Genesis 47:13–26

¹³For in the whole world there was want of bread, and a famine had oppressed the land, more especially of Egypt and Chanaan;

¹⁴Out of which he gathered up all the money for the corn which they bought, and brought it in to the king’s treasure.

¹⁵And when the buyers wanted money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: Give us bread: why should we die in thy presence, having now no money?

¹⁶And he answered them: Bring me your cattle, and for them I will give you food, if you have no money.

¹⁷And when they had brought them, he gave them food in exchange for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and asses: and he maintained them that year for the exchange of their cattle.

¹⁸And they came the second year, and said to him: We will not hide from our lord, how that our money is spent, and our cattle also are gone: neither art thou ignorant that we have nothing now left but our bodies and our lands.

¹⁹Why therefore shall we die before thy eyes? we will be thine, both we and our lands: buy us to be the king’s servants, and give us seed, lest for want of tillers the land be turned into a wilderness.

²⁰So 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:

²¹And all its people from one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof,

²²Except the land of the priests, which had been given them by the king: to whom also a certain allowance of food was given out of the public stores, and therefore they were not forced to sell their possessions.

²³Then Joseph said to the people: Behold, as you see, both you and your lands belong to Pharao; take seed and sow the fields,

²⁴That you may have corn. The fifth part you shall give to the king; the other four you shall have for seed, and for food for your families and children.

²⁵And they answered: our life is in thy hand; only let my lord look favourably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king.

²⁶From that time unto this day, in the whole land of Egypt, the fifth part is paid to the kings, and it is become as a law, except the land of the priests, which was free from this covenant.