Study From the Book of Genesis,47

Today we study chapter 47 of the Book of Genesis. There is one biblical principle and its lesson which I believe it is useful in biblical counselling.

Joseph’s plan worked. Pharaoh let Jacob’s family live in Goshen because the Egyptians detested shepherds. Goshen is an area in the Nile Delta that is well watered and ideally suited for the shepherd family of Jacob. The presentation of Joseph’s father before Pharaoh must have been a grand occasion. But surprisingly, Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh as the host might have thought of pronouncing a blessing on Jacob because of his admiration of Joseph. But instead, the visitor blessed the host in the name of the living God! Literally Jacob obeyed the God’s command to Abraham’s descendants to “be blessed, and a blessing to others.”

Pharaoh’s question suggests that the long ages of the patriarchal family were truly exceptional, even for this period. Jacob responded with humility and honesty. Jacob experienced sadness of evil as years of rivalry with his brother Esau and struggle with Laban. So, he had marked his early part of his life as evil. Now for long years he grieved the supposed death of his son Joseph. His 130 years were fewer than the 175 years of Abraham and the 180 years of Isaac. But his life was not over yet, he would live to the age of 147 and would die in Egypt.

As Joseph in charge of the distribution of food during the famine, he made sure that his family was well supplied. However, the famine was severe even in Egypt. So, the Egyptians gave all their silver to the state and the state power grew immensely to the point that  the Egyptians gave their cattle, their properties and even themselves in  the process of buying food to keep themselves alive. Canaan also continued to suffer from famine and bought food from Joseph. In this way the collective wealth of Cannan and Egypt went into Pharaoh’s treasury.

With the land and the Egyptians were now in the possession of the state, Joseph imposed a system of taxation on the people. On one hand,the state supplied the seed for planting, but the one-fifth of the proceeds became the property of Pharaoh. This became the standard practice in Egypt, but the people responded with gratitude because Joseph saved their lives. On the other hand, Jacob’s family did not have to sell their possessions in order to acquire food.  Since Joseph controlled all the supplies, he gave his family what they needed.

Structure:

Verses 1- 12: Jacob’s family settles in Goshen, continue,

Verses 13-26-; Joseph deals with the famine.

Verses 27-31: Joseph’s vow to Jacob.

Principle 76 verse 47:28: ----” And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, so the length of his life was one-hundred- and forty seven years.”

Lesson 76: Jacob might only want to see Joseph and die. However, God allowed his life to be extended for further 17 years to enjoy the joy and abundance of his family in Egypt even during the famine.  This is what God always does for us is to compensate for the hard evil time that we had been passing through. 9/8/2026.