Departure From Egypt

Continuing a chronological Bible study with an order set forth by Skip Andrews:

(Exodus 12:40) Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.

In actuality, it was not 430 years that the Israelites had lived in Egypt, but it had been exactly 430 years since God first made His promise to Abraham.  The "sojourning" of the people who had most recently been in Egypt was their dwelling in a land that was not theirs until the fulfillment of God's promise. This was confirmed by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:17, when he said, "And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect."  The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, and others, expressed it the most succinctly:  "from Abraham's entrance into the promised land to the birth of Isaac, was 25 years; Isaac was 60 at the birth of Jacob; Jacob was 130 at his going into Egypt; where he and his children continued 215 years more; making in the whole 430 years."

(41) And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, on that very same day, it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. (42) It is a night to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt; this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

Incredibly, according to this scripture, it was 430 years to the day from the time God made His promise to Abraham that He would make him a great nation.  I can't prove it, but I will take this scripture at its marvelous word that it would be so intentional of God to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt on the anniversary of His promise to Abraham.  It was a night to be much observed and continually remembered throughout their generations as the night the Lord brought the children of Israel out from the land of Egypt.

Now the chronological order takes me to Numbers 33:

(Numbers 33:1) These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. (2) And Moses wrote their goings forth of their journeys by the commandment of the LORD; and these are their journeys according to their goings forth. (3) And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. (4) For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them; upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

This chapter of Numbers was written by Moses at the command of the Lord to be a record of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness.  These first verses tell how the journeys began; the children of Israel went out of the land of Egypt with their armies, suggesting their great numbers went out in an orderly fashion, under the command of Moses and Aaron.  It is said that the Israelites departed from Rameses, which will be confirmed when we return to the original history in Exodus.  They left in what was now the first month, Abib, on the fifteenth day, on the day after the first Passover.  They left boldly with their heads and hands held high in the sight of all the Egyptians, because the Egyptians were too busy burying their dead, their firstborn, whom the Lord of the Israelites had killed in judgment against their false gods.  Throughout all the plagues the Lord sent upon the Egyptians, their gods proved useless against the power of the Lord God of the Israelites.

(Exodus 12:37) And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot, besides children.

We were told repeatedly in scripture that the Israelites dwelled in the land of Goshen.  Here is confirmed in the original history that the children of Israel departed from Rameses, which according to Genesis 47:11, was a place in Goshen, or perhaps Goshen itself:  "And Joseph placed 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 commanded."  They journeyed first from Rameses to Succoth, which meant "booths", and had been named by Jacob in Genesis 33:17:  "And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth."  Ironically, it was the first place the Israelites camped, possibly in tents or booths.  What a vast army it was that left Rameses, 600,000 men, excluding children (and probably excluding women, as well)!  If the women and children were counted, it is not unreasonable to assume there could have been as many as two million people who departed Egypt.  No wonder Pharaoh fought so hard to keep them enslaved!

(Numbers 33:5) And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.

(Exodus 12:38) And a mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds, very much cattle.

Along with the 600,000 men who left Rameses on foot was a mixed multitude, which sounds like people other than children of Israel who chose to follow God's people.  You would hope they followed (and were allowed to follow) because they came to trust in the one true God of the Israelites, but as will be later pointed out, the "mixed multitude" would prove to be a snare to them (Numbers 11:4); so it is likely they left Egypt because their own country had just been laid waste by the plagues.  A great deal of livestock also came out of Egypt with the children of Israel.

(39) And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, nor had they prepared for themselves any provision.

Camping in Succoth, they baked unleavened cakes of the dough they had brought out of Egypt.  Interesting, the original word translated as "cakes", "uggah" literally meant "ashcake" and conjures up the picture of the people baking their cakes on top of the coals or in a pan on top of hot ashes.  Once again we are reminded they had to leave in a hurry and had no prepared provisions; they had only their livestock and their unleavened dough.

(Exodus 12:43) And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: there shall no stranger eat of it."

The Lord delivered to Moses and Aaron rules concerning how the Passover was to be observed.  No stranger was to eat of it.  The original words translated as "stranger" were "ben" and "nekar", which meant "son" and "foreign"; no son of a foreigner should eat of the Passover.

