Genesis 48:1-10

It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.’ Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine. Your issue, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance. As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem).”

Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.”

He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”

Jacob was old and got sick and when Joseph heard about it he came over with his two sons. The Bible doesn’t tell us why these events are together. I assume that Joseph wanted his father to bless his children before he died. It could also be that he wanted to encourage his father while he was sick.

When Joseph came over, Jacob seemed to be encouraged about it and sat up. He started talking about the fact that Joseph’s sons are included in his family and that God had promised to bless his family. He couldn’t tell who it was that was with Joseph and he had to ask. It’s kind of comical because he was talking about how important his grandchildren were to him and there they were. We find out in the next few verses that the reason that Jacob had to ask was that he couldn’t see well anymore.

Since the grandchildren were there, Jacob asked to bless them. Even while he was sick, Jacob was eager to bless Joseph’s foreign-born children and make them a part of his growing family.

Genesis 47:27-31

Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years. The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt, but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.”

He said, “I will do as you have said.”

He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.

God continued to live up to his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the Hebrews vastly grew in number. We see here that, although Jacob came to Egypt only two years into the famine, he ended up staying in Egypt for several years after as he watched his family get very large.

The land of Israel is obviously important in the Bible. We read here that Jacob made his son Joseph swear that he would be buried back in the land of his fathers. It is important that we understand the importance of the land of Israel because it directly relates to what is in the news today. It should not be a surprise that the Israelis think that all of the Biblical land of Israel is very important. God gave the land to the Jews. We should honor God and obey His word in this matter. No matter what we do, God will reclaim the land someday. It would be best for us to honor His will now and be on God’s good side.

Putting one’s hand under the thigh of another was a way of taking an oath at that time. It probably would not have been any stranger to them than raising our right hand is to us today.

Genesis 47:18-26

When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.”

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s. As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.”

They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.

There are many good leadership qualities that Joseph demonstrates in this passage. Notice that in what was probably the most horrible economy the world has ever seen, Joseph was hailed by those he ruled as the one who saved their lives. Look at the lengths Joseph went to in order to not provide any handouts. When there was no more money or livestock, Joseph took land and labor in place of money for food. He still did not give it out for nothing! Notice that the attitude of the people was very good toward Joseph.

God made us to be workers. In our souls we want to work because that is what we do. It would have been harmful to the people to get something for nothing and not get the satisfaction of working and eating what they worked for. Perhaps that’s what makes a Great Depression so depressing. We were made to work and when we can’t it harms our souls.

There is another thing that I found very interesting. Notice that in the worst of times, when the people had literally sold themselves to Pharaoh, they were only taxed 20%. I find this very insightful. Why do we, in a good time, among a “free” people, tolerate being taxed more than 45%? Why are we taxed on land that we supposedly own? Do our governments think that they can run an economy in a good time better than Joseph could rule Egypt in the worst of times? Why is the tax not a flat tax?

I see taxation limits for government here. First of all, combined government taxes should not exceed 20%. Notice that this is a specific example of taxation in a secular government. By these numbers, it would appear that many countries today are going against what God shows improves a good morale among the people and rebuilds healthy economies. It implies that there are far too many people getting income without working and far too much is already being taken from those who do work.

Genesis 47:13-17

There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.”

Joseph said, “Give me your livestock; and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.”

They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year.

This was not a good time to be a leader. The world was in the middle of a seven year famine. We read here that all of the money in Egypt was spent buying food from Pharaoh through Joseph. It’s is pretty remarkable that so much grain had been saved. Can you imagine what would have happened if Joseph hadn’t saved up that grain for seven years?

The Bible tells us that it is wise to prepare for bad times when we know that they are likely to come. Things don’t always go well in this damaged world of sin. We know from the very first few verses of the Bible that the reason that things get so bad is that we have corrupted the world by our sin. God is not to blame. We actually deserve bad things, but God is full of mercy. In this case, God was proving to Egypt that He was working through Joseph, the Hebrew.

