Joseph’s Family Settles in Goshen

Genesis 47:1–31
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

In this passage we see all the brothers with their families and their flocks and herds settling down in the land of Goshen. Joseph goes with five of his brothers to introduce them to Pharaoh (vv.  1-2). He asks them what they do for a living and they reply that they have been shepherds all their life but now their land has dried up and would he please allow them to live in Goshen (vv. 3-4). He welcomes them and gives them the best part of the land and he even gives some of the brothers oversight of his own livestock (vv. 5-6). He introduces Jacob to the king and the king asks him how old he is (vv. 7-8). Jacob told him he was 130 years old and blessed the king (vv. 9-10). He lived in Egypt for 17 years before he died (v. 28)). Joseph obeyed the king and gave his father and brothers the best land (v. 11). He also provided food for their families (v. 12).

The famine was bad in Egypt and Joseph sold the people the grain that was stored as long as they had money and then he took their animals as payment (vv. 13-17). After this they had no more animals to give so sold themselves as slaves and their land (vv. 18-22). “ Then Joseph gave them seed to plant and took one-fifth of their harvest for the king (vv. 23-26). The people of Israel prospered in the land of Goshen and had large families (v. 27). Before Jacob died at the age of 147 years (v. 28) he called his son Joseph in and made him promise that he would not bury him in Egypt but would take him back to Canaan, the land of promise, which showed that his heart was still in the place where God had directed him (vv. 29-31).

Application

What an example Jacob was in his blessing Pharaoh. Am I a blessing? When I come into the presence of people, do I bring them, a blessing from God? When I leave, do I leave a blessing.