(44) “But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. (45) A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat of it."

However, every man's servant who had been bought with money and was therefore his "property", so to speak, once he had been circumcised, he was then allowed to eat of the Passover.  That was in keeping with what God had told Abraham back in Genesis 17:13, that any servant born in a man's house and any bought with his money needed to be circumcised, and that made him a true member of the family and entitled to all religious privileges.  However, continuing with verse 45, foreigners and hired servants were not allowed to eat of the Passover.  A different word was used for "foreigner" than was used for "stranger" in verse 43.  A "toshab", or "sojourner", denoted someone passing through for the purpose of travel or merchandise, but not someone who planned to stay.  No foreigner passing through, nor a son of a foreigner who had stayed, were allowed to eat of the Passover.  Nor could a hired servant, as opposed to one bought with money, eat of it.

(46) “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones."

Another rule of the Passover was that it was to be eaten within one household and not carried over to another household.  That was in keeping with the initial command in Exodus 12:3-4 to take a lamb according to the size of the household and if one lamb was too large for one household, then they were to share with their neighbors.  But once two households were brought together under one roof to eat the Passover, it was to be eaten there, and none of it carried outside.  No bones of the Passover lamb were to be broken.  I can't really see a reason why this was to be the case in this first Passover lamb other than the fact it is an exact picture of the perfect Lamb of God sacrifice whose bones were not to be broken when He was crucified.  Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible, suggested it might be because the Passover lamb was to be eaten in haste, and there was no time to cut and separate the bones, or break tender bones to get the marrow.  That could be, as other rituals of the Passover point to the haste of that first Passover night, but I do believe the fact that this first lamb was symbolic of the true perfect Passover Lamb of God, that alone provides the best explanation as to why no bones were to be broken.

(47) “All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. (48) And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land, for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. (49) One law shall be to him who is homeborn, and to the stranger that sojourns among you."

All the congregation of Israel was to observe the Passover.  When a stranger among them wished to keep the Passover, then he and all the males in his household had to be circumcised, and then he would be joined to the congregation of Israel as one born in the land would be, and would have the right to join in the Passover.  I found it interesting that Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, wrote, "This was a mortification to the Jews, and taught them that it was their dedication to God, not their descent from Abraham, that entitled them to their privileges. A sincere proselyte was as welcome to the passover as a native Israelite."  The law would be the same for the native Israelite and to the stranger who dwelt among the Israelites; the Israelites were circumcised at eight days, and any stranger who wished to keep the Passover would also be circumcised, along with all the males in his household, and all would keep the same rules of the Passover that have been previously discussed.

(50) Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. (51) And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
 
On this very first Passover of the Lord, the Israelites did as the Lord had commanded through Moses and Aaron.  It was the same day the Lord did as He had promised and brought the children of Israel out of Egypt as armies, in large orderly numbers marching with boldness, not in fear running for their lives.

(Exodus 13:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”

All the firstborn of man and beast were to be separated and set aside for the Lord; they were the Lord's.  Actually, all are the Lord's anyway, but the firstborn specifically had been saved from destruction as all the firstborn of the Egyptians had been killed.

(3) And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten."

After the Lord spoke to Moses, he went to the people and began by reminding them that this was the day the Lord Himself, by His mighty hand that wrought the miraculous plagues, had brought them out of bondage.  No leavened bread was to be eaten on this day in its annual remembrance.

(4) "This day you came out, in the month Abib. (5) And it shall be when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month."

The day they came out was in their new first month of Abib, which was about April, or even parts of our March and April.  Rather than an exact match to one of our present Gregorian calendar months, Abib represented the beginning of spring, when the tender young ears of corn and wheat began to ripen.  "Abib" meant "a young ear of grain" and was actually used to mean "ear(s)" in a couple of other places in the Bible. When the Lord brought them into the land of Canaan, now inhabited by several other nations of people, that wonderfully fertile land plentiful in all things, they were instructed to keep this annual service in that particular month.

(6) “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. (7) Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with you, nor shall there be leaven seen with you in all your quarters."

