We’ve seen people coming from all over Egypt and Canaan to buy grain from Joseph. What happens when the money runs out? They start trading livestock for grain. What happens when that runs out? By the end of the famine the nation of Egypt will own everything in the country, including the Egyptians.

Genesis 47

Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh “My father and brothers, and their flocks, and herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan and they are in the land of Goshen.”

2 And he took some of his brothers, five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.

3 And Pharaoh said to his brothers “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.”

4 They also said to Pharaoh “We have come to live in the land for a while because your servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

5 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 

6 The land of Egypt is before you; let your father and brothers live in the best of the land; let them live in the land of Goshen: and if you know any capable men among them, then make them rulers over my livestock.”

7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8 And Pharaoh said to Jacob “How old are you?”

9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty: few and evil have the years of my life been, and they do not equal the years of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from his presence. 

11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

12 Joseph provided for his father and brothers, and all his father’s household, with bread according to their families.

13 There was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.

14 Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.

15 And when money in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence, for the money is gone?”

16 Joseph said “Give your livestock and I will give you food for your livestock, if the money is gone.” 

17 And they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the herds of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys, and he provided them with food in exchange for their livestock that year. 

18 When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him “We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also has our herds of cattle; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies and our land.

19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh: and give us seed that we may live, and not die, that the land not be desolate.”

20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was so severe on them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.

21 As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other.

22 Only he did not buy the land of the priests; for the priests had a portion assigned to them by Pharaoh, and did eat their portion that Pharaoh gave them: so they did not sell their land. 

23 Then Joseph said to the people “Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.”

24 At the harvest you shall give the fifth part to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, as seed for the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for your little ones.”

25 And they said “You have saved our lives. Let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

26 Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt still to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen, and they had possessions there, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred forty-seven years.

29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said to him “If now I have found grace in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal in kindness and faithfulness with me; please do not bury me in Egypt.

30 But I will lie with my fathers, and you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burial place.” And he said “I will do as you have said.”

31 And he said “Swear to me. And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself upon the head of the bed.”