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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/genesis/47.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/genesis/47.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/genesis/47.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/genesis/47.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/genesis/47.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/genesis/47.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them to cities from <i>one</i> end of the borders of Egypt even to the <i>other</i> end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/genesis/47.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from <i>one</i> end of the borders of Egypt to the <i>other</i> end.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/genesis/47.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />As for the people, he relocated them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/genesis/47.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt&#8217s border to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/genesis/47.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/genesis/47.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/genesis/47.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />And as for the people, he relocated them [temporarily] to cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/genesis/47.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />and Joseph made the people servants from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/genesis/47.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />and Joseph moved the people to the cities from one end of Egypt to the other. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/genesis/47.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/genesis/47.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />and made everyone the king's slaves, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/genesis/47.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/genesis/47.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />All over Egypt Joseph moved the people to the cities.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/genesis/47.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Joseph made slaves of the people from one end of Egypt to the other. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/genesis/47.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Then Joseph transported the people to cities from one end of Egypt to the other. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/genesis/47.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/genesis/47.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Joseph made all the people slaves from one end of Egypt's border to the other end of it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/genesis/47.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />And as for the people, he subjugated them as slaves from one end of the border of Egypt to the other end of it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/genesis/47.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/genesis/47.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/genesis/47.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />as for the people, he has removed them to cities from the [one] end of the border of Egypt even to its [other] end.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/genesis/47.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> as to the people he hath removed them to cities from the one end of the border of Egypt even unto its other end.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/genesis/47.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And the people, he made them pass over to the cities from the extremity of the bounds of Egypt, and even to the extremity.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/genesis/47.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And all its people from one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/genesis/47.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />along with all of its people, from the newest borders of Egypt, even to its furthest limits,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/genesis/47.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />and the people were reduced to slavery, from one end of Egypt’s territory to the other.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/genesis/47.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />As for the people, he made slaves of them from one end of Egypt to the other.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/genesis/47.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them from town to town from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/genesis/47.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And he moved the people from town to town from one end of the border of Egypt and unto the other.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/genesis/47.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And as for the people, he removed them city by city, from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/genesis/47.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And he brought the people into bondage to him, for servants, from one extremity of Egypt to the other,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/genesis/47-21.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ehevn8iSgc?start=12438" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/genesis/47.htm">Joseph's Leadership During the Famine</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">20</span>So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s, <span class="reftext">21</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’eṯ- (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/5674.htm" title="5674: he·‘ĕ·ḇîr (V-Hifil-Perf-3ms) -- To pass over, through, or by, pass on. A primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition; specifically, to cover.">and Joseph reduced</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’ō·ṯōw (DirObjM:: 3ms) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/5971.htm" title="5971: hā·‘ām (Art:: N-ms) -- From amam; a people; specifically, a tribe; hence troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock.">the people</a> <a href="/hebrew/5892.htm" title="5892: le·‘ā·rîm (Prep-l, Art:: N-fp) -- Excitement. Or par; or ayar; from uwr a city in the widest sense.">to servitude</a> <a href="/hebrew/7097.htm" title="7097: miq·ṣêh (Prep-m:: N-msc) -- End, extremity. Or qetseh; from qatsah; an extremity.">from one end</a> <a href="/hebrew/1366.htm" title="1366: ḡə·ḇūl- (N-msc) -- Border, boundary, territory. Or gbul; from gabal; properly, a cord, i.e. a boundary; by extens. The territory inclosed."></a> <a href="/hebrew/4714.htm" title="4714: miṣ·ra·yim (N-proper-fs) -- A son of Ham, also his desc. and their country in N.W. Africa. Dual of matsowr; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt.">of Egypt</a> <a href="/hebrew/5704.htm" title="5704: wə·‘aḏ- (Conj-w:: Prep) -- As far as, even to, up to, until, while. Properly, the same as ad; as far as, whether of space or time or degree.">to</a> <a href="/hebrew/7097.htm" title="7097: qā·ṣê·hū (N-msc:: 3ms) -- End, extremity. Or qetseh; from qatsah; an extremity.">the other.