Moses went on to remind the people about how to keep the annual service of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord when they came to the land of Canaan.  For seven days they were to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day they would have a feast to the Lord.  Not only were they to eat unleavened bread for seven days, but no leavened bread should even be seen among them on their person or in any of their quarters.  I have read that the Jews took great care in searching out every corner of their houses to remove any leavened bread before the Passover.  The care and strictness of this command made sure that they really thought about what they were doing, and had another purpose indicated in the next verse:

(8) “And you shall show your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.’ (9) And it shall be for a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. (10) You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year."

One very important reason to keep a memorial with certain rules is that in performing the rituals it would provide an opportunity to teach the next generation about why they did the things they did because of what the Lord had done for them.  They were to keep the symbols of the first Passover at hand and the facts of it constantly on their minds so that they would be able to speak of it and teach with knowledge about how the Lord mightily brought them out of Egypt.  They were to keep the ordinance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread at this same time every year.

(11) “And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, (12) That you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, every firstborn that comes from a beast which you have; the males shall be the LORD’s."

Moses continued with further instructions from the Lord to the people.  When the Lord brought them into the land of the Canaanites as He had promised, they were to set apart to the Lord their firstborn.  Interestingly, the original word translated as "set apart" was "abar" and it meant "to pass over"!  The word has a multitude of applications and implications, but the primary definition is "pass over".  I find that fascinating!  The word translated as "open" was "peter" or "pitrah", and it specifically meant the first to open.  All that open the womb are the first ones to break through or open the womb for the first time.  All the firstborn of the Israelites, including the firstborn of their animals, specifically the firstborn males were to be the Lord's.  The Lord had passed over their firstborn when He sent the destroyer to kill all the firstborn in Egypt, and now they were to be set apart or passed over to the Lord.  All the firstborn were the Lord's, those He took away, and these He passed over and allowed to live, and now these should be dedicated to Him.

(13) "And every firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem."

It was only to be the firstborn of clean animals that was to be set apart for the Lord.  Therefore, the firstborn of a donkey was to be redeemed with a lamb in its place.  If it was not redeemed, maybe because they didn't have a lamb, it was to be destroyed.  The firstborn unclean animal was still the Lord's and was not to be used by the owner, but more than that, it was a perfect picture of those who are not redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God, who are destroyed.  The animals who were set apart for the Lord were sacrificed to Him, so obviously He would not have the firstborn sons of the Israelites sacrificed, so they, too, had to be redeemed.  I need to point out that instead of "sons", the KJV translated the original word "ben" as "children".  Usually, I trust the KJV to be a more accurate translation than the newer NKJV and NIV, etc. (see this post on an explanation why), but in this case the KJV used the word "children".  Although the word meant "sons" or "children" either one, its primary definition and the one obviously meant here is "sons".

(14) "And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (15) And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’"

Once again, an important aspect of all these instructions was that it provided an opportunity to teach the next generation so that the Israelites would never forget what the Lord had done for them in delivering them from bondage by Pharaoh.  Because the Lord had slain all the firstborn of Egypt, but had delivered the Israelites, including all their firstborn, they now gave back to the Lord their firstborn.  The animals were given in sacrifice to Lord, but sons were redeemed with lambs.

(16) "And it shall be for a sign on your hand and for frontlets between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

These instructions pertaining to setting aside the firstborn for the Lord, and especially the remembrance of the history that led to it, would be as signs on their hands and conspicuous ornaments on their foreheads, never to be forgotten.

(17) And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” (18) But God led the people around through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

Moses had stopped giving God's instructions to the people, and now scripture returned to God's leading of the people out of Egypt.  God purposely did not lead them through what apparently would have been the most likely route.  If they met the Philistines who likely would have hindered their passage, they probably would have wanted to retreat back to Egypt.  God was leading them away from temptation to cut and run.  What a beautiful example of God's higher purposes and actions because of His omniscience!  How many times do we question "Why me?" when things are a little more difficult than we think they ought to be, when in fact, God may be helping us to avoid a worse situation?  Even if it's not to avoid something we would consider worse, we can still be sure it is for our benefit.  Perhaps we need the experience and spiritual growth that will come from our situation; we certainly should learn that we can trust God in all circumstances.  God instead led His children through the wilderness by the Red Sea; and they went out "harnessed" or "arrayed as soldiers", that is, not secretly, but marching out in an orderly fashion.

