†. Gen 47:8-9a . . And Pharaoh said unto Jacob: How old are you?
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: The days of the years of my pilgrimage
are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the
years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the
years of the life of my fathers
The word "evil" isn't restricted to moral awfulness; but can indicate hard
times as well as just plain old bad luck (cf. Isa 45:7). The days of Jacob's life
weren't totally unpleasant though he makes it sound like that.
However, he did spend a good number of years in the outdoors, in all sorts
of weather, tending herds. That's not an easy life. Then there was the grief
visited upon him by the sons of his own flesh; Dinah was no help either. And
the peace in his home wrecked by the tension caused by the bitter sibling
rivalry between his wives Leah and Rachel; not to mention all the headaches
uncle Laban contributed. Jacob also endured the latter years of his life with a
handicap resulting from his encounter with a divine being in chapter 32. It's
odd how human nature tends to dwell upon its misfortunes instead of
spending more time reflecting upon its blessings. For some, the glass is half
empty, and for others it's half full, and yet for others: the glass is too big.
At this point in his life; Jacob's an old man-- he's wore out, winding down,
and ready to retire. Elderly folks tend to be a little on the negative side, and
sometimes dwell more on the bad memories rather than the good. It's wise
to consider that the aged aren't really old, they're just children who've been
alive for a long time. When I was a kid, I tended to think that senior citizens
were a species; not appreciating, till later in life, that I was actually looking
at my future.
†. Gen 47:9b . . in the days of their pilgrimage.
Jacob's use of the word "pilgrimage" reflects the cruel reality that none of us
comes into this world to stay. We're here for a while, but that's all: just a
while.
†. Zch 1:4-5 . .Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets: do they
live forever?
†. Jas 4:14 . . For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that's visible for a
little time, and then vanishes away.
†. Gen 47:10 . . And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from
before Pharaoh.
Just how impressed Pharaoh was with Jacob is difficult to know, but the king
had to wonder to himself just how on earth a genius like Joseph could ever
arise from such humble root stock as this broken down, insignificant old man
who just walked out of his court. But one thing I know for sure: of the two
men; Jacob holds the higher rank in the grand scheme of things.
†. Gen 47:11-12 . . So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in
Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the
district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. Joseph also provided his
father and his brothers and all his father's household with food,
according to the number of their children.
Jacob's clan nourished themselves with Chicken of the Sea too.
†. Num 11:5 . .We remember the fish we ate in Egypt
Jacob's people lived in an area also known as Zoan (Ps 78:12) which was up
in the north, near the Mediterranean Sea in the East Nile delta. The area had
access to the Med, and there was lots of water and wetlands; so that
seafood and migratory fowl were never in short supply. Actually, all told,
Jacob's family fared quite well in Egypt in spite of the famine's overall
severity.
Meanwhile, the famine wrecked everybody else.
†. Gen 47:13 . .There was no food, however, in the whole region
because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted
away because of the famine.
As I mentioned earlier back in chapter 41, famines are usually the natural
result of insufficient rainfall; which in prolonged cases can result in a dust
bowl like what happened to America's great plains during the decade of the
1930's. Even farmers with wells dug down to the Oglala aquifer had poor
luck getting things to grow because dust storms sand-blasted sprouts, and
smothered what was left.
†. Gen 47:14 . . Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be
found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for
the rations that were being procured, and Joseph brought the money
into Pharaoh's palace.
Some people accuse Joseph of profiteering; of exploiting the people's
hardship. But they fail to realize that he wasn't acting on his own. Joseph
answered to a higher authority: to Mr. Pharaoh. If Joseph had gone behind
Pharaoh's back and gave the Egyptians grain for free, then Joseph himself
would have been arrested and either put right back in prison or, worse,
gibbeted. Then who would his clan look to for representation with Pharaoh?
†. 1Cor 4:2 . . it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
The New Testament Greek word for "faithful" is pistos (pis-tos') which
means: trustworthy. Webster's defines "trustworthy" as worthy of
confidence; viz: dependable. To be dependable implies looking out for your
boss' best interests rather than either your own or anybody else's. (cf. Luke
11:12-27)
†. Gen 47:14-17 . .When the money of the people of Egypt and
Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said: Give us food.
Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is used up. Then
bring your livestock; said Joseph. I will sell you grain in exchange
for your livestock, since your money is gone. So they brought their
livestock to Joseph, and he gave them grain in exchange for their
horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he
brought them through that year with grain in exchange for all their
livestock.
This is the very first mention of a horse in the Bible.
The Old Testament Hebrew words for "horse" are cuwc (soos) and cuc
(soos); which means not only a horse (as leaping), but also a swallow (from
its flight style). Both swallows and horses are quite nimble; and of the two,
I'd say the swallows are more so. They can flit like bats when in pursuit of
winged insects.
Horses were the animal of choice for pulling chariots in ancient Egypt. (e.g.
Ex 14:9)
Putting horses on the list of saleable livestock indicates that even relatively
prosperous breeders were falling on hard times too, so that no matter
whether the Egyptians were rich or poor, the famine was effecting them all--
the rich have to eat too, just like everybody else; and money alone makes
poor nourishment. Here in America, when the last bit of arable land is finally
bulldozed for residential housing, and paved over for shopping centers, office
buildings, super highways, cemeteries, malls, light rails, factory sites and
warehouses: that's when we'll finally catch on that money isn't everything.
Only after the last tree is cut down,
The last of the water poisoned,
The last animal destroyed:
Only then will some realize
They cannot eat money.
