3
Pharaohפַּרְעֹהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto his brothers,אֶל אֶחָיו“Whatמַהis your occupation?”מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶםThey saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto Pharaoh,אֶל פַּרְעֹה“Your servantsעֲבָדֶיךָare shepherdsרֹעֵהof flocks,צֹאןbothגַּםweאֲנַחְנוּandגַּםour fathers.”אֲבוֹתֵינוּ
Genesis 47:3
Study it in the app“Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds of flocks, both we and our fathers.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 47:3, word by word
- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהparo
Pharaoh
Pharaoh: the title of the kings of Egypt, not a personal name.
Where else “paro” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- to his brothersאֶחָיechay
brother
A son of the same father or the same mother.
Where else “echay” appears- is your occupationמַּעֲשֵׂיmaase
labor
What one does each day to earn a living: his work, his trade.
Where else “maase” appears- “Your servantsעֲבָדֶיavade
your servant
"Your servant": a humble way to say "I".
Where else “avade” appears- are shepherdsרֹעֵהroe
shepherd
One who looks after sheep; or one who leads a people, like YHWH.
Where else “roe” appears- of flocksצֹאןtson
flock
A flock of sheep and goats.
Where else “tson” appears- our fathersאֲבוֹתֵיavote
forefather
Ancestors, those who came before in the family.
Where else “avote” appears
The context
2From among his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 · This verse (above)
4They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to reside as aliens in the land, for there is no pasture for the flocks that your servants have, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
To study Genesis 47 in a group
1. What it says
What did Joseph do for his family and for Egypt during the famine (vv. 11-12, 14-26)?
2. What it means
How does Jacob describe his years to Pharaoh, and what does he do when he arrives and when he leaves (vv. 7-10)?
3. How I live it
How can you help someone in need with what you have?