(19) And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.” (20) And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, as Joseph had taken an oath recorded in Genesis 50:25, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”  The children of Israel journeyed from Succoth, where they had first camped when they left Egypt.  They next camped in Etham, at the edge of the wilderness.

(Numbers 33:6) And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.

Chronologically, the verse in Numbers 33:6 relates to the same time and event as recorded in Exodus 13:20--the children of Israel left their first camp at Succoth and camped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness.

(Exodus 13:21) And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night. (22) He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

The Lord was now the Israelites' personal guide as He led them through the wilderness.  He was a cloud in the day which not only led them in the direction they were to go, but also shielded them from the hot scorching sun.  At night He was a pillar of fire which again led them, but also gave them light and warmth at night.  The pillars never left the people; they were their constant companions until they reached their promised land.  I have been fascinated to learn that the old commentators of the Bible believed that Jesus Christ was the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire in the wilderness.  They pointed to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:9, when he said, "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents."  That scripture referred to an incident that would occur while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.  Actually, when you consider the following that Christ was the Word of God, then I suppose every time the Lord spoke, Christ was present:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. - John 1:1-3

(Exodus 14:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea."

After they camped at Etham, the Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel to turn from their direct path and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea.  They were to position their camp opposite Baal Zephon.  A lot of ancient places are named here, which are difficult for me to understand and place, but God was being very specific in directing the people away from their path toward Horeb, the place previously appointed for serving God.  I believe the point is that God was leading them toward the Red Sea with no other way out but through the sea.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, wrote, "...but, instead of going forward, they are ordered to turn short off, on the right hand from Canaan, and to march towards the Red Sea. Where they were, at Etham, there was no sea in their way to obstruct their passage: but God himself orders them into straits, which might give them an assurance that when his purposes were served he would without fail bring them out of those straits."  God was positioning His people for another mighty miraculous deliverance.

(Numbers 33:7) And they moved from Etham and turned again to Pi Hahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon; and they camped before Migdol.

Chronologically, this verse in Numbers, chapter 33, confirmed that the people did just as the Lord told Moses to have them do.  The word and words used to signify "before" in the preceding verses doesn't always mean specifically "before they reached the place named"; the words can mean "before", "near", "beyond", "facing", any number of words expressing "near", so I have no doubt that this verse in Numbers states that the people did exactly as God had instructed.  I am quite certain they were about to be hemmed in on all sides when the enemy came at their backs and there was only the Red Sea before them, but that is for the next study.

Joseph's Justice Between Prince and People

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Genesis 47:1) Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.”

In the last chapter, Jacob and Joseph's brothers and all their families had come to Egypt, to the land of Goshen.  Joseph's hope was that his family could stay in Goshen, which was set apart from the Egyptians, and where they could continue to tend their flocks and herds, something that was an abomination to the Egyptians, a subject touched upon in the last blog post.  Joseph had now told Pharaoh about it, and indeed Pharaoh himself had sent wagons to bring Joseph's family to him.

(2) And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. (3) And Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.”

Joseph took five of his brothers to meet Pharaoh, and indeed he asked them their occupation, just as Joseph had told them he would.  Perhaps it was a question Pharaoh routinely asked of new potential settlers, wanting to know what advantage their trade might bring to his kingdom.  Joseph had previously prepared his brothers for this question and told them what to say, which was this honest answer.

(4) They said moreover to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, for your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan; now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

The brothers went on to ask Pharaoh if they might dwell in the land of Goshen since they had no pasture for their flocks in the land of Canaan because of the severe famine there.

(5) And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. (6) The land of Egypt is before you; have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if you know any competent men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle."

