Genesis 47:2

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 47:1-4

"Then Joseph went in 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. And from his brethren, he took five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers. And they said unto Pharaoh, To sojourn in the land we are come; for... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 47:2

2. he took some of his brethren—probably the five eldest brothers: seniority being the least invidious principle of selection. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 47:1-12

Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7; Genesis 47:10) is unusual since it implies that in one sense (i.e., as one of God’s elect) Jacob was superior to Pharaoh. Pharaoh was a man of immense worldly power and influence. "The lesser is blessed by the greater" (Hebrews 7:7)."The least and most faltering of God’s children has the superiority . . . in the presence of the most elevated men of the world." [Note: Darby, 1:78.] Jacob seems to have described his life as a sojourn (Genesis 47:9)... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:1-31

Joseph presents his Brethren and his Father to Pharaoh. He makes extensive Changes in the Land Tenure of Egypt6. Rulers over my cattle] The superintendenee of the royal flocks and herds would be a position of importance. 9. Few and evil, etc.] Abraham was 175 years and Isaac 180 years old at their death. Jacob, therefore, regarded his years as comparatively few. The ’evil ’times in his life are not difficult to trace.11. Land of Rameses] or Raamses. Evidently identical with the ’land of Goshen... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 47:2

(2) Even five men.—As the number “five” appears again and again in this narrative (Genesis 43:34; Genesis 45:22), it may have had some special importance among the Egyptians, like the number seven among the Jews. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 47:1-31

Jacob's Retrospect of Life Genesis 47:7-9 I. Jacob had lived a long life as we should count it; one of half the length is as much as most men are able to look forward to. And he had lived a holy life; the one great sin of his youth had been punished by a long and hard discipline that had not been in vain. The father whom he had deceived had blessed him again without deceit; and the God of Bethel had been with him still ever since the hour of his first covenant with him. How could he complain... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 47:1-31

CHAPTER 47 The Settlement in Goshen 1. Before Pharaoh (Genesis 47:1-10 ) 2. The settlement (Genesis 47:11-12 ) 3. Joseph’s wise administration (Genesis 47:13-26 ) 4. Jacob’s request (Genesis 47:27-31 ) Jacob and some of his sons were presented to Pharaoh, who received them graciously, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. The great and powerful monarch of the great land of Egypt was blessed by the poor old Jacob. He is more than blessed, but a blesser, a type of what Israel is yet to be for the... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 47:2

47:2 And he took some of his brethren, [even] {a} five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.(a) That the king might be assured that they had come, and to see what type of people they were. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 47:1-31

In announcing to Pharaoh the coming of his father and his brothers, Joseph first introduces five of his brothers to him (vs.1-2). We are not told which ones, but they were likely those who could speak on behalf of their other brothers. They answer Pharaoh's question as to their occupation by confirming Joseph's word that they were shepherds as their fathers were, and that they desired to sojourn in Egypt because there was no pasture available in Canaan on account of the famine. They therefore... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Genesis 47:1-31

JOSEPH ’S HISTORY DISPENSATIONAL ASPECT OF JACOB’S HISTORY Following F.W. Grant in the Numerical Bible, the life of Jacob gives as its lesson the story of that discipline by which the Spirit of God brings us from weakness to power, from nature’s strength to that wholesome weakness in which alone is strength. But for this, natural strength must be crippled, which is provided for in two ways: in allowing us to realize the power of another nature (Esau) and in the direct dealing of God with our... read more