FACING FAMINE

BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTER 47:14-31

            A warm welcome to you from Daily Bread.  Today we’re joining Joseph in Egypt, and the seven years of famine are beginning to take its toll on the food supplies that Joseph had stored in the previous seven years of plenty. 

            Joseph took all the money that people paid Joseph for food to Pharaoh, and when everyone’s money was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and begged for more food.  Joseph said, If you have no money, trade your cattle for food.  So Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and flocks and herds and mules and it lasted the people for that year.

            They returned to Joseph again and said, It’s no secret that our money is gone and you have our herds.  There isn’t anything left but ourselves and our land.  Buy us and our land for bread and we’ll be servants to Pharaoh.  Give us seed, so we can plant and live and the land won’t be barren. 

            So Joseph bought the entire land of Egypt for Pharaoh.  He spread the people out from one end of Egypt to the other.  Only the priests and their land were not bought.  Joseph said to the people, Today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh.  I give you seed to plant in the land.  When it is harvested, you will give one fifth to Pharaoh and keep the rest for your own, for seed and for food for your households. 

            The Egyptians were grateful.  Joseph made it a law that Pharaoh get one fifth of their increase, except for the land of the priests only. 

             Joseph's Dad, Israel lived in the land of Goshen, and his family grew remarkably.  He lived in Egypt for seventeen years and the time was getting close for him to die.  He called Joseph and made him promise that he would not bury him in Egypt, but in the burying place of his father’s.  Joseph gave Israel his solemn promise.

            Now we all know from what we’ve read so far, that when a father died in those times, things seem to get very interesting.  Come back and join us again at Daily Bread, and see what’s in store. 

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