“Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan. By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury. When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!” Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year. But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my Lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.” So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh. As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other. The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received an allotment of food directly from Pharaoh, so they didn’t need to sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields. Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.” “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my Lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.” Joseph then issued a decree still in effect in the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh should receive one-fifth of all the crops grown on his land. Only the land belonging to the priests was not given to Pharaoh. Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly. Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he lived 147 years in all. As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.” So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.” “Swear that you will do it,” Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed humbly at the head of his bed.”
Genesis 47:13-31 NLT
Egypt was a prosperous land. It was a land of innovation, technological advancements and culture. Yet it only took a few short years for the entirety of the land to be converted into a fealty. With only a few short years Joseph was able to quickly convert everything from public and private to state owned people and property. This is what happens to those without God. Curiously, the quick journey of Egypt mirrors the long journey of Joseph. When the Egyptians trusted Pharoah, in a time of despair, he quickly took advantage of them and they became slaves. They lost everything they had. Joseph trusted God when he was a slave with nothing, and he gained everything. Wisdom and fear of God is the deciding factor. Relying on it can take paupers and turn them into princes. But those who survive on their own wiles are also destroyed in its wake. The process is quick and doesn’t discriminate on anything but faith. As we finish out the story of Jacob and Joseph, and ultimately the nation of Israel, it is important to note that this trend toward prosperity from nothing, is the ever present trajectory, going all the way back from Abraham, who could have no children. God takes care of those who trust in him. He blesses those who have faith in him and follow him.
Egypt’s Transformation: Egypt, once a prosperous land, quickly became a feudal society under Joseph’s rule, highlighting the consequences of lacking God’s guidance, even when around godly people.
Joseph’s Journey: Joseph’s life exemplifies the contrast between trusting God and relying on personal abilities, showcasing the potential for both prosperity and destruction.
God’s Blessing: The narrative emphasizes God’s consistent pattern of blessing those who trust in Him, as seen in the lives of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph.
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