Hello! Welcome to today’s bible study on Genesis 47 where we will read about Joseph handling the famine based on God’s guidance. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 47 took place in 1875 B.C. approximately.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 47 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 47. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 46, we read about God confirming His covenant with Jacob while he was journeying to Egypt, and Jacob and his family settling in Goshen. In this Bible study on Genesis 47, we will read about how Joseph handled the famine and Joseph’s vow to Jacob.
Backstory on Genesis 46
Jacob journeyed with his family and all his possessions to Beersheba. There, the Lord confirmed His covenant with Jacob, assuring him that He would go with him to Egypt and bring him back to Canaan when he died. Jacob and Joseph were reunited after more than thirteen years of separation.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 47, shall we?
Genesis 47 Summary
Joseph informed Pharaoh about the arrival of his family in Goshen, presenting five of his brothers before Pharaoh. Pharaoh inquired about their occupation, and they explained that they were shepherds who had come to the land due to a severe famine. They requested Pharaoh’s permission to settle in Goshen. Pharaoh instructed Joseph to allocate the best land in Goshen for his family and appoint a capable man from among his brothers as chief herdsman over his (Pharaoh’s) livestock.
Afterwards, Joseph introduced his 130-year-old father, Jacob, to Pharaoh, who then blessed Pharaoh. Joseph then ensured that his father and brothers were settled in Goshen in the land of Rameses, providing them with bread according to the size of their families.
The famine was so severe that there was no bread in the land of Egypt and Canaan. Joseph provided grain in exchange for money and brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. When the money failed, he provided bread for people in exchange for their livestock for an entire year. When people’s livestock ran out, they went to Joseph who then sold seed in exchange for their lands and moved the people to cities. He bought people’s land for Pharaoh.
He said that they have to give Pharaoh one fifth of their harvest because now their lands belonged to Pharaoh. Only the priests did not have to give one fifth to Pharaoh because their rations were given to them by Pharaoh himself and therefore they didn’t have to sell their lands for bread.
Jacob spent 17 years in Egypt and was 147 years old when he called Joseph to make him swear to bury him in Canaan with his fathers in Canaan. Joseph promised to bury him in Canaan with his grandfather and great grandfather namely Isaac and Abraham.
Genesis 47 Commentary
1. Genesis 47:1-6
Joseph told Pharaoh that his brothers were shepherds. When Pharaoh questioned them, they affirmed this and requested to stay in Goshen. The Jews did not mingle with the Egyptians, and vice versa. In Genesis 43:32, the Egyptians sat by themselves to eat, Joseph sat alone, and his brothers sat together in a separate area. The Egyptians did not associate with the Jews, as most of them had been brought to Egypt as slaves. Joseph was the only Jewish slave who was exalted in the eyes of Pharaoh by the hand of God.
Thus, using the excuse of being shepherds, they asked for a place in Goshen, following Joseph’s instructions. Joseph likely wanted his father and brothers to live safely, away from the Egyptians, in a region with pasture and good irrigation from the Nile.
Reflecting back on Genesis 43, it is also noteworthy that Joseph did not eat with the Egyptians. He remained faithful to the God of his fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—even while living in the land of Egypt under a Pharaoh who worshipped pagan gods, such as the sun and many others.
2. Genesis 47:11
Where was Goshen
Jacob and his sons lived in Goshen, located in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta. This area was ideal for pasturing sheep and flocks due to its proximity to the Nile.
Goshen also contained storage cities, namely Pithom and Rameses. Although the name Rameses later became associated with a Pharaoh, in this context, it was a regional Egyptian name and not related to the Pharaoh under whose rule Joseph served.
Who was the Pharaoh during Joseph’s time in Egypt?
One aspect I forgot to discuss during these bible studies was about the Pharaoh himself. Who was the Pharaoh who had the dreams and bestowed Joseph with the second-highest position in Egypt? It is widely believed that the Pharaoh under whom Joseph worked was Sesostris I (also called Senusret 1) of the 12th Dynasty of Egypt -the Middle Kingdom. He had a vizier, Mentuhotep, who was given charge of the entire land during his reign. Some biblical scholars associate Metuhotep with Joseph. However, in the Bible, it is mentioned that Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaaphnath-Paneah. Some other scholars suggest that this Pharaoh could have been Amenhotep III.
3. Genesis 47:13-22
Joseph managed the famine in Egypt with great wisdom, resulting in significant profit for Pharaoh. Joseph then relocated the people throughout Egypt, except for the priests. This would have certainly elevated Joseph’s position even more in Pharaoh’s eyes, as now all the wealth of the Egyptians also belonged to Pharaoh.
Who were the priests?
The pagan worship in Egypt had its own priests, with the sun god being the most widely revered deity during that period in which Joseph oversaw the famine. The Egyptians worshipped many deities for various purposes. Notably, Asenath, the daughter of a high priest, was given to Joseph as a wife by Pharaoh after Joseph interpreted his dreams with God’s wisdom. The high priests held some of the highest positions in Egypt, and by honoring Joseph—a Jew—Pharaoh chose to give him the daughter of an Egyptian priest. Although Joseph married Asenath and had two sons with her, he remained steadfast in his faith in the God of his forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
4. Genesis 47:29-30
Even though Jacob lived comfortably in Egypt under Joseph’s care and with all his sons, he did not forget about God and His covenant. He made Joseph swear to ensure that he would be buried in Canaan with his ancestors when he passed away as Egypt was only a temporary residence and it was not the promised land.
Genesis 47 Lessons
1. God preserves His own
God used Joseph’s suffering during slavery to ultimately benefit him, his father Jacob, and his brothers, along with their families. This was part of God’s plan to preserve His covenant people during a time of famine so that they wouldn’t perish from the famine. He knows how to care for His own and He preserves His own.
2. God uses man to solve problems with His wisdom
When God provides a solution to a problem, He uses a willing individual and fills them with His wisdom so that they can fulfill His purpose. It is because God loves to collaborate with us. We were not created to function in isolation; rather, we were designed to have fellowship with God and to work alongside Him. He desires to accomplish His goals on Earth through us.
For example, in this chapter of Genesis 47, God used Joseph to handle a severe famine, and Joseph followed God’s guidance. The wisdom with which Joseph managed the crisis was not merely his own; it was Godly wisdom. It’s inconceivable for anyone to tackle such a significant challenge without a team and counsel, but Joseph succeeded because God guided him.
3. We must hold on to God and His promises even when we are thriving
When Jacob was advanced in age and knew that his time of death was approaching, he called Joseph and made him swear an oath to bury him in Canaan. Canaan was the promised land given to him, his forefathers, and his descendants. Despite living well in Egypt, Jacob cared about where he would be buried after his death. He wanted to honor his covenant with God even after his death.
Often, when things are going well and breakthroughs occur, many people forget about God, who helped them. However, we must hold onto God and His promises at all times, not just when we face challenges.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 47. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with others. Also, share your thoughts about it and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Genesis 47. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
What are your thoughts about Genesis 47?
Until next time!