Genesis 47:23

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

²² 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.

Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land.

²⁴ At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

²⁵ “You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

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: Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land.
KJV: Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
WEB: Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
ASV: Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
DARBY: And Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and sow the land.
BLB: And Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you⁺ this day, and your⁺ land, for Pharaoh. Behold, seed for you⁺, and you⁺ shall sow the land.

ÅB: Og Josef sa til folket: Nå har jeg kjøpt dere og deres jord til Farao; se, her har dere såkorn, tilså nå jorden!
OTB: Josef sa til folket: “I dag har jeg kjøpt dere og deres land for farao. Her er såkorn for dere til å så jorden.
B1930: Og Josef sa til folket: Nu har jeg kjøpt eder og eders jord til Farao; se, her har I såkorn, tilså nu jorden!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 55:10
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
Read in context
Isaiah 28:24–25
Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?
Read in context
Genesis 45:6
For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
Read in context
Psalms 112:5
It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
Read in context
Proverbs 12:11
The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
Read in context
Psalms 107:36–37
He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 9:10
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Read in context
Matthew 24:45
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
Read in context