Not only did Pharaoh agree that Joseph's family should dwell in Goshen, but he offered jobs of taking care of his cattle to any competent men among Joseph's brothers.  This would indicate that even though foreign shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians, Pharaoh found some types of livestock useful, and desired competent men to take care of them.  However, the original word for "cattle" here is "miqneh", and it can mean "cattle" or "livestock", but also "possessions" or "property".  Although it most often referred to live property or possessions, if every shepherd was indeed an abomination to the Egyptians as Joseph had said, then perhaps it doesn't make a lot of sense that Pharaoh would offer his well-favored chief officer's brothers such a detestable lowly job.  Perhaps in this case the word does refer more to Pharaoh's personal property, and as Joseph was overseer of his country's concerns, he requested competent men among Joseph's brothers to be overseers of his domestic concerns.

(7) And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Joseph brought his father Jacob before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.  Can a man really bless another man?  Upon researching the original word used for "bless" here, I found it was "barak".  Oh, that is so very interesting, but in the case of Jacob blessing Pharaoh, Strong's says that it means to kneel, and by implication, that means to bless God, as an act of adoration; and God can bless man as a benefit.  Some of the other meanings of the word are "congratulate", "praise", "salute", or "thank".  Jacob may have knelt in prayer before Pharaoh and thanked God for Pharaoh's kindness to him and his family, and asked Him to bless Pharaoh with health and happiness, etc.

As a side note, other meanings of the word "barak" are "to bless oneself", "to be adored", or as a euphemism, it means "to curse God (or the king)" or "to blaspheme".  That's all I'm going to say about that.  Let's just say I am contemplating it in my heart.

(8) And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” (9) And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

It is interesting to note that Jacob calls his life a pilgrimage; he is but a stranger in this world traveling to his ultimate destination, his heavenly home.  "Few and evil" have been the days of his life; that is the same sentiment verbalized by Job, that man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.  Jacob had certainly seen his share of hardships, but I think any earthly life would have been considered short and evil compared to the glorious eternity that was waiting.  When Jacob spoke of his days not attaining to the days of his forefathers, I believe he merely meant the number of them.  He was an old man, aware that he was near the end of his life at 130 years of age.  His father Isaac had lived to 180 and his grandfather Abraham was 175.  Certainly all of those lived only a fraction of the time their fathers Adam and Noah and others before them had lived.

(10) And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. (11) And Joseph placed 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 commanded. (12) And Joseph nourished his father, and his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families.

Once again Jacob blessed Pharaoh, in like manner as before, surely wishing him well and thanking him for honor and favor.  Joseph placed his father and his brothers to dwell in the best of the land of Egypt in the land of Rameses.  Rameses was obviously in the land of Goshen and may be the same "treasure city" said to have been built by the Israelites for Pharaoh in Exodus 1:11.  Joseph was able to provide for his family during the great famine in the land.

(13) And there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. (14) And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. (15) And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”

The famine in the region was very severe and there came a time when Joseph had gathered up all the money in the lands of Egypt and Canaan because the people had been using all their money to buy food that Joseph had stored for this time.  When they had no more money for food, the Egyptians came to Joseph looking for food anyway, because otherwise they would die before his eyes.

(16) And Joseph said, “Give your cattle, and I will give you bread for your cattle, if money fails." (17) And they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys; and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.

Joseph devised a barter plan in which the people traded their livestock for food.  At first thought, it might seem cruel that the people had to give up all their livestock for food, but then again, if they had no food, they certainly couldn't feed their livestock.  This way the people paid for their food, and all the livestock was cared for at royal expense.

Once again we see that owning livestock was common among the Egyptians, so the idea explored previously that the Egyptians detested the Hebrews because they sacrificed the animals that the Egyptians held sacred doesn't seem likely.  If every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians, I believe it had to be that they detested foreign wandering shepherds that reminded them of the King-shepherds that had ravished their land.  They seemed to be pretty comfortable at this time with herds and flocks of animals that surely had to be tended, if not shepherded across the country.

(18) When that year was ended, they came to him the next year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is spent; my lord also has our herds of livestock; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. (19) Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land not be desolate.”

