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Genesis 47:19

Pharaoh

17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. Throughout that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the second year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord that our money is gone and all our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.

Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

20 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,

21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other.

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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
Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”
KJV
Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
WEB
Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.”
ASV
wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land be not desolate.
DARBY
Why should we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be bondmen to Pharaoh; and give seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land be not desolate.
BLB
Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we will be—we and our land—servants to Pharaoh. And give [us] seed, and we will live and not die, that the land will not be desolate.”
ÅB
Hvorfor skal vi gå til grunne for dine øyne, både vi og vår jord? Kjøp oss og vår jord for brød, så skal vi med vår jord være Faraos slaver; og gi oss såkorn, så vi kan leve og ikke skal dø, og jorden ikke legges øde.
OTB
Hvorfor skal vi omkomme foran dine øyne, både vi og vår jord? Kjøp oss og vår jord i bytte for mat, og vi vil bli faraos tjenere. Gi oss såkorn så vi kan leve og ikke dø, og så landet ikke blir øde.”
B1930
Hvorfor skal vi gå til grunne for dine øine, både vi og vår jord? Kjøp oss og vår jord for brød, så skal vi med vår jord være Faraos træler; og gi oss såkorn, så vi kan leve og ikke skal dø, og jorden ikke legges øde.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Nehemiah 5:2–3

    Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

    Read in context

  • Job 2:4

    “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.

    Read in context

  • Lamentations 1:11

    All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised.

    Read in context

  • Lamentations 5:9

    We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.

    Read in context

  • Lamentations 5:6

    We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

    Read in context

  • Matthew 16:26

    What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

    Read in context

  • Philippians 3:8–9

    More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

    Read in context