrived in Goshen, 1.

He presents five of his brethren before the king, 2,

who questions them concerning their occupation; they inform

him that they are shepherds, and request permission to dwell

in the land of Goshen, 3, 4.

Pharaoh consents, and desires that some of the most active of

them should be made rulers over his cattle, 5, 6.

Joseph presents his father to Pharaoh, 7,

who questions him concerning his age, 8,

to which Jacob returns an affecting answer, and blesses

Pharaoh, 9, 10.

Joseph places his father and family in the land of Rameses,

(Goshen), and furnishes them with provisions, 11, 12.

The famine prevailing in the land, the Egyptians deliver up

all their money to Joseph to get food, 13-15.

The next year they bring their cattle, 16, 17.

The third, their lands and their persons, 18-21.

The land of the priests Joseph does not buy, as it was a royal

grant to them from Pharaoh, 22.

The people receive seed to sow the land on condition that they

shall give a fifth part of the produce to the king, 23, 24.

The people agree, and Joseph makes it a law all over Egypt, 25, 26.

The Israelites multiply exceedingly, 27.

Jacob, having lived seventeen years in Goshen, and being one

hundred and forty-seven years old, 28,

makes Joseph promise not to bury him in Egypt, but in Canaan, 29, 30.

Joseph promises and confirms it with an oath, 31.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLVII


 
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