Genesis 47:20 kjv
And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
Genesis 47:20 nkjv
Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh's.
Genesis 47:20 niv
So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's,
Genesis 47:20 esv
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's.
Genesis 47:20 nlt
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh.
Genesis 47 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 41:39-40 | "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you… you shall be over my house…” | Joseph's divinely appointed wisdom and authority |
| Gen 41:55 | "When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.”" | Joseph's central role in famine relief |
| Gen 45:7-8 | "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant... to save your lives by a great deliverance." | God's overarching purpose in sending Joseph to Egypt |
| Ps 105:16-19 | "He called down a famine on the land; he broke all supply of bread... He sent a man before them, Joseph..." | Divine providence in the famine and Joseph's rise |
| Acts 7:9-10 | "The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him and rescued him… gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt…" | God's empowering of Joseph's leadership |
| Gen 47:15 | "When the money was gone from the land of Egypt… all the Egyptians came to Joseph…" | Egyptians' initial resource depletion |
| Gen 47:16-17 | "Joseph said, “Give your livestock…” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food…" | Depletion of second resource: livestock |
| Gen 47:18-19 | "When that year was ended, they came to him the second year… “we have nothing left… except our bodies and our land.”" | Egyptians' total destitution and last offer |
| Lev 25:23 | "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are sojourners and tenants with Me." | Contrast with Israel's land laws, where God is ultimate owner |
| Deut 28:47-48 | "Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness… therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and in lack of all things…" | Consequences of famine and servitude |
| 1 Sam 8:14-17 | "He will take your fields and your vineyards… and give them to his servants… he will take the tenth of your seed… your male servants… female servants… your finest young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work." | Prophecy of king's taxation/centralized control over land and resources |
| Ezek 46:18 | "The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property…" | Contrast with ethical kingship concerning land in Ezekiel's vision |
| Neh 5:3-5 | "Some also said, “We have mortgaged our fields… our sons and daughters for grain because of the famine…” | Example of people losing land due to necessity/debt in later Israelite history |
| Jer 19:9 | "And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat each other's flesh, in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their lives afflict them.” | Severe consequences of famine, contrasting Joseph's action as salvation |
| Acts 4:34-35 | "There was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold…" | Willing communal sharing vs. famine-driven necessity |
| Gen 47:24-26 | "And at the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh... Then Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, still in force today, that Pharaoh should have the fifth…" | Establishment of the enduring tax system from the land sale |
| Isa 2:7 | "Their land is full of silver and gold… Their land is also full of horses…" | Mention of land as a source of national wealth and power |
| Lev 27:30 | "Every tithe of the land… belongs to the LORD." | Principle of giving back to God from the land's produce |
| Hab 3:17-18 | "Though the fig tree should not blossom… and the fields yield no food… Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." | Faith beyond famine and economic devastation |
| Rom 13:6-7 | "For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers, attending to this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: taxes to whom taxes are due…" | Principles of governmental authority and taxation. |
| Matt 22:21 | "They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”" | Duty to authority, reflecting civil structures |
Genesis 47 verses
Genesis 47 20 Meaning
Genesis 47:20 states that Joseph, acting on behalf of Pharaoh, purchased all the land of Egypt from its inhabitants. The people, driven by severe famine and having exhausted their money and livestock, were forced to sell their fields for food and seed. As a direct result, all privately held land in Egypt became the property of Pharaoh, consolidating ultimate ownership and control of the nation's agricultural resources under the crown.
Genesis 47 20 Context
Genesis chapter 47 depicts the final stages of the great famine that gripped the land, during which Joseph continued to administer Pharaoh's granaries. Having first exchanged grain for money (v.14-15), then for livestock (v.16-17), Joseph faced a populace with nothing left but their bodies and their land (v.18-19). This verse directly follows the Egyptians' desperate plea for food, offering their fields and themselves in exchange for survival. Joseph's acquisition of the land for Pharaoh was the culminating step in his economic policy to manage the crisis, centralizing control over resources in return for life-sustaining provisions. It sets the stage for the permanent system of taxation on the land, described in the verses that follow, cementing a new socio-economic order in Egypt.
