Socializing Egypt

Genesis 47:13-31

“And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 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.

Through the years, people had experienced numerous famines in the region, and had learned to save some back to carry them through a year or two. Famines usually didn’t last any longer than that, and there would be enough runoff from the highlands to produce some crops to survive. After three years with almost no rainfall even in the mountains, their savings were exhausted. The grain that had been taken from the people during the seven good years and stored was all that there was. Instead of buying a little to supplement what they grew, they had to buy everything, and it wasn’t just the Egyptians who needed food. Selling the grain brought a lot of revenue into Pharaoh’s coffers, and as people got more desperate, they were willing to pay more for the grain, resulting in inflation.

“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. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 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.” (Genesis 47:15-17)

The inflated prices of grain made it too expensive to keep the cattle. Without food the cattle would die and be useless as food themselves, so the price of cattle decreased. Inflation in one area always causes the value of other things to decrease or deflate. When they ran out of money, people were forced to sell their cattle to the government at reduced(deflated) prices, and before long Pharaoh owned all the cattle, although the people continued to care for them.

“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: 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.” (Genesis 47:18-19)

The following year, with no money or cattle, the people were forced to sell their land to obtain food, and the government was the only one who had food or money, this forced the prices of the land down causing a collapse of the land and housing markets. It wasn’t long before Pharaoh owned all the land as well. It was much like what happened in the United states ansd other countries during the great depression when the government began to seize properties of people who were not able to pay their taxes and support themselves.

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

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. 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. 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.

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.” (Genesis 47:20-26)

With no land of their own, the people had no way of supporting themselves and no place for a home. They were then forced to live where the government wanted and to work for the government, on the government‘s terms, in exchange for the government providing welfare benefits. The social program that had been intended to save their lives had become the means of making them wards of the government, and the people were so grateful for being alive they didn’t consider the freedom they had lost. This sacrifice of freedom is an inherent danger with any social programs, and was a major factor in Egyptian history throughout the period of the Middle Kingdom. It was during the early part of the Middle Kingdom that many of the great stone public works were built, although later works were built of brick of decreasing quality, corresponding to what the book of Exodus describes. During this time Egypt became a great military power, invading Nubia and other countries, and expanding their borders.

Joseph was quite benevolent in his terms, requiring only twenty percent of their crops, while supplying the land, the irrigation, and the seed. Today, most people would be delighted with a flat tax of twenty percent, even if they had to provide their own land and raw materials. One class of people, the priests, were granted special privileges under the system. Government programs inevitably seem to create a class system, giving special privileges to particular groups, whether they be religious leaders, military leaders, politicians, or bankers and industrialists.

“And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.” (Genesis 47:27-28)

With Joseph administering the system, Jacob’s family were protected from the loss of their land and livestock, growing rapidly, as long as Joseph ran the country. Unfortunately, this protection caused resentment among the Egyptians, and as Exodus tells us, after Josephs’ death, the Jews became even more completely slaves to the government. They would remain as slaves for four hundred years, just as God had warned Abraham in Genesis 15.

“And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.” (Genesis 47:29-31)

While Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt, he never considered it home. As his death drew near he became determined be buried in Canaan, along side his ancestors in the cave of Machpelah. He elicited a promise from Joseph that he would see that his wishes were carried out.