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19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our lands? Buy us and our lands for bread, and we and our lands will be servants to Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die and that the land be not desolate. 20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them; so the land became Pharaoh's. 21 And as for the people, he removed them from town to town from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end thereof. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a grant from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your lands for Pharaoh; lo, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass when the crops are gathered in, you shall give the fifth part to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field and for your food and for food for your household and for food for your little ones. 25 And they said, You have saved our lives; let us find mercy in the sight of our 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 the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, for it did not belong to Pharaoh. 27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the region of Goshen; and they became powerful in it, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred and forty-seven years. 29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph, and said to him, If now I have found grace in your sight, put your hand under my girdle, and I will make you to swear by the LORD that you will deal graciously and truly with me; do not bury me in Egypt; 30 But when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place. And Joseph said, I will do as you have said. 31 And he said, Swear to me. And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself upon the head of his staff. Genesis 47:19-31, Lamsa Bible. Public domain.
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