Genesis 46:32
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh: ‘My brothers and my father’s household from the land of Canaan have come to me.
The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
33 When Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’
34 you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
- KJV
- And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
- WEB
- These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’
- ASV
- and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
- DARBY
- and the men are shepherds, for they have been occupied with cattle; and they have brought their sheep, and their cattle, and all that they have.
- BLB
- And the men are shedherds of sheep, for they have been men of livestock; and their flocks and their herds and all that [is] theirs, they have brought.’
- ÅB
- Og mennene er fehyrder, de er folk som driver feavl, og sitt småfe og sitt storfe og alt det de eier, har de hatt med seg hit.
- OTB
- Mennene er gjetere; de har drevet med buskap, og de har tatt med seg sine flokker, hjorder og alt de eier.'
- B1930
- Og mennene er fehyrder, de er folk som driver feavl, og sitt småfe og sitt storfe og alt det de eier, har de hatt med sig hit.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 47:3
“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
Read in contextExodus 3:1
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Read in contextIsaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
Read in contextPsalms 78:70–72
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
Read in contextGenesis 4:2
Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
Read in contextGenesis 46:34
you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
Read in contextGenesis 31:18
and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.
Read in contextZechariah 13:5
He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’
Read in context