Bible Commentaries
Genesis 47

Introduction

Overview

Genesis 47:1, Joseph presents his father, and five of his brethren before Pharaoh; Genesis 47:11, He gives them habitation and maintenance; Genesis 47:13, He gets the Egyptians’ money; Genesis 47:16, their cattle; Genesis 47:18, and their lands, except the priests’, to Pharaoh; Genesis 47:23, He restores the land for a fifth; Genesis 47:28, Jacob’s age; Genesis 47:29, He swears Joseph to bury him with his fathers.

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

presented: Acts 7:13, 2 Corinthians 4:14, Colossians 1:28, Jude 1:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 46:33 - What is

Verse 3

What is: Genesis 46:33, Genesis 46:34, Amos 7:14, Amos 7:15, Jonah 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 3:10

shepherds: Genesis 4:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 46:32 - shepherds

Verse 4

For to: Genesis 12:10, Genesis 15:13, Deuteronomy 26:5, Psalms 105:23, Isaiah 52:4, Acts 7:6

for the famine: Genesis 43:1, Acts 7:11

let thy: Genesis 46:34

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:6 - Goshen Numbers 32:1 - the place 2 Kings 8:1 - sojourn

Verse 6

is: Genesis 47:11, Genesis 13:9, Genesis 20:15, Genesis 34:10, Genesis 45:18-20, Proverbs 21:1, John 17:2

Goshen: Genesis 47:4, Genesis 47:11

men of activity: Anshey chayil, men of strength, power, ability, or prowess. It implies both fitness of mind and body; and so valour, prudence, diligence, and virtue.

rulers: Exodus 18:21, 1 Samuel 21:7, 1 Chronicles 27:29-31, 2 Chronicles 26:10, Proverbs 22:29

cattle: Mikneh, from kanah, to posses, signifies property or possession of any kind, though it frequently is used for cattle, because in ancient times they constituted the principal part of a man's possessions. Genesis 47:16, Exodus 9:3-6, Exodus 9:10, Exodus 9:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:11 - General Deuteronomy 23:7 - because thou 1 Chronicles 27:30 - the Ishmaelite Psalms 105:23 - Jacob

Verse 7

And Jacob: Genesis 47:10, Genesis 35:27, Exodus 12:32, Numbers 6:23, Numbers 6:24, Joshua 14:13, 1 Samuel 2:20, 2 Samuel 8:10, 2 Samuel 19:39, 1 Kings 1:47, 2 Kings 4:29, Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:19, 1 Peter 2:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:19 - he blessed Joshua 22:6 - General 2 Kings 10:15 - saluted 1 Chronicles 16:2 - he blessed Proverbs 16:31 - if Luke 2:34 - blessed Hebrews 7:7 - the less

Verse 8

How old art thou: Heb. How many are the days of the years of thy life, Genesis 47:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:8 - good Genesis 47:28 - the whole age

Verse 9

The days: 1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalms 39:12, Psalms 119:19, Psalms 119:54, 2 Corinthians 5:6, Hebrews 11:9-16, Hebrews 13:14, 1 Peter 2:11

an hundred: Job 14:1, Psalms 39:5, Psalms 89:47, Psalms 89:48, Psalms 90:3-12, James 4:14

have not: Genesis 47:28, Genesis 5:27, Genesis 11:11, Genesis 11:24, Genesis 11:25, Genesis 25:7, Genesis 25:8, Genesis 35:28, Genesis 50:26, Exodus 6:4, Exodus 7:7, Deuteronomy 34:7, Joshua 24:29, 2 Samuel 19:32-35, Job 8:8, Job 8:9, Job 42:16, Job 42:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:4 - stranger Genesis 47:8 - How old art thou Genesis 47:29 - must die Leviticus 25:23 - for ye are 2 Samuel 19:34 - How long have I to live 2 Chronicles 24:15 - an hundred Psalms 90:10 - The days Proverbs 15:15 - All Ecclesiastes 1:4 - One generation Ecclesiastes 2:3 - all Ecclesiastes 2:23 - all Ecclesiastes 6:3 - so Ecclesiastes 7:15 - have I Jeremiah 28:3 - two full years Hebrews 11:13 - confessed 1 Peter 1:17 - pass

