Genesis 47:14-27 Joseph and taxes and enslavement

Genesis 47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. [kjv]

47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. [kjv]

Many taxes, such as the income tax in the United States (to finance the Civil War effort), were started as temporary measures and were never removed.

The general rule is to add taxes for an emergency. After the emergency, remove part of the taxes, take credit for it, but leave a good part of the added taxes in place for eternity.

In Genesis, during the famine predicted by Joseph in the interpretation of the dream of Pharaoh, we see how big government can enslave people by using their power to tax, etc., against the people.

More: Matthew 17:24-27 Tacky attacks on a senseless tax

Genesis 47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. [kjv]

Genesis 47:14

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KJV: And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

Hebrew: וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף הנמצא בארץ מצרים ובארץ כנען בשבר אשר הם שברים ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה׃

Greek: συνηγαγεν δε ιωσηφ παν το αργυριον το ευρεθεν εν γη αιγυπτου και εν γη χανααν του σιτου ου ηγοραζον και εσιτομετρει αυτοις και εισηνεγκεν ιωσηφ παν το αργυριον εις τον οικον φαραω

Genesis 47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. [kjv]

Genesis 47:15

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KJV: And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

Hebrew: ויתם הכסף מארץ מצרים ומארץ כנען ויבאו כל מצרים אל יוסף לאמר הבה לנו לחם ולמה נמות נגדך כי אפס כסף׃

Greek: και εξελιπεν παν το αργυριον εκ γης αιγυπτου και εκ γης χανααν ηλθον δε παντες οι αιγυπτιοι προς ιωσηφ λεγοντες δος ημιν αρτους και ινα τι αποθνησκομεν εναντιον σου εκλελοιπεν γαρ το αργυριον ημων

Genesis 47:16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. [kjv]

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KJV: And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

Hebrew: ויאמר יוסף הבו מקניכם ואתנה לכם במקניכם אם אפס כסף׃

Greek: ειπεν δε αυτοις ιωσηφ φερετε τα κτηνη υμων και δωσω υμιν αρτους αντι των κτηνων υμων ει εκλελοιπεν το αργυριον

Genesis 47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. [kjv]

Genesis 47:17

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KJV: And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

Hebrew: ויביאו את מקניהם אל יוסף ויתן להם יוסף לחם בסוסים ובמקנה הצאן ובמקנה הבקר ובחמרים וינהלם בלחם בכל מקנהם בשנה ההוא׃

Greek: ηγαγον δε τα κτηνη προς ιωσηφ και εδωκεν αυτοις ιωσηφ αρτους αντι των ιππων και αντι των προβατων και αντι των βοων και αντι των ονων και εξεθρεψεν αυτους εν αρτοις αντι παντων των κτηνων αυτων εν τω ενιαυτω εκεινω

Genesis 47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: [kjv]

Genesis 47:18

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KJV: When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

Hebrew: ותתם השנה ההוא ויבאו אליו בשנה השנית ויאמרו לו לא נכחד מאדני כי אם תם הכסף ומקנה הבהמה אל אדני לא נשאר לפני אדני בלתי אם גויתנו ואדמתנו׃

Greek: εξηλθεν δε το ετος εκεινο και ηλθον προς αυτον εν τω ετει τω δευτερω και ειπαν αυτω μηποτε εκτριβωμεν απο του κυριου ημων ει γαρ εκλελοιπεν το αργυριον και τα υπαρχοντα και τα κτηνη προς σε τον κυριον και ουχ υπολειπεται ημιν εναντιον του κυριου ημων αλλ η το ιδιον σωμα και η γη ημων

Genesis 47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. [kjv]

Genesis 47:19

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KJV: Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

Hebrew: למה נמות לעיניך גם אנחנו גם אדמתנו קנה אתנו ואת אדמתנו בלחם ונהיה אנחנו ואדמתנו עבדים לפרעה ותן זרע ונחיה ולא נמות והאדמה לא תשם׃

