Study Desk

And no bread was in the land, because the famine was exceedingly severe. And the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted from the famine.

And Joseph gathered up all the silver found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan in return for the grain they were buying. And Joseph brought in the silver to the house of Pharaoh.

And the silver failed from the land of Egypt, and from the land of Canaan. And all Egypt came in to Joseph, saying, Give us bread; and, Why should we die before you? For the silver has failed.

And Joseph said, Give your livestock, and I will give to you for your livestock, if silver has failed.

And they brought in their livestock to Joseph. And Joseph gave bread to them for the horses, and for the livestock of the flocks, for the livestock of the herds, and for the asses. And he satisfied them with bread in that year for all theirlivestock.

And that year ended, and they came in to him in the second year and said to him, We cannot hide from my lord that the silver and the livestock of the animals have failed, going to my lord. Nothing is left before my lord exceptour bodies and our lands.

Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread; and let us, we and our land, become slaves to Pharaoh. And give seed so that we may live and not die, and the land not be desolate.

And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because each one in Egypt sold his field, because this famine was severe on them; and the land became Pharaoh's.

And as for the people, he caused them to pass over into the cities, and from the end of the border of Egypt to its other end.

Only he did not buy the land of the priests; for Pharaoh had appointed a portion for the priests, and they usually ate their appointed portion which Pharaoh gave to them. For this reason they did not sell their land.

And Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have bought you and your land today. Behold! Here is seed for you; and you sow the land.

And it shall be, as you gather you shall give a fifth part to Pharaoh; and four parts shall be yours, for the seed of the field and for your food, and for those in your houses, and for food for your little ones.

And they said, You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the eyes of my lord, and we will become slaves to Pharaoh.

And Joseph made it a law until this day on the land of Egypt, the fifth part is for Pharaoh; only the land of the priests being excepted; it did not become Pharaoh's.