The Meaning of Genesis 47:20 Explained

Genesis 47:20

KJV: And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

YLT: And Joseph buyeth all the ground of Egypt for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians have sold each his field, for the famine hath been severe upon them, and the land becometh Pharaoh's;

Darby: And Joseph bought all the soil of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them; and the land became Pharaoh's.

ASV: So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them: and the land became Pharaoh's.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joseph  bought  all the land  of Egypt  for Pharaoh;  for the Egyptians  sold  every man  his field,  because the famine  prevailed  over them: so the land  became Pharaoh's. 

What does Genesis 47:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 47:13-26 - Egyptians Saved In Famine
The slender stores of the Egyptians were soon exhausted, and had it not been for Joseph the streets would have been filled with the dying and dead. His Egyptian name means "the savior of the world;" and the confession of the Egyptians proved how true it was: "Thou hast saved our lives." How closely the parallel holds! Joseph rose from the pit and the prison to save his brethren as well as the myriads of his adopted fellow-countrymen: Jesus rose from the grave to be a Prince and a Savior. Joseph's bread cost him nothing, while Jesus gave us that which cost him Calvary. Joseph sold his corn for money; our Lord gave himself without money or price. You may go to Him without reluctance, though your sack is empty and you have no money in your hand; but He will give and give again, without stint. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 47

1  Joseph presents his father, and five of his brothers before Pharaoh
11  He gives them habitation and maintenance
13  He gets the Egyptian's money;
16  their cattle;
18  and their lands, except the priests', to Pharaoh
23  He restores the land for a fifth
28  Jacob's age
29  He swears Joseph to bury him with his fathers

What do the individual words in Genesis 47:20 mean?

And bought Joseph - all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for sold Egypt every man his field because was severe upon them the famine So became the land unto Pharaoh
וַיִּ֨קֶן יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־ כָּל־ אַדְמַ֤ת מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה כִּֽי־ מָכְר֤וּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֵ֔הוּ כִּֽי־ חָזַ֥ק עֲלֵהֶ֖ם הָרָעָ֑ב וַתְּהִ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לְפַרְעֹֽה

וַיִּ֨קֶן  And  bought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.
יוֹסֵ֜ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַדְמַ֤ת  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לְפַרְעֹ֔ה  for  Pharaoh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
מָכְר֤וּ  sold 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
אִ֣ישׁ  every  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
שָׂדֵ֔הוּ  his  field 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חָזַ֥ק  was  severe 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
עֲלֵהֶ֖ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָרָעָ֑ב  the  famine 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
וַתְּהִ֥י  So  became 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לְפַרְעֹֽה  unto  Pharaoh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 47:20?

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