Knowing The Word in Genesis 47:23-26, Seed for Israel

[Scene 6 continued]

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's. [In ancient society slavery was the accepted way of bailing out the destitute, and under a benevolent master, like Joseph, it could be quite a comfortable status, like Joseph under Potiphar. Ancient slavery at its best was like tenured employment, whereas the free man was more like someone who is self-employed. Notice how Egyptian slavery under a Hebrew’s charge was much more gracious than Hebrew slavery under the charge of the Egyptians.]