Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
- BSB Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land.
- NKJV Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.
- NASB Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, today I have purchased you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land.
- NLT 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joseph tells the people they now belong to Pharaoh and gives them seed to sow. He provides the means for them to begin again.
Overview
Having bought the people and land, Joseph supplies seed so the fields can be replanted as the famine eases. His provision looks beyond mere survival to renewed productivity and hope. This grace toward a needy people, giving them not only bread but a future, reflects God's generous care for those who depend on Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 41:27And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
- Ps 107:36–37And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
- Isa 28:24–25Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
- Isa 55:10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
- Matt 24:45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
- Gen 45:6For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
- Prov 12:11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
- Prov 13:23Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
- 2 Cor 9:10Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
- Ps 112:5A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
- Eccl 11:6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
- Ps 41:1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
- Prov 11:26He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 47:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.