-
†. Gen 47:14 . . Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be
found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for
the rations that were being procured, and Joseph brought the money
into Pharaoh's palace.
Some people accuse Joseph of profiteering; of exploiting the people's
hardship. But they fail to realize that he wasn't acting on his own. Joseph
answered to a higher authority: to Mr. Pharaoh. If Joseph had gone behind
Pharaoh's back and gave the Egyptians grain for free, then Joseph himself
would have been arrested and either put right back in prison or, worse,
gibbeted. Then who would his clan look to for representation with Pharaoh?
"it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1Cor 4:2)
The New Testament Greek word for "faithful" is pistos (pis-tos') which
means: trustworthy. Webster's defines "trustworthy" as worthy of
confidence; viz: dependable.
To be dependable implies looking out for your boss' best interests rather
than either your own or anybody else's. (cf. Luke 11:12-27)
†. Gen 47:15-17 . .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 used up. Then
bring your livestock; said Joseph. I will sell you grain in exchange
for your livestock, since your money is gone. So they brought their
livestock to Joseph, and he gave them grain in exchange for their
horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he
brought them through that year with grain in exchange for all their
livestock.
This is the very first mention of a horse in the Bible.
NOTE: Most Native Americans had never seen a horse until the Spanish
brought them here sometime around 1540. It's believed the Pueblo people
were the first to make good use of the horse; but not by choice. It was as
slaves and laborers on Spanish ranchos that they learned how. After the
Pueblo revolted, they became prosperous horse traders; and by that means
the Plains Indians obtained horses; which greatly improved their nomadic
way of life; and their tactics in warfare too.
The Old Testament Hebrew words for "horse" are cuwc (soos) and cuc
(soos); which means not only a horse (as leaping), but also a swallow (from
its flight style). Both swallows and horses are quite nimble; and of the two,
I'd say the swallows are more so. They can flit like bats when in pursuit of
winged insects.
Horses were the animal of choice for pulling chariots in ancient Egypt. (e.g.
Ex 14:9)
Putting horses on the list of saleable livestock indicates that even relatively
prosperous breeders were falling on hard times too, so that no matter
whether the Egyptians were rich or poor, the famine was effecting them all--
the rich have to eat too, just like everybody else; and money alone makes
poor nourishment. Here in America, when the last bit of arable land is finally
bulldozed for residential housing, and paved over for shopping centers, office
buildings, super highways, cemeteries, malls, light rails, factory sites and
warehouses: that's when we'll finally catch on that money isn't everything.
Only after the last tree is cut down,
The last of the water poisoned,
The last animal destroyed:
Only then will some realize
They cannot eat money.
- Cree Indian Prophecy -
†. Gen 47:18-19a . .The next year they came again and said: Our
money is gone, and our livestock are yours. We have nothing left but
our bodies and land. Why should we die right in front of you? Buy us
and our land in exchange for food; we will then become servants to
Pharaoh.
Joseph's plan had no intention of shackling the Egyptians in grinding poverty
and humiliation like the African slaves of America's pre civil war days.
Though they became Pharaoh's slaves, they also become share-croppers;
which is a very tolerable arrangement in comparison to slaves who are
permitted to keep none of the fruits of their labors. In effect then, the
Egyptians would actually be afforded the dignity of working for
compensation; and it was pretty generous too.
†. Gen 47:18-19b . . Just give us grain so that our lives may be
spared and so the land will not become empty and desolate.
They not only needed grain for food, but also enough to sow their fields in
anticipation of next season's crop. Whether the Egyptian populace at large
was aware of the famine's predicted duration can't be known for certain, but
farmers often sow even in famine years because who can tell if the weather
is going to change for the better or not. Joseph, of course, was privy to
knowledge of the famine's end, and I would think that he would surely share
that information with the delegations that negotiated with him in this matter.
†. Gen 47:20 . . So Joseph gained possession of all the farm land of
Egypt for Pharaoh, every Egyptian having sold his field because the
famine was too much for them; thus the land passed over to
Pharaoh.
It's reasonable to assume that Pharaoh's only interest would be what's
known as Egypt's so called "black" land; which is primarily the arable soil
located adjacent to the Nile's river banks and was at one time subject to
seasonal flooding; which replenished the soil with fresh deposits of silt each
year.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
†. Gen 47:14 . . Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be
found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for
the rations that were being procured, and Joseph brought the money
into Pharaoh's palace.
