Genesis 47:20–22 (ESV)
Joseph and the Famine
20 So
Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he made servants of them
from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did
not sell their land.
We look at what Joseph is doing… taking all their money, land, and people
(as servants)… and ask “How can the people stand for this?” We today are hypersensitive to the issues of slavery because of our past history in America. I’m not proud of our past, but the slavery issue is not a new issue.
They children of Israel were held in slavery for four hundred years. Why were they held as slaves in Egypt? Well… it is starting in these readings that we are going through. The Pharaoh is giving Jacob (Israel) the royal treatment.
Jacob just moved his family to Egypt. The good times will fade away over the years. I like to think that Israel is living in the honeymoon stage of their long stay in Egypt.
I pray: O Lord, help me to keep my eyes focused on you in good times and bad. Amen.