47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate 1 the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, 2 give 3 one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest 4 will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, 5 and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 6
47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, 7 which is in effect 8 to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.
1 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.
2 tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
3 tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.
4 tn Heb “four parts.”
5 tn Heb “we find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Some interpret this as a request, “may we find favor in the eyes of my lord.”
6 sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.
7 tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.
8 tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.