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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 47:13-26

Care being taken of Jacob and his family, the preservation of which was especially designed by Providence in Joseph's advancement, an account is now given of the saving of the kingdom of Egypt too from ruin; for God is King of nations as well as King of saints, and provideth food for all flesh. Joseph now returns to the management of that great trust which Pharaoh had lodged in his hand. It would have been pleasing enough to him to have gone and lived with his father and brethren in Goshen;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:19

Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land ?.... Beholding their miserable condition, and not helping them; die they must unless they had bread to eat, and their land die also if they had not seed to sow; that is, would become desolate, as the Septuagint version renders it; so Ben Melech observes, that land which is desolate is as if it was dead, because it produces neither grass nor fruit, whereas when it does it looks lively and cheerful: buy us and our land for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:20

And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh ,.... Not for himself, nor did he entail it on his posterity, but for Pharaoh, who became sole proprietor of it: for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them ; everyone that had a field sold it to buy bread for his family, so great was the famine; no mention is made of their houses, either because these went with their lands, or they were so mean that they were of little account, and would scarce... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:21

And as for the people, he removed them ,.... From the places where they dwelt, that it might appear they had no more property there, and might forget it, and be more willing to pay rent elsewhere; and their posterity hereafter could have no notion of its being theirs, or plead prescription; and besides, by such a removal and separation of the inhabitants of cities, some to one place, and some to another, sedition and mutiny might be prevented: he had them to cities, from one end of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:22

Only the land of the priests bought he not ,.... Not from any special affection for them, or any superstitious veneration of them, which can never be thought of so good a man, but for a reason following, which shows they had no need to sell them: for the priests had a portion assigned them , by Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them ; they had a certain allowance by the day of provision granted them, on which they lived; so Herodotus says F9 Euterpe, sive, l. 2.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:23

Then Joseph said unto the people ,.... After he had bought their land, and before the removal of them to distant parts: behold, I have bought you this day, and your land, for Pharaoh : which he observes to them, that they might take notice of it, and confirm it, or object if they had anything to say to the contrary: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land : by which it should seem that they were not removed from the spot where they lived, but retained their own land... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:19

Buy us and our land for bread - In times of famine in Hindostan, thousands of children have been sold to prevent their perishing. In the Burman empire the sale of whole families to discharge debts is very common - Ward's Customs. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:21

And as for the people, he removed them to cities - It is very likely that Joseph was influenced by no political motive in removing the people to the cities, but merely by a motive of humanity and prudence. As the corn was laid up in the cities he found it more convenient to bring them to the place where they might be conveniently fed; each being within the reach of an easy distribution. Thus then the country which could afford no sustenance was abandoned for the time being, that the people... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:22

The land of the priests bought he not - From this verse it is natural to infer that whatever the religion of Egypt was, it was established by law and supported by the state. Hence when Joseph bought all the lands of the Egyptians for Pharaoh, he bought not the land of the priests, for that was a portion assigned them by Pharaoh; and they did eat - did live on, that portion. This is the earliest account we have of an established religion supported by the state. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:23

I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh - It fully appears that the kingdom of Egypt was previously to the time of Joseph a very limited monarchy. The king had his estates; the priests had their lands; and the common people their patrimony independently of both. The land of Rameses or Goshen appears to have been the king's land, Genesis 47:11 . The priests had their lands, which they did not sell to Joseph, Genesis 47:22 , Genesis 47:26 ; and that the people had lands... read more

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