7Joseph then brought his father Jacob to the palace and presented him to Pharaoh. Greeting Pharaoh, Jacob blessed him. 8"How many years have you lived?" asked Pharaoh. 9 "All the years of my pilgrimage[373] are one hundred and thirty," he answered. "Few and difficult were the years of my life – they cannot be compared with the years of wanderings of my forefathers." 10After thanking Pharaoh for his hospitality and wishing him the blessings of the Lord, Jacob left him.

11 At Pharaoh's command, Joseph determined where his father and brothers should live; he gave them land in Egypt, in the best place of the country, in the region of Ramesses. 12 Joseph took care of them, providing bread for his father, and for his brothers, and for all his father's household.

Joseph is a wise ruler

13At last the time came when there was no bread in all the land of Egypt. The hunger was very strong. Both Egypt and Canaan were famine. 14 Joseph gathered up all the silver that was in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, for the grain that was bought from him; and the proceeds of the sale he contributed to the treasury of Pharaoh. 15When Egypt and Canaan had run out of silver, the Egyptians came to Joseph. "Give us bread," they begged, "or we will die before your eyes, for we have no more money."

16"Bring your cattle here," Joseph answered them, "I will give you bread for your cattle if you run out of money." 17So they brought their cattle to Joseph, and he gave them bread in exchange for horses, flocks, cattle, and donkeys. He provided them that year with bread, for which they gave all their cattle.

18The next year they came again and said: "Our lord, it is no secret to you that we have no more money, and that all our flocks have gone over to you, and we have nothing left to give to our lord except ourselves and our land. 19Why should we die before your eyes, perishing with our lands? Take us and our lands for bread, and we, together with our land, will belong to Pharaoh, we will become his servants. Give us grain to sow so that we may live and not die of hunger, and our land not turn into a desert."

20Thus Joseph acquired all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh: all the Egyptians, fleeing from a terrible famine, sold their fields until all the land became Pharaoh's. 21 And throughout all the land of Egypt Joseph carried the people to the cities[376] where the grain was stored. 22 Only he did not buy up the land of the priests – they received the maintenance assigned to them by Pharaoh, lived off that maintenance, and they did not need to sell their lands.

23 And Joseph said to the people, "You see how things stand now: I have bought for Pharaoh both you and the portions of your land, so take the seeds and sow the land. 24However, of each harvest you are to give a fifth to Pharaoh and four parts to sow the field and to feed you and your families, so that you will feed your children." 25"You have saved our lives," they said. "If it pleases you, our lord, to allow us to use the land, we will be Pharaoh's slaves."

26Thus Joseph laid the foundation for a law that is still observed in Egypt: a fifth of the harvest belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become pharaoh's.

27And the Israelites settled in Egypt, in the land of Goshen. There they owned lands; and since their families usually had many children, they soon became very numerous.

28Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, so that all the years of his life were one hundred and forty-seven. 29And when the time came for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him: "If I have won your favor, put your hand under my thigh[377] as a sign that you will show me mercy and faithfulness: you will not bury me in Egypt! 30When I am joined to my forefathers, bring me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb." "I will grant your desire," Joseph promised.

31"Swear to me," said James. Joseph swore an oath to him, and Israel worshipped God at the head of her bed.

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later, Joseph was informed that his father was visibly weakening. Then Joseph took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to his father. 2 When Jacob heard that his son Joseph had come to him, Israel gathered together with his strength, got up, sat down on his bed, 3 and said to Joseph: "In due time, the Almighty God[378] appeared to me in Lusa, in Canaan, and blessing me, 4 promised me: "I will make you fruitful and your generation numerous, you will be the father of many nations, and this land I will give to your descendants[379] for an everlasting possession."