Genesis 47:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They brought their livestock to Joseph, who provided them with bread for their horses, and the holy narrative also concisely conveys the Biblical account, sometimes using different expressions or his own phrasing. For herds of sheep and cattle, as well as donkeys, he offered them sustenance that year for all their animals. That year came to an end, and the following year they approached him, pleading, "Why should we perish? We have neither silver nor livestock left, as you, our lord, own nothing but our bodies and our lands. Purchase us along with our lands for bread, and we and our lands will become servants to Pharaoh; grant us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."

Joseph could have easily distributed all of Egypt's wealth and wasted the royal resources; however, he chose not to present himself as extravagant at the expense of others. Instead of giving bread away freely, he opted to sell it. If he had shared it with only a few, the majority would have been left empty-handed. He favored a generosity that yields abundance for everyone and opened the granaries so that all could purchase grain, ensuring that the cultivation of the land continued, rather than giving away bread without cost. Those who rely on what belongs to others often neglect their own responsibilities.