Genesis 47: 1-12
Joseph had sent the wagons to carry his father and all his household to Egypt from Canaan, so he could take care of them, and make sure they didn't starve.
He had the authority, as the king's vizier, to determine where to let them live, and gave directions to Judah to lead them into the Goshen area of the land of Egypt.
(1) Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
Now Joseph is making everything legal and official, and informs the king that his family has arrived.
(2) He took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. (3) Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" So they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers." (4) They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen."
Then Joseph chooses five of his brothers to introduce them to the king, and they did what Joseph had told them to do, answering politely with their occupation as shepherds.
(5) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you. (6) The land of Egypt is at your disposal; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land, let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock."
Now Pharaoh is officially welcoming Joseph's family, and granting them as much property as they need in the very best district of his nation. Joseph is already the lord over the whole country, so he is granted to settle them in the most prosperous and lush part of the whole land. It's now legal and in the records.
And Pharaoh even tells Joseph to hire his family members who have the skills to manage Pharaoh's own herds and flocks. This is continuing God's blessing on Joseph that everything he does succeeds.
(7) Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Now Joseph introduces Pharaoh to his father Jacob, and Israel gives a blessing over the king. It is always the greater who blesses the lessor, and Jacob is obviously the elder of the two. And also, God has given Abraham His blessing with which to bless his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, so Israel has God's blessing to bless Pharaoh. Through this blessing, the whole world will ultimately be blessed (Genesis 18: 18).
(8) Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years have you lived?"
Pharaoh is impressed with his extreme age, and asks him how old he is.
(9) So Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning."
This sounds like he is not considering this long length of life to be anything to boast about, claiming that he's not famous for anything, and has not even attained what his ancestors have. Is this humility?
(10) And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from his presence.
We are told again that Jacob blessed Pharaoh, so he left him with a blessing, and probably never did come into his official presence again.
(11) So Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered.
Now everything is signed, sealed and delivered, to make their home in this beautiful, lush and safe land; the best of the whole nation, and the best in the whole world that God determined for them to have at this time. Now they will be able to grow in God's spiritual greenhouse, to multiply in numbers and maintain their faith to worship God.
(12) Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to their little ones.
Joseph was in charge of all the resources in the land, so he was able to provide for his extended family with all the grain and foods they would need, according to the size of each family; so everyone received enough; they all could prosper here.
There were still more years of famine ahead, but the children of Israel would not have to spend their resources to buy food, Joseph provided for them from the king.
Tomorrow we will see how Joseph dealt with the rest of the citizens of Egypt.
O my Father, You have told us this story so that we could see how you take care of all the details for us. The children of Israel were special in Egypt because they were Joseph's family, and Pharaoh appreciated and loved him. As long as this king's line were ruling in Egypt, the Hebrews were respected and honored.
Father, this was the greenhouse You prepared for Your chosen ones. You have moved Heaven and Earth to provide the safe, nurturing environment they needed to grow strong both physically and spiritually. And You gave them all the time they needed to do this in this protected space.
My Father, You always provide everything we need, whether it is physical, material, financial; or mental, psychological, emotional; or moral, ethical, and spiritual. You give us every advantage and opportunity to be healthy and do the right thing, every time. Please teach Your children that You have already given us everything we need to make the righteous and prosperous decisions, every time.
O Father, grow Your children, and grow Your family, as You grew Israel in Goshen. Help us to seek Your face and to follow Your ways in all that we do in every area of life, whether at church or at home or at work or at leisure; when arising and retiring, going out and coming in. Send us out into the whole world, to tell every living person how much You love us all. Bring all of Your babies to the birth, and grow us all to maturity, to attain the full stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over the World and all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
