Genesis 47:13-22 - There was no food in the land

47:13-19

The famine became increasingly severe, so much so that there was no food at all. The grain that had been stored up was sold to the people, but this money eventually ran out too. The money that Joseph got for the grain was brought into Pharaoh’s house. Although the money had run out, the people still needed to eat, so they went to Joseph. Joseph took their livestock in exchange for food, and this sustained them for another year. But, of course, this could only be a temporary measure. The people then propose that their land and themselves be sold to Pharaoh in return for grain. So they, in effect, sell themselves as slaves or servants.

47:20-22

So all the land came to belong to Pharaoh, and all the people became servants of Pharaoh. In the Law, which the Israelites would receive many years later, there were commands that sought to ensure that land remained in the family, and that Israelites could not become slaves forever, unless they were so willing. We seem to see in these verses the collapse of society into servitude. In the Covid crisis this has happened to a certain extent, though nowhere near as bad as the situation we see described in these verses. The Egyptian priests were not included as they were entitled to an allowance from Pharaoh. There are certain parallels with the situation of the Levites under the Law.