Genesis 47:3

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What sort of work do you do?” Joseph’s brothers said to Pharaoh, “Sir, we look after animals, just like our father and our grand-fathers used to.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

In Context

2Joseph took 5 of his brothers to Pharaoh.

4Then they said, “Sir, it is a really hard time in Canaan country. There is no rain, so there are no food plants growing, and there isn’t any grass there for our animals to eat. That’s the reason why we came here to Egypt country. We want to live here for a while. Please, sir, let us stay in the place called Goshen.”

Read all of Genesis 47

Cross References

Genesis 4:2After that, they had another son, and she gave him the name Abel. Abel grew up, and he looked after sheep and goats all the time. Cain grew up, and he became a gardener. He dug the ground and grew plants for people to eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:10Remember what we told you about people that don’t want to work. We told you not to give them food. We said, “If they will not do any work, don’t give them any food.”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 47:2-13

Pharaoh's Generosity; Jacob Presented to Pharaoh. ( b. c. 1706.) 1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. 2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 4 They… Read the whole commentary →

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