What does Genesis 47:26 mean?
This verse sums up the lasting result of this season in Egypt's history. The Lord has worked through Joseph to save the lives of many people in Egypt and the surrounding regions. Still, that rescue has come at a cost. The people have been forced to sell their cash, their livestock, their land, and their freedom to Pharaoh's government in exchange for food (Genesis 47:13–22). The result is an understanding that Pharaoh owns almost everything in Egypt.Under the agreement, however, the people continued to work their farms and tend their livestock. Like a combination of a mortgage or income tax, they would give 20 percent of each year's harvest to Pharaoh. As the famine continued, this would mostly mean Pharaoh's household providing seed. Over time, it would become extremely profitable for the Egyptian monarchy. This arrangement remained in effect at the time Genesis was written.