Genesis 47:20 — Meaning and Application

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.

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. {priests: or, princes}