Greek: ινα ουν μη αποθανωμεν εναντιον σου και η γη ερημωθη κτησαι ημας και την γην ημων αντι αρτων και εσομεθα ημεις και η γη ημων παιδες φαραω δος σπερμα ινα σπειρωμεν και ζωμεν και μη αποθανωμεν και η γη ουκ ερημωθησεται

Genesis 47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. [kjv]

Genesis 47:20

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KJV: And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

Hebrew: ויקן יוסף את כל אדמת מצרים לפרעה כי מכרו מצרים איש שדהו כי חזק עלהם הרעב ותהי הארץ לפרעה׃

Greek: και εκτησατο ιωσηφ πασαν την γην των αιγυπτιων τω φαραω απεδοντο γαρ οι αιγυπτιοι την γην αυτων τω φαραω επεκρατησεν γαρ αυτων ο λιμος και εγενετο η γη φαραω

Genesis 47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. [kjv]

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KJV: And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

Hebrew: ואת העם העביר אתו לערים מקצה גבול מצרים ועד קצהו׃

Greek: και τον λαον κατεδουλωσατο αυτω εις παιδας απ ακρων οριων αιγυπτου εως των ακρων

Genesis 47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. [kjv]

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KJV: Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

Hebrew: רק אדמת הכהנים לא קנה כי חק לכהנים מאת פרעה ואכלו את חקם אשר נתן להם פרעה על כן לא מכרו את אדמתם׃

Greek: χωρις της γης των ιερεων μονον ουκ εκτησατο ταυτην ιωσηφ εν δοσει γαρ εδωκεν δομα τοις ιερευσιν φαραω και ησθιον την δοσιν ην εδωκεν αυτοις φαραω δια τουτο ουκ απεδοντο την γην αυτων

Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. [kjv]

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KJV: Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

Hebrew: ויאמר יוסף אל העם הן קניתי אתכם היום ואת אדמתכם לפרעה הא לכם זרע וזרעתם את האדמה׃

Greek: ειπεν δε ιωσηφ πασι τοις αιγυπτιοις ιδου κεκτημαι υμας και την γην υμων σημερον τω φαραω λαβετε εαυτοις σπερμα και σπειρατε την γην

Genesis 47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. [kjv]

Genesis 47:24

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KJV: And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

Hebrew: והיה בתבואת ונתתם חמישית לפרעה וארבע הידת יהיה לכם לזרע השדה ולאכלכם ולאשר בבתיכם ולאכל לטפכם׃

Greek: και εσται τα γενηματα αυτης δωσετε το πεμπτον μερος τω φαραω τα δε τεσσαρα μερη εσται υμιν αυτοις εις σπερμα τη γη και εις βρωσιν υμιν και πασιν τοις εν τοις οικοις υμων

Genesis 47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants. [kjv]

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KJV: And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.

Hebrew: ויאמרו החיתנו נמצא חן בעיני אדני והיינו עבדים לפרעה׃

Greek: και ειπαν σεσωκας ημας ευρομεν χαριν εναντιον του κυριου ημων και εσομεθα παιδες φαραω

Genesis 47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. [kjv]

Genesis 47:26

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KJV: And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.

Hebrew: וישם אתה יוסף לחק עד היום הזה על אדמת מצרים לפרעה לחמש רק אדמת הכהנים לבדם לא היתה לפרעה׃

Greek: και εθετο αυτοις ιωσηφ εις προσταγμα εως της ημερας ταυτης επι γην αιγυπτου τω φαραω αποπεμπτουν χωρις της γης των ιερεων μονον ουκ ην τω φαραω

Genesis 47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. [kjv]

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KJV: And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

Hebrew: וישב ישראל בארץ מצרים בארץ גשן ויאחזו בה ויפרו וירבו מאד׃

Greek: κατωκησεν δε ισραηλ εν γη αιγυπτω επι της γης γεσεμ και εκληρονομησαν επ αυτης και ηυξηθησαν και επληθυνθησαν σφοδρα