Genesis 47:13-19 ▼

13 Meanwhile, there continued to be no food throughout the land, because the famine remained very severe. As a result, both Egypt and Canaan languished under the effects of the famine.

14 So Joseph kept on accumulating all the money that was to be found throughout Egypt and Canaan in exchange for the grain that was being purchased. He stored the money in Pharaoh's palace.

15 After all the money had been spent throughout Egypt and Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and demanded, |Give us food! Why should we die right in front of you? Our money is spent!|

16 |You can surrender your livestock,| Joseph replied. |I'll feed them in exchange, since your money is gone.|

17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph traded food in exchange for horses, various flocks and herds, and donkeys. He fed them with food in exchange for their livestock during that year.

18 The following year, they came to him and reminded him, |We won't hide from you, your Excellency, that we've spent all of our money, and that our livestock all belong to you. There's nothing left to trade with you, your Excellency, except our bodies and our territories.

19 So why should we and our land die right in front of you? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed, so we can survive and not die, and so the land won't stay desolate.|