Joseph’s Leadership in the Famine
A quick glance at this story may lead some to believe that Joseph was taking advantage of the famine to benefit himself. This is not the case. Joseph was looking out for the welfare of the people of Egypt and his actions saved the lives of many, many people.
Qualities of a Good Leader.
Genesis 47:13-27 NLT
Joseph’s Leadership in the Famine
13 Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan. 14 By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury. 15 When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”
16 Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year.
18 But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh. 21 As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received an allotment of food directly from Pharaoh, so they didn’t need to sell their land.
23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields. 24 Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.”
25 “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26 Joseph then issued a decree still in effect in the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh should receive one-fifth of all the crops grown on his land. Only the land belonging to the priests was not given to Pharaoh.
27 Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly.
Examine the Scriptures
Genesis 47:13-26 NLT
Joseph’s Leadership in the Famine
13 Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan.
Famines were not uncommon in the ancient world.
A famine occurred early in the lives of Abraham (12:10) and Isaac (26:1).
This famine was particularly severe.
Famine was a devastating catastrophe in an agrarian society. It was often accompanied by starvation, disease, or war that brought adversity at many levels of society. Famines had far-reaching results in price inflation, robbery, social exploitation, agricultural collapse, migration, and even cannibalism.
- The famine became so severe that people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan.
14 By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury.
15 When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”
- The severity of the famine bankrupted the people in Egypt and Canaan.
- The Egyptians came to Joseph for help.
Joseph was approachable. The people could come to him. Joseph listened.
16 Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food.
In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year.
- Joseph came up with a solution that benefited both the people and Pharaoh.
Joseph provided solutions for the problem at hand.
The people would not have been able to provide for their livestock. The livestock would have starved to death. The cattle were actually worthless to the people.
18 But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”
Again the Egyptians came to Joseph for help.
- The people came up with a solution that benefited both the people and Pharaoh.
The people offered themselves and their land. (Again Joseph listened.)
- The Egyptian population understood the deadly nature of famines.
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh.
Joseph did not have to buy the land. Pharaoh could have simply confiscated the land.
All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh. 21 As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other.
The welfare of slaves is the responsibility of their owner.
22 The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received an allotment of food directly from Pharaoh, so they didn’t need to sell their land.
23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields.
Joseph had implemented a grain ration that saved the people and supplied seed to plant new crops.
- Joseph provided the seed that the people needed to plant the fields.
Joseph did not withhold something of great value from the people.
24 Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.”
25 “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.”
- The people recognized and expressed gratitude to Joseph for his wise administration.
26 Joseph then issued a decree still in effect in the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh should receive one-fifth of all the crops grown on his land.
Joseph initiated a program that is still in effect today. (taxes)
It is difficult to come up with an “average” tax rate, but for the sake of discussion I will use the following statement that I found on the Internet:
The average single American contributed 29.8% of his earnings to three taxes in 2019—income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security.
Source: How Much Does the Average American Pay in Taxes? By Beverly Bird, review by Ebony J. Howard, Updated November 24, 2020
Only the land belonging to the priests was not given to Pharaoh.
27 Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly.
- The people of Egypt survived, but they were in bondage to Pharaoh.
- God blessed Pharaoh because he had blessed the seed of Abraham with the best of Egypt.
- The people of Israel were fruitful and their population grew rapidly.
- For seventeen years Jacob witnessed the increase of the Israelite community. Jacob had a glimpse of God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and himself being fulfilled.