- Cree Indian Prophecy -
Cont.
/
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: The days of the years of my pilgrimage
are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the
years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the
years of the life of my fathers
The word "evil" isn't restricted to moral awfulness; but can indicate hard
times as well as just plain old bad luck (cf. Isa 45:7). The days of Jacob's life
weren't totally unpleasant though he makes it sound like that.
However, he did spend a good number of years in the outdoors, in all sorts
of weather, tending herds. That's not an easy life. Then there was the grief
visited upon him by the sons of his own flesh; Dinah was no help either. And
the peace in his home wrecked by the tension caused by the bitter sibling
rivalry between his wives Leah and Rachel; not to mention all the headaches
uncle Laban contributed. Jacob also endured the latter years of his life with a
handicap resulting from his encounter with a divine being in chapter 32. It's
odd how human nature tends to dwell upon its misfortunes instead of
spending more time reflecting upon its blessings. For some, the glass is half
empty, and for others it's half full, and yet for others: the glass is too big.
At this point in his life; Jacob's an old man-- he's wore out, winding down,
and ready to retire. Elderly folks tend to be a little on the negative side, and
sometimes dwell more on the bad memories rather than the good. It's wise
to consider that the aged aren't really old, they're just children who've been
alive for a long time. When I was a kid, I tended to think that senior citizens
were a species; not appreciating, till later in life, that I was actually looking
at my future.
†. Gen 47:9b . . in the days of their pilgrimage.
Jacob's use of the word "pilgrimage" reflects the cruel reality that none of us
comes into this world to stay. We're here for a while, but that's all: just a
while.
†. Zch 1:4-5 . .Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets: do they
live forever?
†. Jas 4:14 . . For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that's visible for a
little time, and then vanishes away.
†. Gen 47:10 . . And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from
before Pharaoh.
Just how impressed Pharaoh was with Jacob is difficult to know, but the king
had to wonder to himself just how on earth a genius like Joseph could ever
arise from such humble root stock as this broken down, insignificant old man
who just walked out of his court. But one thing I know for sure: of the two
men; Jacob holds the higher rank in the grand scheme of things.
†. Gen 47:11-12 . . So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in
Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the
district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. Joseph also provided his
father and his brothers and all his father's household with food,
according to the number of their children.
Jacob's clan nourished themselves with Chicken of the Sea too.
†. Num 11:5 . .We remember the fish we ate in Egypt
Jacob's people lived in an area also known as Zoan (Ps 78:12) which was up
in the north, near the Mediterranean Sea in the East Nile delta. The area had
access to the Med, and there was lots of water and wetlands; so that
seafood and migratory fowl were never in short supply. Actually, all told,
Jacob's family fared quite well in Egypt in spite of the famine's overall
severity.
Meanwhile, the famine wrecked everybody else.
†. Gen 47:13 . .There was no food, however, in the whole region
because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted
away because of the famine.
As I mentioned earlier back in chapter 41, famines are usually the natural
result of insufficient rainfall; which in prolonged cases can result in a dust
bowl like what happened to America's great plains during the decade of the
1930's. Even farmers with wells dug down to the Oglala aquifer had poor
luck getting things to grow because dust storms sand-blasted sprouts, and
smothered what was left.
†. Gen 47:14 . . Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be
found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for
the rations that were being procured, and Joseph brought the money
into Pharaoh's palace.
Some people accuse Joseph of profiteering; of exploiting the people's
hardship. But they fail to realize that he wasn't acting on his own. Joseph
answered to a higher authority: to Mr. Pharaoh. If Joseph had gone behind
Pharaoh's back and gave the Egyptians grain for free, then Joseph himself
would have been arrested and either put right back in prison or, worse,
gibbeted. Then who would his clan look to for representation with Pharaoh?
†. 1Cor 4:2 . . it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
The New Testament Greek word for "faithful" is pistos (pis-tos') which
means: trustworthy. Webster's defines "trustworthy" as worthy of
confidence; viz: dependable. To be dependable implies looking out for your
boss' best interests rather than either your own or anybody else's. (cf. Luke
11:12-27)
†. Gen 47:14-17 . .When the money of the people of Egypt and
Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said: Give us food.
Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is used up. Then
bring your livestock; said Joseph. I will sell you grain in exchange
for your livestock, since your money is gone. So they brought their
livestock to Joseph, and he gave them grain in exchange for their
horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he
brought them through that year with grain in exchange for all their
livestock.
This is the very first mention of a horse in the Bible.
The Old Testament Hebrew words for "horse" are cuwc (soos) and cuc
(soos); which means not only a horse (as leaping), but also a swallow (from
its flight style). Both swallows and horses are quite nimble; and of the two,
I'd say the swallows are more so. They can flit like bats when in pursuit of
winged insects.
Horses were the animal of choice for pulling chariots in ancient Egypt. (e.g.
Ex 14:9)
Putting horses on the list of saleable livestock indicates that even relatively
prosperous breeders were falling on hard times too, so that no matter
whether the Egyptians were rich or poor, the famine was effecting them all--
the rich have to eat too, just like everybody else; and money alone makes
poor nourishment. Here in America, when the last bit of arable land is finally
bulldozed for residential housing, and paved over for shopping centers, office
buildings, super highways, cemeteries, malls, light rails, factory sites and
warehouses: that's when we'll finally catch on that money isn't everything.
Only after the last tree is cut down,
The last of the water poisoned,
The last animal destroyed:
Only then will some realize
They cannot eat money.
- Cree Indian Prophecy -
Cont.
/
