THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
However, Pharaoh, appreciating Joseph's counsel, responds once more, "If you are aware that capable men are present among them, appoint them as overseers of my livestock."
Genesis 47:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
The land of Egypt is before thee: and make them dwell in the best place, and give them the land of Gessen. And if thou knowest that there are industrious men among them, make them rulers over my cattle.
אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא בְּמֵיטַ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ הוֹשֵׁ֥ב אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אַחֶ֑יךָ יֵשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֔שֶׁן וְאִם־יָדַ֗עְתָּ וְיֶשׁ־בָּם֙ אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֔יִל וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ם שָׂרֵ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה עַל־אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)
The region of Egypt lies open to you. This means I grant you the authority to select from all the territories that are under the royal domain (Genesis 13:9, Genesis 20:15). As keepers of my livestock, the monarchs of Egypt, along with other Eastern rulers, generated income by managing herds on lands owned by the crown (1 Kings 21:7, 1 Chronicles 27:29).
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Ex 18:21And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,
- Gen 47:11But Joseph gave a possession to his father and his brethren in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Ramesses, as Pharao had commanded.
- Prov 22:29Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.
- 2 Chr 26:10And he built towers in the wilderness, and dug many cisterns, for he had much cattle both in the plains, and in the waste of the desert: he had also vineyards and dressers of vines in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he was a man that loved husbandry.
- Ex 18:25And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
- Gen 47:4We are come to sojourn in thy land, because there is no grass for the flocks of thy servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Chanaan: and we pray thee to give orders that we thy servants may be in the land of Gessen.
- Prov 21:1As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it.
- 1 Sam 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, within the tabernacle of the Lord: and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of Saul's herdsmen.