Introduction

Genesis 47 shows the covenant family settling in Egypt under Joseph's protection. The chapter records Jacob's meeting with Pharaoh, the increasing severity of the famine, Joseph's economic policies, and Jacob's final request to be buried in the Promised Land—a testament to his faith in God's promises.

Before Pharaoh

[1-6] Joseph presents his family to Egypt's ruler.

• Joseph's report [1]: Joseph goes to Pharaoh and tells him, "My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from Canaan and are now in Goshen."
• Five brothers selected [2]: Joseph presents five of his brothers to Pharaoh
• The question [3]: Pharaoh asks, "What is your occupation?" They answer as Joseph instructed: "Your servants are shepherds, just as our fathers were."
• Request for settlement [4]: "We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. Please let your servants settle in Goshen."
• Pharaoh's generous response [5-6]: "Your father and your brothers have come to you, and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock."

Jacob Blesses Pharaoh

[7-12] A striking reversal of status.

• Jacob brought to Pharaoh [7]: Joseph brings his father Jacob and presents him before Pharaoh
• Jacob blesses Pharaoh [7]: Remarkably, Jacob—a nomadic shepherd—blesses the most powerful ruler on earth. "The lesser is blessed by the greater" (Hebrews 7:7">Hebrews 7:7)
• Pharaoh's question [8]: "How old are you?"
• Jacob's humble answer [9]: "The years of my pilgrimage are 130. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." Jacob sees himself as a pilgrim, not a possessor
• Jacob blesses Pharaoh again [10]: Then he withdraws from Pharaoh's presence
• Settlement and provision [11-12]: Joseph settles his family in the best part of the land—the district of Rameses. He provides them with food according to the number of their children

Joseph's Famine Management

[13-26] The famine transforms Egypt's economy.

• Severe famine [13]: There is no food in the whole region; Egypt and Canaan waste away
• Money collected [14]: Joseph collects all the money found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for grain, bringing it to Pharaoh's palace
• Money runs out [15-17]: When money is gone, people bring their livestock in exchange for food—horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys
• Land and freedom [18-21]: The next year, people offer their land and themselves: "Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh." Joseph acquires all the land for Pharaoh; the people become servants
• Exception for priests [22]: Only the land of the priests is not acquired, as they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh
• New arrangement [23-26]: Joseph gives the people seed to plant: "When the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food." They gratefully accept
• Understanding this passage: Modern readers may find this troubling. Joseph saved lives through difficult measures. The text records what happened without moral commentary, showing how Israel came to be foreigners in a land where their hosts had lost everything—seeds of future resentment

Israel Flourishes

[27] A contrast with the surrounding scarcity.

• Prosperity in Goshen [27]: "The Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number."
• Fulfillment beginning: God's promise that He would make Jacob into a great nation in Egypt (46:3) is already taking shape

Jacob's Final Request

[28-31] Jacob prepares for death.

• Seventeen years in Egypt [28]: Jacob lives in Egypt seventeen years, reaching 147 years old
• A solemn request [29-30]: As death approaches, Jacob calls for Joseph: "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." "I will do as you say," Joseph promises
• An oath demanded [31]: "Swear to me." Joseph swears to him. Then Israel worships as he leans on the top of his staff
• Faith beyond death: Jacob wants to be buried in Canaan because that is where God's promises will be fulfilled. Even in death, he claims the Promised Land

Key Takeaways

• The greater blesses the lesser [7, 10]: Jacob's position in God's economy exceeds earthly status
• Life as pilgrimage [9]: Jacob sees his years as few and difficult—a sojourner's perspective
• God provides in famine [27]: While Egypt struggles, Israel flourishes
• Death points to promise [30]: Jacob's burial request expresses faith in God's covenant

Reflection Questions

• How do you view your life—as a permanent settlement or a pilgrimage?
• In what ways can those with little worldly power still bless those with much?
• What do your plans for death reveal about where your hope lies?