Genesis 47 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Genesis 47

WHEN:

• Joseph was 30 years old when he became a ruler of Egypt (approx.. 1715 B.C.).

• Jacob’s family moved to Egypt in the 2nd year of the 7-year famine (approx. 1706 B.C.).  

• The famine lasted from approximately 1708-1701 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Joseph – Jacob’s son with Rachel. In this chapter, he was the second most powerful man in Egypt.

• Joseph’s Brothers – Jacob had 11 sons, besides Joseph, with his 4 wives.   

• Pharaoh – The king of Egypt.

• Jacob – The grandson of Abraham and the father of Joseph and his 11 brothers. God changed his name to Israel.

• The People of Egypt – They sold their possessions and land to Pharaoh to buy food during the 7 year famine.

WHERE:

• After finding out Joseph was alive, Jacob moved his family from Canaan to Goshen, which was in Egypt.

OUTLINE:

• JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS FATHER AND BROTHERS TO PHARAOH (47:1-12):

  • Joseph took 5 of his brothers and brought them before Pharaoh.

  • Pharaoh asked them their occupation and they told him they were shepherds.

  • They told him they wanted to live in Goshen because there were no pastures left in Canaan on account of the famine.

  • Pharaoh gave them permission to settle in the best of the land.

  • Then Joseph presented his father to Pharaoh and Jacob blessed him.

  • Jacob was 130 years old.

  • After meeting Pharaoh, Jacob’s family made their home in Goshen and Joseph provided them with food from his storehouses.

• THE EGYPTIANS SELL THEIR LAND TO PHARAOH FOR FOOD (47:13-27):

  • The famine was very severe, and it wasn’t long before the citizens of Egypt and Canaan had given all their money to Joseph to buy food.

  • When they ran out of money, they went to Joseph and asked him to give them more food.

  • Joseph told them he would accept livestock as payment for food.

  • When they ran out of livestock, they went to Joseph again and asked him to give them food.

  • Joseph told them he would sell them food in exchange for their land and their service to Pharaoh.

  • They agreed and Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh.

  • Joseph gave them seed to grow crops but required 1/5 of their harvest to be given to Pharaoh.

• JACOB’S BURIAL REQUEST (47:28-31):

  • Jacob’s family settled in Goshen and “gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.”

  • When Jacob sensed the time of his death drawing near, he called Joseph and made him swear an oath not to bury his body in Egypt, but to bury it in Canaan.

  • Joseph swore the oath to his father.

  • Jacob lived 147 years. He lived in Egypt for 17 years.  

APPLICATION:

• The Bible writers constantly remind us it is God who permits countries to flourish and prosper and God who humbles them and brings them low.

• The story of Joseph, Pharaoh, and Egypt is a prime example.

• Egypt became extremely wealthy during the 7-year famine, but the credit belonged to God.

• Without God revealing the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream to Joseph, Egypt would have been just as destitute as all the other nations.

• He blessed Egypt because He had a role for them to play in His story.

• God is still providentially working among the countries of the world, blessing some with success and humbling others as His story continues.