So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, every man selling his possessions, because of the greatness of the famine. And he brought it into Pharao's hands:
וַיִּ֨קֶן יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־אַדְמַ֤ת מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה כִּֽי־מָכְר֤וּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֵ֔הוּ כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק עֲלֵהֶ֖ם הָרָעָ֑ב וַתְּהִ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לְפַרְעֹֽה׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
They surrendered themselves into servitude, relinquishing their land to sustain their lives due to the severity of the famine. ‘And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians relinquished it, driven by hunger. This reflects the insight and wisdom of Joseph: he did not abandon them to suffer from starvation, and he acquired the entire territory for Pharaoh, along with the transformation of all the Egyptians.
The apostles, acting on behalf of Christ, acquired for God the land of the Gentiles, much like Joseph surely did for Pharaoh in Egypt.
Joseph could have easily squandered the immense wealth of Egypt and dissipated the royal treasures, yet he chose not to waste resources at the expense of others. Instead of freely distributing bread to the needy, he preferred to sell it; for to give to a few would mean depriving the majority. He opted for an abundance that benefited everyone, opening granaries so that all could purchase grain and be encouraged to cultivate their lands rather than receive bread without effort; to rely on what belongs to another is to neglect one's own.
Initially, he collected all the money available, followed by the rest, and ultimately he granted the land rights to the king, not to strip the people of their property but to fortify the community. He imposed a tax that allowed them to maintain their possessions with peace of mind. Those who surrendered their lands supported his decision, viewing it not as a loss of their rights but rather as a means of salvation. They expressed, “You have saved our lives; we have found favor in the sight of our lord” (Gen. 47:25). They retained their ownership rights and did not sacrifice anything of value; instead, they gained assurance for the future.
O noble leader! He did not chase fleeting fame through excessive generosity; rather, he firmly established the enduring wisdom of prudent governance, ensuring that the people could take care of themselves through taxation and did not need to seek external aid during times of drought. It is wiser to share a portion of one's harvest than to lose everything by entitlement. Joseph determined that a fifth of the harvest should be given, demonstrating both foresight and fairness in the taxation process. As a result, Egypt was never again afflicted by such a famine.
The territory was transferred to Pharaoh. Evidence of this entitlement can be found in the writings of Herodotus and Diodorus.
THEOSIS