</a> </span><span class="reftext">22</span>However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/1-11.htm">Exodus 1:11</a></span><br />So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/1-13.htm">Exodus 1:13-14</a></span><br />They worked the Israelites ruthlessly / and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/25-23.htm">Leviticus 25:23-24</a></span><br />The land must not be sold permanently, because it is Mine, and you are but foreigners and residents with Me. / Thus for every piece of property you possess, you must provide for the redemption of the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/25-39.htm">Leviticus 25:39-41</a></span><br />If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor. / Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. / Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/15-12.htm">Deuteronomy 15:12-15</a></span><br />If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free. / And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. / You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/28-68.htm">Deuteronomy 28:68</a></span><br />The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_samuel/8-11.htm">1 Samuel 8:11-17</a></span><br />He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots. / He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. / And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_kings/9-22.htm">1 Kings 9:22</a></span><br />But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slavery, because they were his men of war, his servants, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/17-6.htm">2 Kings 17:6</a></span><br />In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/25-11.htm">2 Kings 25:11</a></span><br />Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4-5</a></span><br />Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. / We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/5-13.htm">Isaiah 5:13</a></span><br />Therefore My people will go into exile for their lack of understanding; their dignitaries are starving and their masses are parched with thirst.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/34-13.htm">Jeremiah 34:13-14</a></span><br />“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying: / Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/30-12.htm">Ezekiel 30:12</a></span><br />I will make the streams dry up and sell the land to the wicked. By the hands of foreigners I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it. I, the LORD, have spoken.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/7-10.htm">Acts 7:10-11</a></span><br />and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household. / Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.</p><p class="hdg">A.</p><p class="hdg">to cities.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/41-48.htm">Genesis 41:48</a></b></br> And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which <i>was</i> round about every city, laid he up in the same.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/genesis/23-17.htm">Border</a> <a href="/genesis/23-17.htm">Borders</a> <a href="/genesis/41-48.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/genesis/44-13.htm">City</a> <a href="/genesis/47-20.htm">Egypt</a> <a href="/genesis/41-34.htm">Egypt's</a> <a href="/genesis/41-53.htm">End</a> <a href="/genesis/47-20.htm">Joseph</a> <a href="/genesis/43-30.htm">Moved</a> <a href="/2_peter/2-6.htm">Reduced</a> <a href="/genesis/38-19.htm">Removed</a> <a href="/genesis/47-19.htm">Servants</a> <a href="/galatians/5-1.htm">Servitude</a> <a href="/genesis/44-16.htm">Slaves</a> <a href="/genesis/45-16.htm">Thereof</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/49-13.htm">Border</a> <a href="/exodus/8-2.htm">Borders</a> <a href="/exodus/1-11.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/exodus/9-29.htm">City</a> <a href="/genesis/47-26.htm">Egypt</a> <a href="/exodus/10-7.htm">Egypt's</a> <a href="/genesis/49-1.htm">End</a> <a href="/genesis/47-23.htm">Joseph</a> <a href="/exodus/11-7.htm">Moved</a> <a href="/exodus/5-11.htm">Reduced</a> <a href="/genesis/48-12.htm">Removed</a> <a href="/genesis/47-25.htm">Servants</a> <a href="/1_kings/12-4.htm">Servitude</a> <a href="/genesis/47-25.htm">Slaves</a> <a href="/exodus/3-20.htm">Thereof</a><div class="vheading2">Genesis 47</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-1.htm">Joseph presents his father, and five of his brothers before Pharaoh.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">11. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-11.htm">He gives them habitation and maintenance.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-13.htm">He gets the Egyptian's money;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">16. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-16.htm">their cattle;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">18. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-18.htm">and their lands, except the priests', to Pharaoh.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">23. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-23.htm">He restores the land for a fifth.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">28. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-28.htm">Jacob's age.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">29. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/47-29.htm">He swears Joseph to bury him with his fathers.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/47.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/genesis/47.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>and Joseph reduced the people to servitude</b><br>In this context, Joseph's actions were a response to the severe famine that had struck Egypt and the surrounding regions. The people had exhausted their money and livestock to buy grain, and as a last resort, they offered themselves and their land to Pharaoh in exchange for food. This servitude was a form of indentured servitude rather than slavery, as the people retained some rights and were able to work the land. Joseph's management of the crisis reflects his wisdom and administrative skills, which were recognized by Pharaoh. This event also foreshadows the later enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, as seen in <a href="/exodus/1-8.htm">Exodus 1:8-14</a>, highlighting the cyclical nature of servitude and liberation in biblical history.<p><b>from one end of Egypt to the other</b><br>This phrase emphasizes the widespread impact of the famine and Joseph's policies across the entire nation of Egypt. Geographically, Egypt was a significant and powerful kingdom, stretching from the Nile Delta in the north to the cataracts of the Nile in the south. The phrase indicates that Joseph's actions affected all regions, demonstrating the centralization of power under Pharaoh's rule. Historically, Egypt was known for its agricultural wealth, primarily due to the Nile River, which made the famine particularly devastating. This centralization and control over resources can be seen as a type of Christ, who provides sustenance and salvation to all who come to Him, as seen in <a href="/john/6-35.htm">John 6:35</a>, where Jesus declares Himself the bread of life.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/j/joseph.htm">Joseph</a></b><br>The son of Jacob who rose to power in Egypt. He was responsible for managing the resources during the famine and made strategic decisions to ensure the survival of the people and the prosperity of Egypt.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/p/pharaoh.htm">Pharaoh</a></b><br>The ruler of Egypt who entrusted Joseph with the administration of the land during the famine. His authority allowed Joseph to implement significant changes in the land.