SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 22

ALL FOR LIFE

A TIME OF GREAT FAMINE

From Genesis 47

When Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt, Joseph told Pharaoh. [My father and brothers have arrived in Goshen from the land of Canaan,] he said. [They have come with their flocks and herds and all that they have and wish to live permanently in Goshen.] Joseph brought five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. [What work do you do?] Pharaoh asked. [We are shepherds,] they answered, [as our ancestors were also. We wish to live here in Egypt, for the famine has destroyed our pastures. It is our desire to live in Goshen.] [You may put your father and brothers wherever you wish,] Pharaoh told Joseph. [They may settle in the best of our land. If you wish Goshen for them, let it be so. And if someone in your family is capable, let him tend my flocks also.] Joseph also presented his father to Pharaoh and Jacob blessed the king. [How long have you lived?] Pharaoh asked Jacob. [The years of my life on earth are a hundred and thirty,] Jacob answered. [But my ancestors lived longer than that.] Jacob blessed Pharaoh again and left. Then Joseph helped his brothers and his father settle in Goshen, in the Raamses section, which was the choicest land. He gave them the land as their own, as well as the food for all of the family, assigned according to the number of children in each family. Over all the land of Egypt, as well as the land of Canaan, the famine was severe, so there was no food for the people. As Joseph sold grain to the people of Egypt and Canaan, he gathered all of their money and placed it in Pharaoh’s palace. When their money was gone, the people still cried out for food. [Let us have food!] they cried. [Why should we starve because we have no money?] [If you have no money, give me your cattle in exchange for food,] Joseph replied. So that year the people exchanged their cattle for food. They brought their horses, flocks, herds and donkeys and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their animals. But the next year came and the people were out of food again. [Our money is gone and our animals are gone,] they said to Joseph. [What do we have except ourselves and our land? But why should we die before you and let our land become desolate? We will sell ourselves and our land to you for food and then we will serve Pharaoh. Do not let us starve. Give us seed to plant so that the land will not lie desolate.] Joseph bought the land throughout Egypt for Pharaoh, for the people exchanged it for food to eat during the famine. The people also sold themselves into Pharaoh’s service, so throughout the land the people moved into the cities. The priests were the only ones exempt from this land sale. Since their food was given to them by Pharaoh, they did not need to sell their land. [I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh,] Joseph told the people. [But I am giving you seed to plant. When you harvest your grain, you may keep four-fifths for yourselves and you will give one-fifth to Pharaoh. You will use your share to feed your families and plant your fields again.] [You have saved our lives,] the people said to Joseph. [If it pleases you, we will serve Pharaoh.] Joseph made it a law of the land that a fifth of the harvest should belong to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become his. During these years, the people of Israel lived in the land of Goshen and prospered and multiplied greatly. Jacob lived for seventeen years after he arrived in Goshen, so he was a hundred and forty-seven when he died. When Jacob realized that he was about to die, he called for Joseph. [If you honour me, place your hand under my thigh and swear that you will not bury me in Egypt, but with my ancestors. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me there.] [I will do as you ask,] said Joseph. [Swear this to me!] Jacob insisted. Joseph swore that he would do as his father had asked. Then Jacob bowed his head there on his bed.

COMMENTARY

SCRIBES IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Genesis traces great economic changes in Egypt to the time of Joseph. During the years of famine, the people of Egypt gave their wealth, their lands and themselves to Pharaoh in exchange for grain. In famine, grain meant life. The Egyptians gave their all for life. [Red tape] and [paper shuffling] are not recent problems of modern government. Centuries ago, the government of ancient Egypt kept many scribes busy recording the smallest event or amount. Any boy, even one of humble birth, could become a scribe if he was brought to the attention of the right officials and went to school. Study, which might begin when the boy was quite young, was long. Discipline was severe with frequent beatings. Depending on which school he attended, the young scribe began in one of many government departments, such as the [house of silver] or with the local governor. Some worked with mathematics, astronomy, or with the Egyptian religious literature; pyramid and coffin texts. A few of the most charming and talented scribes managed to become pharaoh’s secretaries.