The Meaning of Genesis 47:24 Explained

Genesis 47:24

KJV: And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part 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.

YLT: and it hath come to pass in the increases, that ye have given a fifth to Pharaoh, and four of the parts are for yourselves, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for those who are in your houses, and for food for your infants.'

Darby: And it shall come to pass in the increase that ye shall give the fifth to Pharaoh, and the 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass in the increase,  that ye shall give  the fifth  [part] 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. 

What does Genesis 47:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 47:13-26 - Egyptians Saved In Famine
The slender stores of the Egyptians were soon exhausted, and had it not been for Joseph the streets would have been filled with the dying and dead. His Egyptian name means "the savior of the world;" and the confession of the Egyptians proved how true it was: "Thou hast saved our lives." How closely the parallel holds! Joseph rose from the pit and the prison to save his brethren as well as the myriads of his adopted fellow-countrymen: Jesus rose from the grave to be a Prince and a Savior. Joseph's bread cost him nothing, while Jesus gave us that which cost him Calvary. Joseph sold his corn for money; our Lord gave himself without money or price. You may go to Him without reluctance, though your sack is empty and you have no money in your hand; but He will give and give again, without stint. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 47

1  Joseph presents his father, and five of his brothers before Pharaoh
11  He gives them habitation and maintenance
13  He gets the Egyptian's money;
16  their cattle;
18  and their lands, except the priests', to Pharaoh
23  He restores the land for a fifth
28  Jacob's age
29  He swears Joseph to bury him with his fathers

What do the individual words in Genesis 47:24 mean?

And it shall come to pass at the harvest that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh and four of the parts shall be your own as seed for the field for your food for those of your households and as food for your little ones
וְהָיָה֙ בַּתְּבוּאֹ֔ת וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם חֲמִישִׁ֖ית לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע הַיָּדֹ֡ת יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶם֩ לְזֶ֨רַע הַשָּׂדֶ֧ה וּֽלְאָכְלְכֶ֛ם וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֖ם וְלֶאֱכֹ֥ל לְטַפְּכֶֽם

וְהָיָה֙  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַּתְּבוּאֹ֔ת  at  the  harvest 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: תְּבוּאָה  
Sense: produce, product, revenue.
וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם  that  you  shall  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
חֲמִישִׁ֖ית  a  fifth 
Parse: Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: חֲמִישִׁי  
Sense: ordinal number, 5th.
לְפַרְעֹ֑ה  to  Pharaoh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
וְאַרְבַּ֣ע  and  four 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
הַיָּדֹ֡ת  of  the  parts 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יִהְיֶ֣ה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶם֩  your  own 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
לְזֶ֨רַע  as  seed  for 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
הַשָּׂדֶ֧ה  the  field 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
וּֽלְאָכְלְכֶ֛ם  for  your  food 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹכֶל  
Sense: food.
וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר  for  those 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֖ם  of  your  households 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְלֶאֱכֹ֥ל  and  as  food 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לְטַפְּכֶֽם  for  your  little  ones 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: טַף 
Sense: children, little children, little ones.