The people came to Joseph again when their food was gone and they had no more livestock to give in exchange for food.  This was the seventh year of the famine, and the people asked to trade their land and themselves for food.  Once they gave up their land, it made sense that they offered themselves in labor to till the land that now belonged to Pharaoh.  As this was the last year of the famine, all the vast land of Egypt would have to be tilled and planted and Pharaoh would have to have people to do it.  I think it's important to recognize that this particular plan was initiated by the people themselves.  Rather than them being forced into slavery, they were offering to work on land that no longer belonged to them in exchange for food.

(20) And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine prevailed over them; so the land became Pharaoh's. (21) And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end.

Every last Egyptian sold his land to Joseph for food.  Joseph was, of course, merely Pharaoh's agent, so all the land became Pharaoh's, and the people were moved off their lands and into the cities of Egypt.  Since all the provisions were stored in the cities and the people had no more livestock or land, I imagine this was the most logical solution.  When you think about it, Pharaoh may be seen as generous in giving the people a place to stay when they had sold their homes to him and were homeless.  Then again, as servants, I suppose they required servants' quarters and those were furnished to them.  Once again, although it may seem harsh to us, I believe the people were doing what they had to do to stay alive and were probably grateful to have food and a place to stay.

(22) Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had portions assigned to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their portions which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands.

Actually, not every last Egyptian sold his land, but as the scripture actually said, "every man of the Egyptians" sold his land, distinguished from the "priests of Egypt" who had no need to sell their land, because it had been formerly allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they received allotted portions of provisions and therefore had food to eat.

(23) Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh; look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. (24) And it shall come to pass in the increase that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh and four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”

Joseph told the people he had indeed bought all their land and the people themselves for Pharaoh, and that they would take seed he provided to them and sow the land for Pharaoh.  In the "increase", or yield or product of the seed, they were to give one-fifth back to Pharaoh, but were allowed to keep four-fifths for themselves and their families, for food and for replanting the fields.  It would seem that the people still lived on their farms to be able to do this.  It doesn't appear to be a uniform amount of seed that each person was given, but rather what was needed to sow the field, and one-fifth of whatever was harvested was given as a sort of tax to Pharaoh and the people kept the rest to feed their families and sow their land.  Perhaps the people were brought to the cities temporarily to reinforce the fact that their land was no longer theirs, but then returned to live on it to work it for Pharaoh.  We aren't really told the details of how it all worked, but it seems a fair plan since the people really no longer owned anything of their own.

(25) And they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.” (26) And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.

Verse 25 proves that the people did not feel forcibly enslaved by Pharaoh, but rather felt that their lives had been saved and they willingly worked for Pharaoh.  The fact that Joseph made it a law seems to indicate that it was a sort of enforceable tax that had been laid upon the people, but the people were also protected by that law and were ensured four-fifths of the fruits of their labor.  Joseph, as an agent of Pharaoh's, worked out a just plan that gave Pharaoh his payment for the stored food, but allowed the people to live and not be completely ruined.  Matthew Henry in his Commentary on the Whole Bible called this matter "Joseph's justice between prince and people".

(28) And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was one hundred and forty-seven years.

Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years; he came there when he was 130 and lived there till he died at 147.  Biblical scholars point out that Jacob cared for Joseph 17 years before he was taken from him, and now Joseph cared for his father 17 years, surely many more than Jacob ever expected as he saw himself as very old and ready to die right after he saw Joseph again.

I am following a chronological Bible study arranged by Skip Andrews, and he purposely skipped verse 27 and covered it at a slightly later time.  I'm not sure why, as both verse 27 and verse 28 speak of the totality of time Jacob spent in Egypt, but I will go with it.  I have given up questioning the order and continue to follow it as I don't want to miss any verses.

(29) And the time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; please do not bury me in Egypt, (30) But let me lie with my fathers, and you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” (31) And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

When the time drew near when Jacob knew he was going to die, he called Joseph and asked him to swear that he would not bury him in Egypt, but rather carry him out and bury him with his fathers.  Putting one's hand under the thigh of the person to whom he was swearing was a token of his subjection to the person to whom the first was swearing, of his willingness to serve the person in this request.  Jacob wanted to be buried in the land of Canaan with Isaac and Abraham, in their promised land.  Joseph swore to do what his father asked, and Jacob bowed himself on the head of his bed, surely in worship and thanksgiving to God.