Genesis 47:4
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Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
When Joseph had announced to Pharaoh the arrival of his relations in Goshen, he presented five out of the whole number of his brethren (אחיו מקצה; on קצה see Gen 19:4) to the king.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have instances, I. Of Joseph's kindness and affection to his relations, presenting his brethren first and then his father to Pharaoh (Gen 47:1-10), settling them in Goshen, and providing for them there (Gen 47:11, Gen 47:12), and paying his respects to his father when he sent for him (Gen 47:27-31). II. Of Joseph's justice between prince and people in a very critical affair, selling Pharaoh's corn to his subjects with reasonable profits to Pharaoh, and yet without any wrong to them (Gen 47:13, etc.). Thus he approved himself wise and good, both in his private and in his public capacity.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
Now the famine was still severe in the land.
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
For this is what the Lord GOD says: “At first My people went down to Egypt to live, then Assyria oppressed them without cause.
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.