Genesis 47 20 Word analysis
- So Joseph bought: "bought" (וַיִּקֶן, vayyíqen) signifies a legitimate transaction or purchase. This was not a forceful seizure but an exchange born of dire necessity. Joseph's actions ensured the people's survival by taking their only remaining assets in payment for grain, rather than letting them starve.
- all the land of Egypt: (כָּל־אַדְמַת מִצְרַיִם, kol-admat Mitsráyim) This emphasizes the totality and completeness of the transaction. "Land" (adamah) specifically refers to the agricultural ground, the productive asset. This implies a significant restructuring of Egypt's entire agrarian system, removing private ownership.
- for Pharaoh: Joseph acted as an agent for the state, represented by Pharaoh. This highlights the consolidation of national wealth and power under the sovereign, making Pharaoh the single greatest landowner. This centralization of assets enabled the long-term collection of the one-fifth tax described later.
- for every Egyptian: (מִמִּצְרַיִם, mimítsrayim - lit. "from Egypt") Indicates that the sale of land was widespread, affecting the common populace. It underscores the universal severity of the famine, impacting every household and farmer equally.
- sold his field: (מָכַר שָׂדֵהוּ, makhar sádehú) Confirms the pre-existing system of private land ownership. People possessed individual "fields" which were their means of livelihood. Selling their fields meant giving up their future independence for immediate survival. This was a forced transaction driven by overwhelming necessity.
- because the famine was severe upon them: (כִּֽי־חָזַק הָרָעָב עֲלֵיהֶם, ki-chazaq hara'av alehem) "Severe" (chazaq) meaning strong, intense, overwhelming. This phrase provides the ultimate justification and compelling force behind the land sales. It removes any sense of malicious intent from Joseph, depicting his actions as a necessary and logical response to a profound national crisis, where saving lives was paramount.
- So the land became Pharaoh's: (וַתְּהִי הָאָרֶץ לְפַרְעֹה, vat'hi ha'árets l'far'óh) A conclusive statement affirming the outcome. This established a new paradigm in Egyptian land ownership, directly leading to the taxation system described in subsequent verses. This structural change positioned Pharaoh as an absolute monarch not just in name, but also economically, wielding unparalleled control over his subjects.
Genesis 47 20 Bonus section
The system established by Joseph had enduring effects, shaping Egyptian society for centuries. The memory of the "fifth part" tax (Gen 47:26) indicates its long-term application. This centralization of land and power, while initially beneficial for national survival, eventually contributed to an institutional system capable of exerting strong control over its populace, as would later be experienced by the descendants of Jacob during their bondage in Egypt. Joseph's policy demonstrates a practical approach to crisis management that prioritizes human life at the expense of individual property rights, contrasting with God's ultimate desire for His people to possess their land as a heritage from Him.
Genesis 47 20 Commentary
Genesis 47:20 is a pivotal moment in the famine narrative, showcasing Joseph's continued administrative genius under divine wisdom, but also revealing the profound social and economic transformation of Egypt. Facing complete desolation, the Egyptians gave up their last material possession—their land—to preserve their lives. Joseph facilitated this massive land transfer to Pharaoh, effectively turning all citizens into tenant farmers on royal land. This act, while preserving life, stripped the Egyptian populace of their economic independence and centralized an unprecedented amount of wealth and power under Pharaoh.
This system solidified Pharaoh's dominion and enabled the long-standing taxation structure where one-fifth of the produce would go to the crown. It highlights a key difference between the socio-economic models of Egypt and later Israel, where God’s law, particularly the jubilee year, protected land tenure and family inheritance (Lev 25), reflecting a view of God as the ultimate owner of the land. In Egypt, life took precedence over land ownership during the famine, demonstrating a stark pragmatic approach to survival under crisis, which ultimately benefitted both the crown and the populace. The system Joseph established saved lives and laid a foundation for future prosperity, albeit under a new order of centralized authority.