Genesis 47

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 So Joseph went and told Pharaoh, 'My father and brothers have arrived from Canaan with their flocksand cattle and al their possessions. Here they are, in the region of Goshen.'	1 And so Joseph entered and reported to Pharaoh, saying: “My father and brothers, their sheep and herds, and everything that they possess, have arrived from the land of Canaan. And behold, they stand together in the land of Goshen.”
2 He had taken five of his brothers, and he now presented them to Pharaoh.	2 Likewise, he stood in the sight of the king five men, the last of his brothers.
3 Pharaoh asked his brothers, 'What is your occupation?' and they gave Pharaoh the answer, 'Yourservants are shepherds, like our fathers before us.'	3 And he questioned them, “What do you have for work?” They responded: “Your servants are pastors of sheep, both we and our fathers.
4 They went on to tel Pharaoh, 'We have come to stay in this country for the time being, since there isno pasturage for your servants' flocks, Canaan being stricken with famine. So now please al ow your servants tosettle in the region of Goshen.'	4 We came to sojourn in your land, because there is no grass for the flocks of your servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Canaan. And we petition you that you may order us, your servants, to be in the land of Goshen.”
5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph,'They may stay in the region of Goshen, and if you know of any capablemen among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.' Jacob and his sons went to Egypt where Josephwas. Pharaoh king of Egypt heard about this and said to Joseph, 'Your father and brothers have come to you.	5 And so the king said to Joseph: “Your father and brothers have come to you.
6 The country of Egypt is open to you: settle your father and brothers in the best region.'	6 The land of Egypt is in your sight. Cause them to live in the best place, and deliver to them the land of Goshen. And if you know there to be industrious men among them, appoint these as foremen over my cattle.”
7 Joseph brought his father and presented him to Pharaoh. Jacob paid his respects to Pharaoh.	7 After this, Joseph brought in his father to the king, and he stood him in his sight. He blessed him,
8 Pharaoh asked Jacob, 'How many years have you lived?'	8 and he questioned him: “How many are the days of the years of your life?”
9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, 'The years of my stay on earth add up to one hundred and thirty years. Fewand unhappy my years have been, fal ing short of my ancestors' years in their stay on earth.'	9 He responded, “The days of my sojourn are one hundred and thirty years, few and unworthy, and they do not reach even to the days of the sojourning of my fathers.”
10 Jacob then took leave of Pharaoh and withdrew from his presence.	10 And blessing the king, he went outside.
11 Joseph then settled his father and brothers, giving them land holdings in Egypt, in the best part of thecountry, the region of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered.	11 Truly, Joseph gave his father and brothers a possession in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed.
12 Joseph provided his father, brothers and al his father's family with food, down to the least of them.	12 And he fed them, along with all his father’s house, providing portions of food to each one.
13 And on al the earth around there was now no food anywhere, for the famine had grown very severe,and Egypt and Canaan were both weak with hunger.	13 For in the whole world there was a lack of bread, and a famine had oppressed the land, most of all Egypt and Canaan,
14 Joseph accumulated al the money to be found in Egypt and Canaan, in exchange for the suppliesbeing handed out, and put the money in Pharaoh's palace.	14 from which he gathered together all the money for the grain that they bought, and he took it into the treasury of the king.
15 When al the money in Egypt and Canaan was exhausted, al the Egyptians came to Joseph,pleading, 'Give us food, unless you want us to die before your eyes! For our money has come to an end.'	15 And when the buyers had run out of money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: “Give us bread. Why should we die in your sight, lacking money?”
16 Joseph replied, 'Hand over your livestock and I shal issue you food in exchange for your livestock, ifyour money has come to an end.'	16 And he responded to them: “Bring me your cattle, and I will give food to you in exchange for them, if you do not have money.”
17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for horses andlivestock, whether sheep or cattle, and for donkeys. Thus he saw them through that year with food in exchangefor all their livestock.	17 And when they had brought them, he gave them food for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and donkeys. And he sustained them in that year in exchange for their cattle.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year, and said to him, 'We cannot hide it frommy lord: the truth is, our money has run out and the livestock is in my lord's possession. There is nothing left formy lord except our bodies and our land.	18 Likewise, they came the second year, and they said to him: “We will not conceal from our lord that our money is gone; likewise our cattle are gone. Neither are you unaware that we have nothing left but our bodies and our land.
19 If we and our land are not to perish, take us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our landwil become Pharaoh's serfs; only give us seed, so that we can survive and not die and the land not revert todesert!'	19 Therefore, why should you watch us die? Both we and our land will be yours. Buy us into royal servitude, but provide seed, lest by the dying off of cultivators the land be reduced to a wilderness.”
20 Thus Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, since one by one the Egyptians sold theirfields, so hard pressed were they by the famine; and the whole country passed into Pharaoh's possession,	20 Therefore, Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, each one selling his possessions because of the magnitude of the famine. And he subjected it to Pharaoh,
21 while the people he reduced to serfdom from one end of Egypt to the other.	21 along with all of its people, from the newest borders of Egypt, even to its furthest limits,
22 The only land he did not acquire belonged to the priests, for the priests received an al owance fromPharaoh and lived on the al owance that Pharaoh gave them. Hence they had no need to sel their land.	22 except the land of the priests, which had been delivered to them by the king. To these also a portion of food was supplied out of the public storehouses, and, for this reason, they were not compelled to sell their possessions.
23 Then Joseph said to the people, 'This is how we stand: I have bought you out, with your land, onPharaoh's behalf. Here is seed for you to sow the land.	23 Therefore, Joseph said to the people: “So, as you discern, both you and your lands are possessed by Pharaoh; take seed and sow the fields,
24 But of the harvest you must give a fifth to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you can have for sowingyour fields, to provide food for yourselves and your households, and food for your children.'	24 so that you may be able to have grain. One fifth part you will give to the king; the remaining four I permit to you, as seed and as food for your families and children.
25 'You have saved our lives!' they replied. 'If it please my lord, we will become serfs to Pharaoh.'	25 And they responded: “Our health is in your hand; only let our lord look kindly upon us, and we will serve the king with gladness.”
26 So Joseph made a law, still in force today, as regards the soil of Egypt, that one-fifth should go toPharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not go to Pharaoh.	26 From that time, even to the present day, in the entire land of Egypt, the fifth part is turned over to the kings, and it has become like a law, except in the land of the priests, which was free from this condition.
27 Thus Israel settled in Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there; they were fruitfuland grew very numerous.	27 And so, Israel lived in Egypt, that is, in the land of Goshen, and he possessed it. And he increased and was multiplied exceedingly.
28 Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt; thus Jacob's total age came to a hundred and forty-sevenyears.	28 And he lived in it seventeen years. And all the days of his life that passed were one hundred and forty-seven years.
29 When Israel's time to die drew near he sent for his son Joseph and said to him, 'If you real y love me,place your hand under my thigh as pledge that you will act with faithful love towards me: do not bury me inEgypt!	29 And when he discerned that the day of his death was approaching, he called his son Joseph, and he said to him: “If I have found favor in your sight, place your hand under my thigh. And you shall show me mercy and truth, not to bury me in Egypt.
30 When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb.' 'I shal do asyou say,' he replied.	30 But I shall sleep with my fathers, and you will carry me from this land and bury me in the sepulcher of my ancestors.” And Joseph answered him, “I will do what you have ordered.”
31 'Swear to me,' he insisted. So he swore to him, and Israel sank back on the pil ow.	31 And he said, “Then swear it to me.” And as he was swearing, Israel adored God, turning to the head of his resting place.