Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite." Psalm 147:5
Text: Genesis 47:1-31
DESPERATE TIMES
The money was gone. The livestock had been traded! What was there to trade with? The devastated Egyptians came to Joseph with their problems.
“We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone;
my lord also has our herds of livestock. 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 of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die,
that the land may not be desolate.”
GENESIS 47:18-19
This time round, it was the people who suggested that Joseph purchase both their lands and their bodies! This was just an indication of how desperate the times were in Egypt!
ANOTHER ASTUTE DECISION
Giving free bread was not the answer, so Joseph surmised. He took the Egyptians at their word!
“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.
and as for the people, he moved them into cities, from one end
of the borders of Egypt to the other end.”
GENESIS 47:20-21
Pharaoh now literally owned the entire land of Egypt! To Joseph’s great credit, he did not profit himself in the least! His focus was governing the land! In his wisdom, he began to build cities to house the people who flocked to him to purchase bread. The land could not be cultivated and so the people would need to be housed! Joseph now had added responsibilities! With the revenue he obtained he built new cities to house the many who fled from the famine-ravaged lands! Joseph had an unenviable job! To govern Egypt during the famine years must have been a great challenge!
WITH ONE EXCEPTION
Joseph respected the ancient tradition of Egypt! The priests were to be especially provided for! The lands they owned would not be affected! They would not need to sell their lands for food. Pharaoh made special provision for the priests. (Joseph had already done his part in providing for his father’s household. They would be especially cared for during the famine years).
“Only the land of the priests he did not buy;
for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh,
and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them;
therefore they did not sell their lands.”
GENESIS 47:22