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 47:17KJV
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Genesis 47:17 (KJV)

What does Genesis 47:17 mean?

Genesis 47:17 describes how the Egyptians brought their animals to Joseph, and in return, Joseph gave them bread to eat. This exchange happened because there was a severe famine, and people had no food but still owned livestock, so Joseph traded food for their animals to help them survive that year.

In this scene, Joseph is acting as the administrator of Egypt during a time of crisis, and the Egyptians are coming to him for help. The verse lists the types of animals—horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys—that were traded for bread. This arrangement shows the seriousness of the famine and how Joseph managed resources to keep the people alive.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 47:17

  • בְּהֵמָה (behemah, H4735): This word refers to "cattle" or "livestock" in general. The verse uses it to mean all kinds of domesticated animals, not just cows, which helps explain the broad range of animals involved in the exchange.
  • לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899): This word means "bread" or "food." Here, it stands for the staple food Joseph provided, not just literal bread, but whatever was necessary to sustain life during the famine.
  • נָהַל (nahal, H5095): Translated as "fed" in this verse, this word can also mean "to lead" or "to provide for." It emphasizes Joseph's ongoing responsibility to supply food for the people throughout the year, not just a one-time transaction.

Why Genesis 47:17 matters

  • Genesis 47:17 clarifies that the famine forced Egyptians to give up valuable possessions, showing the depth of the crisis and the lengths people went to for survival.
  • The verse highlights Joseph’s administrative skill and the trust placed in him to manage Egypt’s resources wisely during a national emergency.
  • This exchange sets up the next steps in the story, where the Egyptians will eventually offer their land and even themselves in service to Pharaoh, deepening their dependence on Egypt’s central authority.

Where else these words appear

“fed” Hebrew H5095 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 33:14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
  • 2 Chronicles 32:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.
  • Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

“cattle” Hebrew H4735 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
  • Exodus 9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.
  • Judges 18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.

“asses” Hebrew H2543 · used in 93 verses

  • Genesis 12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
  • Numbers 31:30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
  • 1 Samuel 25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

“horses” Hebrew H5483 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
  • 2 Kings 18:23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
  • Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?