Verse 10

Genesis 47:7, Genesis 14:19, Numbers 6:23-27, Deuteronomy 33:1, Ruth 2:4, 2 Samuel 8:10, 2 Samuel 19:39, Psalms 119:46, Psalms 129:8, Hebrews 7:7

Reciprocal: Joshua 14:13 - blessed Joshua 22:6 - General 2 Kings 10:15 - saluted 1 Chronicles 16:2 - he blessed Luke 18:16 - Suffer

Verse 11

Rameses: Genesis 47:6, Exodus 1:11, Exodus 12:37, John 10:10, John 10:28, John 14:2, John 14:23, John 17:2, John 17:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:26 - made it a law Genesis 47:27 - dwelt Numbers 33:3 - they departed 1 Samuel 22:3 - Let my father Isaiah 22:24 - hang

Verse 12

nourished: Ruth 4:15

his father: Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:4-6, Mark 7:10-13, 1 Timothy 4:8, 1 Timothy 5:4, 1 Timothy 5:8

according to their families: or, as a little child is nourished, Heb. according to the little ones, Genesis 47:1, Genesis 47:21, Genesis 47:24, 1 Thessalonians 2:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:9 - the sun Genesis 42:36 - all these things are against me Genesis 45:11 - General Genesis 49:24 - the shepherd Genesis 50:21 - I will nourish Deuteronomy 23:7 - because thou John 19:27 - Behold

Verse 13

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so that: Genesis 41:30, Genesis 41:31, 1 Kings 18:5, Jeremiah 14:1-6, Lamentations 2:19, Lamentations 2:20, Lamentations 4:9, Acts 7:11

fainted: Jeremiah 9:12, Joel 1:10-12

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:10 - was a Genesis 41:36 - that the Genesis 41:54 - and the dearth Psalms 105:16 - brake

Verse 14

the money: Genesis 41:56

Joseph brought: Luke 16:1, Luke 16:2, Luke 16:10-12, 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:10

Verse 15

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Give us bread: Genesis 47:18, Genesis 47:19, Genesis 47:24, Judges 8:5, Judges 8:8, 1 Samuel 21:3, 1 Samuel 25:8, Psalms 37:3, Isaiah 33:16, Matthew 6:11

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 5:3 - mortgaged

Verse 16

Give your cattle: This was the wisest measure that could be adopted, both for the preservation of the people and the cattle. As the people had not grain for their own sustenance, consequently they could have none for their cattle: hence they were in the most imminent danger of starving; and the people also were in equal danger; as they must have divided a portion of that bought for themselves with the cattle, which, for the sake of tillage, etc., they wished of course to preserve till the seven years' famine should end. Daniel 6:5-7, Proverbs 12:17, 1 Corinthians 10:32, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 4:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:6 - cattle

Verse 17

for horses: Exodus 9:3, 1 Kings 10:28, Job 2:4, Isaiah 31:1, Matthew 6:24

fed them: Heb. led them

Verse 18

am 2302, bc 1702, 2 Kings 6:26, Jeremiah 38:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:6 - two years Genesis 47:15 - Give us bread

Verse 19

buy us: Nehemiah 5:2, Nehemiah 5:3, Job 2:4, Lamentations 1:11, Lamentations 5:6, Lamentations 5:9, Matthew 16:26, Philippians 3:8, Philippians 3:9

and give: Genesis 47:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:15 - Give us bread Genesis 47:26 - made it a law Psalms 105:16 - brake 2 Corinthians 9:10 - he

Verse 20

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:26 - made it a law

Verse 21

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And as: It is highly probable, that Joseph was influenced by no political motive in removing the people to the cities, but merely by motives of prudence and humanity; for, as the corn was laid up in the cities, it would be more eligible to bring then from distant towns and villages to places where they might be more conveniently supplied with food.

to cities: Genesis 41:48

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:12 - according to their families

Verse 22

of the priests: or, princes, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 41:45, Genesis 41:50, *marg. 2 Samuel 8:18

for the priests: Deuteronomy 12:19, Joshua 21:1-45, Ezra 7:24, Nehemiah 13:10, Matthew 10:10, 1 Corinthians 9:13, Galatians 6:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:26 - made it a law

