Category: Genesis

Genesis 47:27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

Israel knew that Egypt was not his home. Even though he lived there for 17 years, he did not want to be buried there after he died. Those facts have me pondering this morning.

Genesis 47:28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. 

Going to Egypt couldn’t have been easy. (Though, with starvation as the other option, it probably wasn’t as hard as I might think.) But God gave Israel everything he needed to thrive in Egypt for 17 years.

Genesis 47:29-30 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.” “I will do as you say,” he said.

Precious Savior, Thank You that when You call us, You equip us with what we need to do the work. Thank You that as long as we seek You, You can use us anywhere, even where we already are. Help us to understand when You are calling us to courage and change and when You are calling us to patiently wait. Thank You that You are with us always. Amen.

Genesis 47:31 “Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 

Commentary says very little, almost nothing, about this section of verses. But these verses have me thinking about planting, growing, and harvesting–all of which takes time, which brings us back to the motif of waiting again.

Genesis 47:24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

Joseph had to wait years after his brother sold him into slavery to be reconciled. He waited years after he helped the Pharaoh’s officials in jail to be remembered. We have spent almost a year plowing through the book of Genesis. And yet, all that waiting has brought us all closer to God.

Genesis 47:25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

Precious Savior, Waiting can be frustrating; however, if we seek You as we wait, if we read and study and seek, You will always draw us closer in the waiting. Thank You. If possible, help us to be more patient in the waiting. If not, help us at least remember that it is worth it, that You are drawing us closer. Amen.

Genesis 47:26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 

Commentary talks about how fair Joseph is with his taxes on the land (20% to Pharaoh of the total produced), but what sticks out to me is in verse 21: “Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other.”

Genesis 47:19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

Joseph did to the Egyptians exactly what was done to him: sold them into servitude. The circumstances are different (jealous brothers out to make a profit versus a shrewd manager of resources), but isn’t the end result the same? That bothers me.

Genesis 47:20-21 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. 

Precious Savior, Again I am left wondering what You are trying to show me here. Joseph’s behavior feels wrong, yet I know that You have used him powerfully in this story thus far. Help me, especially when I am confused, to keep reading, keep seeking, keep looking for You as I read Your scripture. I know You will bring me clarity or show me that You are with me even in my confusion. Thank You. Amen.

Genesis 47:22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 

Once again, I am at a loss as to what we should see in today’s scripture. Are we supposed to see the lengths folks will go to not to starve? When they run out of money, they give their livestock.

Genesis 47:15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

Are we supposed to see Joseph’s character? He is honest and trustworthy, giving all the money he collects to Pharaoh, not keeping any back for himself.

Genesis 47:16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” 

Precious Savior, Once again I am left wondering what You want me to see, to understand in today’s scripture. Yet I know that You are with me, even in my confusion. Thank You for meeting me here this morning. Thank You for spending time with me, even when I don’t understand. Amen.

Genesis 47:17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

Again with today’s verses I find myself wondering why we are still here. Joseph is now reconciled with his brothers and reunited with his father. They are settled in Egypt, safe from the famine and in a sheltered, separated place where they can grow as a people. So why are there still three chapters left in Genesis?

Genesis 47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 

The short answer, I think, is that the work’s not finished yet. What I’m not sure of is whether it’s work Joseph still needs to do–physically to save others from the famine? Mentally to fully forgive and reconcile with his brothers? Something else altogether?–or something different. Honestly, I have no idea; however, if I read, study, seek, I know God will give me wisdom to draw me closer to Him.

Genesis 47:12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I get antsy and want to be finished. Help me to breathe in Your grace and peace, to keep seeking and studying, to draw closer to You. Always. Amen.

Genesis 47:13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 

Now is the time when I hit (yet again) the “Are we *still* talking about Joseph?” point of the story. It feels like we have been talking about Joseph and his brothers for a very, very long time. And yet, we are still here. There must be a reason.

Genesis 47:2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

There has been more than once in my career where I was so miserable with the way things were that I prayed, “God, Open a door, any door, and I will walk through it. Clearly this is not where You want me.” And yet, no other doors opened, so I remained where I was. Sometimes, God says wait.

Genesis 47:3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?” “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.”

Precious Savior, It’s hard to be in a season of waiting. It’s tedious and boring and incredibly frustrating. And yet, just like Joseph and his brothers, sometimes that is exactly where You need us. Help us to remember always that You are with us in the waiting. Give us strength and hope as we wait. Amen.

Genesis 47:4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 46:15-17 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all. The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli. The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel. 

More genealogy. Yay. Interesting, with all this genealogy, I glazed over the most important lineage yesterday: the Messianic lineage of Judah.

Genesis 46:18-20 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all. The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.  

Judah, with all his faults and failings. Judah with all his growth…never perfect, yet perfectly suited to help fulfill God’s kingdom work.

Genesis 46:21-22 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all. 

Precious Savior, Thank You once again for the reminder that we do not have to be perfect to be useful in Your kingdom work. I will never reach perfection on this earth, so thank You for the understanding that I am still useful, still valuable to You. Amen.

Genesis 46:23-25 The son of Dan: Hushim. The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

Have a blessed day.