GENESIS 47

 Verse 2 And from the pick of them he chose the most presentable ones.

Verse 4 Two verbs are used: one is temporary (sojourn) and the next is permanent (dwell).

Verses 5a-6b Some translations insert clauses from the Septuagint (early Greek translation) so as to make better sense of the conversation.

Verse 7 Jacob, although a mere herdsman, has no hesitation in pronouncing blessings on the king of Egypt.

Verse 9 There is a double meaning of “sojourn”: leading a nomadic life and the time between birth and death.

Few and evil: Even though he has obtained remarkable success in life, it has been bought with a price (threat of death from his brother, tricking his father, being exiled from his mother, forced into marriage with Leah, death of beloved Rachel, loss of Joseph, etc.) What price success? Jacob is asked a simple question, but uses the opportunity to remind Pharaoh that human life is short in light of eternity and that this world is not our true home. This is the first of a number of doublets, the meaning of which may be to stress the surety of God's purposes.

Verse 10 A believer has no reason to feel ashamed in the presence of the most exhalted ruler.

He will live seventeen more years, but still not as long as his ancestors.

Verse 11 This is a purposeful anachronism to remind the reader that Ramses later built this city with Israelite slave labor. “Land of Rameses” is actually a later name for the delta land.

Verse 14 Earthly success is not necessarily to be expected for a Christian businessman, but it is not incompatible with belief.

Verse 16 Implications today for a strong central government?

Verse 17 The mention of horses only fits the time of Hyksos and afterwards.

Verse 19-20 These facts are attested in Egyptian records, including the priestly exemptions.

Verse 21 should not be translated “into cities” but “from town to town.” The net effect would be to sever people's ties to their hereditary land and have them work different land at the pharaoh's discretion. OR “from the cities” because the people had moved into the towns to be nearer the granaries and needed to be moved back to work.

Verse 22 By not taking the land of the priests, they became the power behind the throne of the Pharaoh who did not know Joseph (Barnhouse), thus setting the stage for the great spiritual battle in Exodus.

Verse 25 People recognized that some curtailment of their freedom was a small price to pay for their welfare in troubled times (possible implications for the continuing health care debate?).

Verse 27 Just as Joseph was in the lap of Jacob for seventeen years before leaving, so Jacob is taken care of by Joseph for seventeen years before he dies.

Verse 29 This is the attested practice of taking an oath while holding the circumcised member (as reminder of covenant with God).

Verse 31 Hebrews 11:22-29 quotes from the Septuagint version of this text, which confuses “staff” with “bed.”

Fulfillment of Joseph's dream?