We read here that Joseph never gave away any food. Did you notice that? It was probably a worse economy than the world had ever seen, but food was only exchanged for money or for livestock. This tells us that the way that many governments work today is wrong. There is no biblical excuse for taking money from some people and giving it to others for nothing. Not even when people are dying. Work must be exchanged for food. Notice, however, that Joseph was always willing to sell. He wasn’t hording, but was saving the people by finding ways that they could pay. Even among people in church this is a principle that must be obeyed.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 :

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”

Genesis 47:7-12

Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.

Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

One thing that stands out to me in this passage is what Jacob had to say about his life. We have had the privilege of reading about what happened during Jacob’s life. We know that Jacob deceived his own father and his brother, ended up running to a greedy uncle. After escaping from him, he endured the abuse of one of his daughters, the death of his wives, the loss of his favorite son, and finally a severe famine. In the process, however, Jacob slowly became acquainted with the God of his fathers. Here we learn that he realized that his life was short because of the evil in his days, and that his father’s life was better. Jacob became a man who blessed others. He used to be a man who tried to get the best deal. What a difference a relationship with God had on his life.

Another thing that stands out to me is the nice situation that the Hebrews found themselves in. They were given the best land during a time of trouble. They had nothing to worry about in what was probably the most prosperous place in the world. Unfortunately, we know that this story doesn’t end well. After a few years, we will find out that the Egyptians begin to force the Hebrews into slave labor. How could this happen? The reason that I find this so interesting is because I find myself in a land that is probably the most prosperous in the world. I am a Christian which means that I am a foreigner. What is it that causes God’s people to be come enslaved after enjoying such comfort? Perhaps God will make that clear to us as we read on.

Genesis 47:1-6

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.” From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”

It is interesting that the Bible gives some guidance here about how to find a good job in a bad time. It is clear that Joseph was a wise man and we see here that he and his brothers were able to find a way to make a living during what was probably the worst economy of all time. I didn’t see this at first but it was revealed to me through a comment that J. Vernon McGee said about this passage.

We already learned that the Egyptians had an aversion to taking care of sheep. We don’t see that they had any trouble eating sheep or using wool, however. The simple fact is, their prejudice against a specific kind of work, gave Joseph’s family a great opportunity. It so happened that they were willing and able to do what the Egyptians found quite distasteful. This is a great way to find good work in a hard time. All you have to do is look for things that people in that society frown on, but that God approves of. Then work hard to do it for other people who won’t do it for themselves. By making ourselves servants of others, we can actually help them and get an income. I don’t believe that we should become slaves of man, however. I do think that, for income, this is a very economical pattern to follow. It also show us that some people would nearly die for their prejudice and laziness rather than work or do something that hurts their pride.

It’s interesting to me that Joseph’s family ended up getting a pretty good government contract out of the situation. Not only did they get to live on good land, they were given the Pharaoh’s cattle to take care of as well.

Genesis 46:28-34

He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”

Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ It will happen, when Pharaoh summons you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’ that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

One of the most difficult things for me to deal with in this life is the persistent prejudicial attacks against innocent and hard working people. The Bible shows us that almost all of the greatest leaders were shepherds at one point, yet Satan has arranged it such that the occupation is seen as a low thing, even to this day. Jesus took advantage of the situation and called Himself “The Great Shepherd.” Still, people look down on those who herd goats and sheep. Jesus is not at all ashamed to be called a slave. He expects us to be slaves as well. This idea of promoting oneself at the expense of classes of others continues in other areas as well.

Some people look down on farming and agriculture altogether. In fact, I see evidence that some look down on anyone who does any kind of manual labor! This is simply ridiculous. Perhaps it is because they think of themselves as educated. People who think like this must be educated beyond their intelligence. There’s nothing wrong with education, but as King Solomon reminds us, it is only worth something if combined with good old hard work!

Proverbs 10:4 :

He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

It is a shame that, in order to survive, men who give their labor and even their lives for a country have to hide the truth to survive among those who oppress them. This
should not be. Suddenly, the Good Shepherd will return and things will be different.

John 10:11 :

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Revelation 20:12 :

Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.