And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

GENESIS 47:27KJV
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Genesis 47:27 (KJV)

What does Genesis 47:27 mean?

Genesis 47:27 says that the people of Israel settled in Egypt, specifically in the region of Goshen, where they gained property, prospered, and their numbers increased greatly. This verse highlights a time of growth and stability for Jacob's family after moving to Egypt during a famine.

The verse is part of the story where Jacob (also called Israel) and his family have come to Egypt at Joseph’s invitation. Pharaoh has given them the land of Goshen, a fertile area suitable for their livestock. Genesis 47:27 marks a turning point, showing that despite being foreigners in Egypt, the Israelites are thriving and multiplying, setting the stage for their later history.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 47:27

  • "Grew" (פָּרָה, parah): This word means to be fruitful or to flourish. Its use here emphasizes not just survival, but active prosperity and increase in well-being.
  • "Multiplied" (רָבָה, rabah): This word means to become numerous. The text stresses that the Israelites didn’t just grow a little—they became a large group, which will become important in the story of Exodus.
  • "Exceedingly" (מְאֹד, me'od): This word means "very" or "greatly." The verse uses it to underline just how much the Israelites increased, not just in numbers but also in strength and influence.

Why Genesis 47:27 matters

  • Genesis 47:27 clarifies that the Israelites’ prosperity in Egypt was significant, not just a small improvement, which helps explain later Egyptian concerns about their growing numbers.
  • The verse connects to God’s earlier promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob about making their descendants numerous, showing those promises being fulfilled even in a foreign land.
  • This verse sets up the context for the book of Exodus, where the Israelites’ rapid growth becomes a central issue, eventually leading to their enslavement and the story of their deliverance.

Where else these words appear

“Goshen” Hebrew H1657 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 45:10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
  • Genesis 47:1 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.
  • Exodus 8:22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

“grew” Hebrew H6509 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
  • Genesis 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
  • Psalms 128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

“possessions” Hebrew H270 · used in 63 verses

  • Genesis 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
  • 2 Samuel 4:10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
  • Psalms 48:6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.