Some people accuse Joseph of profiteering; of exploiting the people's
hardship. But they fail to realize that he wasn't acting on his own. Joseph
answered to a higher authority: to Mr. Pharaoh. If Joseph had gone behind
Pharaoh's back and gave the Egyptians grain for free, then Joseph himself
would have been arrested and either put right back in prison or, worse,
gibbeted. Then who would his clan look to for representation with Pharaoh?
"it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1Cor 4:2)
The New Testament Greek word for "faithful" is pistos (pis-tos') which
means: trustworthy. Webster's defines "trustworthy" as worthy of
confidence; viz: dependable.
To be dependable implies looking out for your boss' best interests rather
than either your own or anybody else's. (cf. Luke 11:12-27)
†. Gen 47:15-17 . .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 used up. Then
bring your livestock; said Joseph. I will sell you grain in exchange
for your livestock, since your money is gone. So they brought their
livestock to Joseph, and he gave them grain in exchange for their
horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he
brought them through that year with grain in exchange for all their
livestock.
This is the very first mention of a horse in the Bible.
NOTE: Most Native Americans had never seen a horse until the Spanish
brought them here sometime around 1540. It's believed the Pueblo people
were the first to make good use of the horse; but not by choice. It was as
slaves and laborers on Spanish ranchos that they learned how. After the
Pueblo revolted, they became prosperous horse traders; and by that means
the Plains Indians obtained horses; which greatly improved their nomadic
way of life; and their tactics in warfare too.
The Old Testament Hebrew words for "horse" are cuwc (soos) and cuc
(soos); which means not only a horse (as leaping), but also a swallow (from
its flight style). Both swallows and horses are quite nimble; and of the two,
I'd say the swallows are more so. They can flit like bats when in pursuit of
winged insects.
Horses were the animal of choice for pulling chariots in ancient Egypt. (e.g.
Ex 14:9)
Putting horses on the list of saleable livestock indicates that even relatively
prosperous breeders were falling on hard times too, so that no matter
whether the Egyptians were rich or poor, the famine was effecting them all--
the rich have to eat too, just like everybody else; and money alone makes
poor nourishment. Here in America, when the last bit of arable land is finally
bulldozed for residential housing, and paved over for shopping centers, office
buildings, super highways, cemeteries, malls, light rails, factory sites and
warehouses: that's when we'll finally catch on that money isn't everything.
Only after the last tree is cut down,
The last of the water poisoned,
The last animal destroyed:
Only then will some realize
They cannot eat money.
- Cree Indian Prophecy -
†. Gen 47:18-19a . .The next year they came again and said: Our
money is gone, and our livestock are yours. We have nothing left but
our bodies and land. Why should we die right in front of you? Buy us
and our land in exchange for food; we will then become servants to
Pharaoh.
Joseph's plan had no intention of shackling the Egyptians in grinding poverty
and humiliation like the African slaves of America's pre civil war days.
Though they became Pharaoh's slaves, they also become share-croppers;
which is a very tolerable arrangement in comparison to slaves who are
permitted to keep none of the fruits of their labors. In effect then, the
Egyptians would actually be afforded the dignity of working for
compensation; and it was pretty generous too.
†. Gen 47:18-19b . . Just give us grain so that our lives may be
spared and so the land will not become empty and desolate.
They not only needed grain for food, but also enough to sow their fields in
anticipation of next season's crop. Whether the Egyptian populace at large
was aware of the famine's predicted duration can't be known for certain, but
farmers often sow even in famine years because who can tell if the weather
is going to change for the better or not. Joseph, of course, was privy to
knowledge of the famine's end, and I would think that he would surely share
that information with the delegations that negotiated with him in this matter.
†. Gen 47:20 . . So Joseph gained possession of all the farm land of
Egypt for Pharaoh, every Egyptian having sold his field because the
famine was too much for them; thus the land passed over to
Pharaoh.
It's reasonable to assume that Pharaoh's only interest would be what's
known as Egypt's so called "black" land; which is primarily the arable soil
located adjacent to the Nile's river banks and was at one time subject to
seasonal flooding; which replenished the soil with fresh deposits of silt each
year.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=