Verse 23

bought: Genesis 47:19

here is seed: Genesis 41:27, Genesis 45:6, Psalms 41:1, Psalms 107:36, Psalms 107:37, Psalms 112:5, Proverbs 11:26, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 13:23, Ecclesiastes 11:6, Isaiah 28:24, Isaiah 28:25, Isaiah 55:10, Matthew 24:45, 2 Corinthians 9:10

Verse 24

the fifth part: Genesis 47:25, Genesis 41:34, Leviticus 27:32, 1 Samuel 8:15-17, Psalms 41:1, Psalms 112:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:12 - according to their families Genesis 47:15 - Give us bread 2 Corinthians 9:10 - he

Verse 25

Thou hast: Genesis 6:19, Genesis 41:45, *marg. Genesis 45:6-8, Genesis 50:20, Proverbs 11:26, Proverbs 11:27

let us: Genesis 18:3, Genesis 33:15, Ruth 2:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:27 - favour Genesis 32:5 - may find Genesis 45:5 - God Genesis 47:24 - the fifth part

Verse 26

made it a law: From this history, and from Diodorus Siculus - lib. i. we learn that the land of Egypt was divided into three parts: one belonged to the Priests - Genesis 47:22, and Genesis 47:26, a second was the king's - which appears to have been the land of Rameses, or Goshen, Genesis 47:11, the remainder was the subjects'. Now Joseph, having purchased the land of the people - Genesis 47:19, and Genesis 47:20, restored it, on the condition of their paying a fifth part of the produce to the king, beyond which he appears to have made no demand.

except: Genesis 47:22, Ezekiel 7:24

priests: or, princes, Genesis 47:22

Verse 27

dwelt: Genesis 47:11

grew: Genesis 8:7, Genesis 8:9, Genesis 13:16, Genesis 26:4, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 46:3, Exodus 1:7, Exodus 1:12, Deuteronomy 10:22, Deuteronomy 26:5, Nehemiah 9:23, Psalms 105:24, Psalms 107:38, Zechariah 10:8, Acts 7:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:10 - and the land Genesis 48:4 - Behold I Deuteronomy 23:7 - because thou

Verse 28

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seventeen: Genesis 37:2

the whole age: Heb. the days of the years of his life, Genesis 47:8, *marg. Genesis 47:9, Psalms 90:10, Psalms 90:12, Psalms 119:84

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:28 - General Genesis 50:26 - being an hundred and ten years old Exodus 6:16 - an hundred 2 Samuel 19:32 - fourscore Job 42:16 - an Psalms 105:23 - Jacob Jeremiah 28:3 - two full years 1 Timothy 5:4 - to requite

Verse 29

must die: Genesis 47:9, Genesis 3:19, Genesis 50:24, Deuteronomy 31:14, 2 Samuel 7:12, 2 Samuel 14:14, 1 Kings 2:1, Job 7:1, Job 14:14, Job 30:23, Psalms 6:5, Psalms 49:7, Psalms 49:9, Psalms 89:48, Hebrews 9:27

put: Genesis 24:2

deal kindly: Genesis 24:49

bury me not: Genesis 50:24, Genesis 50:25, Acts 7:15, Acts 7:16, Hebrews 11:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:10 - if now Genesis 47:31 - And Israel bowed Genesis 50:5 - made me Genesis 50:12 - General 1 Samuel 20:8 - deal kindly 1 Samuel 26:10 - his day 1 Chronicles 29:24 - submitted themselves unto Ecclesiastes 3:2 - and a time

Verse 30

Genesis 23:19, Genesis 25:9, Genesis 49:29-32, Genesis 50:5-14, Genesis 50:25, 2 Samuel 19:37, 1 Kings 13:22, Nehemiah 2:3, Nehemiah 2:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:31 - General

Verse 31

Swear: Genesis 24:3

And Israel bowed: As shachah, which primarily signifies to bow, denotes also to worship; and as mittah, a bed, pronounced matteh, is a staff; the LXX have taken the passage in the latter sense, and rendered it ךבי נסןףוךץםחףום ףסבחכ וני פן בךסןם פחע סבגהןץ בץפןץ, "and Israel worshipped upon the top of his staff," which is literally copied by the apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews. The present reading is, however, supported by the Masoretic pointing and the Targums; and is most probably correct, as it would appear that Jacob was confined to his bed. Genesis 47:29, Genesis 24:26, Genesis 48:1, Genesis 48:2, 1 Kings 1:47, Hebrews 11:21