Genesis 47:20-26

"So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them: and the land became Pharaoh's. And, as for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not: for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore they sold not their land. Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass at the ingatherings, that ye shall give a fifth unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants. And Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the priests alone became not Pharaoh's."

There is no end of debate among scholars concerning this handling of a severe social welfare situation, but we shall not enter into it. We may not even be sure that Joseph agreed with all this, for he was not king; he was deputy. The distinction that Pharaoh "gave to" the priests, whereas Joseph sold to others could indicate Joseph's disagreement with that policy. Certainly, the status of the population as tenants with a 20 percent rental going to Pharaoh was not a harsh arrangement. Our own U. S. government takes about 20 percent of our income. In Turkey during this century, and in Persia, "Peasants must hand over one-half to three-fourths of their production!"[14] Evidently, the people agreed with it; and it was continued until the times of Moses as the standard arrangement.