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/e/egypt.htm">Egypt</a></b><br>The land where Joseph served as a high-ranking official. During the famine, Egypt became a central location for survival due to Joseph's foresight and management.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_people_of_egypt.htm">The People of Egypt</a></b><br>The citizens who were affected by the famine and were relocated by Joseph to various cities across Egypt as part of his administrative strategy.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/f/famine.htm">Famine</a></b><br>A severe shortage of food that affected Egypt and the surrounding regions, leading to Joseph's implementation of resource management and relocation strategies.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_in_leadership.htm">God's Sovereignty in Leadership</a></b><br>Joseph's ability to manage the crisis demonstrates how God can use individuals in positions of authority to fulfill His purposes. Believers can trust that God is in control, even in difficult circumstances.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/w/wise_stewardship.htm">Wise Stewardship</a></b><br>Joseph's actions during the famine highlight the importance of wise stewardship and planning. Christians are called to manage their resources responsibly and prepare for future challenges.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/a/adaptability_and_change.htm">Adaptability and Change</a></b><br>The relocation of the people shows the necessity of adaptability in times of crisis. Believers should be open to change and trust God's guidance in new situations.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/community_and_support.htm">Community and Support</a></b><br>Joseph's strategy ensured the survival of the Egyptian people, emphasizing the importance of community and mutual support. Christians are encouraged to support one another, especially in times of need.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_genesis_47.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 47</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_no_non-biblical_record_of_gen_47.htm">Why is there no clear non-biblical documentation of both a severe seven-year famine and the Hebrews thriving in Egypt (Genesis 47)?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_there_proof_of_joseph's_high_rank_in_egypt.htm">Is there archaeological proof that Joseph was elevated to such a high rank in Egypt as described in Genesis 47:1-6?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_brought_joseph_to_egypt.htm">Who brought Joseph to Egypt: the Ishmaelites who bought him (Genesis 37:28), the Midianites who sold him (Genesis 37:36), or his brothers who sold him (Genesis 45:4)?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'vagabond'_mean_in_the_bible.htm">What is Goshen's biblical significance?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/genesis/47.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(21) <span class= "bld">He removed them to cities.</span>--Joseph's object in this measure was most merciful. As the corn was stored up in the cities, the people would be sure of nourishment only if they were in the immediate neighbourhood of the food. As a consequence, possibly, of Joseph's policy, the number of cities in the Valley of the Nile became so enormous that Herodotus computes them at 20,000. Thus the people would not dwell at any distance from their lands, while it would be impossible for them to reside actually on their plots of ground, as these every year are overflowed by the Nile.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/genesis/47.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 21.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And as for the people, he removed them</span> - not enslaved them, converted them into serfs and bondmen to Pharaoh (LXX., Vulgate), but simply transferred them, caused them to pass over - <span class="cmt_word">to cities</span> - not from cities to cities, as if changing their populations (Onkelos, Rosenmüller, Kalisch), but either from the country districts to the towns (Targums Jonathan and Jerusalem, Lange, Schumann, Gerlach, Murphy), or according to the cities, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> in which the grain had been previously collected (Keil) - <span class="cmt_word">from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.</span> Not that the people were transported from one side of the country to the other as a high stroke of policy to complete their subjugation (Jarchi, Grotius, Rosenmüller, Kalisch, and others), but that throughout the land they were moved into the nearest cities, as a considerate and even merciful arrangement for the more efficiently supplying them with food (Calvin, Keil, Lange, Wordsworth, Speaker's Commentary). <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/genesis/47-21.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">and Joseph reduced</span><br /><span class="heb">הֶעֱבִ֥יר</span> <span class="translit">(he·‘ĕ·ḇîr)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5674.htm">Strong's 5674: </a> </span><span class="str2">To pass over, through, or by, pass on</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the people</span><br /><span class="heb">הָעָ֔ם</span> <span class="translit">(hā·‘ām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5971.htm">Strong's 5971: </a> </span><span class="str2">A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to servitude</span><br /><span class="heb">לֶעָרִ֑ים</span> <span class="translit">(le·‘ā·rîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5892.htm">Strong's 5892: </a> </span><span class="str2">Excitement</span><br /><br /><span class="word">from one end</span><br /><span class="heb">מִקְצֵ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(miq·ṣêh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7097.htm">Strong's 7097: </a> </span><span class="str2">End, extremity</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of Egypt</span><br /><span class="heb">מִצְרַ֖יִם</span> <span class="translit">(miṣ·ra·yim)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4714.htm">Strong's 4714: </a> </span><span class="str2">Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to</span><br /><span class="heb">וְעַד־</span> <span class="translit">(wə·‘aḏ-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5704.htm">Strong's 5704: </a> </span><span class="str2">As far as, even to, up to, until, while</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the other.</span><br /><span class="heb">קָצֵֽהוּ׃</span> <span class="translit">(qā·ṣê·hū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7097.htm">Strong's 7097: </a> </span><span class="str2">End, extremity</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/genesis/47-21.htm">Genesis 47:21 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/genesis/47-21.htm">OT Law: Genesis 47:21 As for the people he moved them (Gen. Ge Gn)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/genesis/47-20.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 47:20"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 47:20" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/genesis/47-22.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 47:22"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 47:22" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>