Genesis 47:18 (KJV)

What does Genesis 47:18 mean?

Genesis 47:18 describes how, after a year of famine, the people of Egypt come to Joseph and admit that they have nothing left to offer Pharaoh except their bodies and their land, since all their money and livestock are gone. The verse shows their desperation and willingness to give up everything just to survive.

In this verse, the Egyptians are speaking directly to Joseph, who manages Egypt’s resources for Pharaoh during a severe famine. They openly confess that they have already spent all their money and handed over their livestock, so now only their land and their own labor remain as bargaining chips. This moment highlights the extreme hardship caused by the famine and sets up the next step in their relationship with Joseph and Pharaoh.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 47:18

• The word for "money" is כֶּסֶף (kesef), which often refers to silver or currency. Its use here emphasizes that all forms of wealth have been exhausted.
• The word for "bodies" is גְּוִיָּה (geviyah), meaning physical selves or persons. The people are literally offering themselves as workers or servants.
• The word for "lands" is אֲדָמָה (adamah), which means ground or soil. This shows they are willing to surrender their property rights to Pharaoh in exchange for food.
• The word for "herds" is מִקְנֶה (miqneh), which refers to livestock or cattle. Mentioning this word alongside "money" and "land" underlines the total depletion of their resources.

Why Genesis 47:18 matters

• This verse clarifies the level of desperation the famine caused, showing that the Egyptians were not simply poor but entirely destitute, with nothing left but their own lives and land.
• The verse helps explain how Pharaoh came to own nearly all the land in Egypt, a major shift in the country’s social and economic structure.
• Understanding this verse gives insight into Joseph’s role as administrator and how his actions, though severe, were part of a larger survival strategy during a national crisis.