King James Version

Genesis 47:20

And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּ֨קֶןvayiqenand purchaseקָנָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and purchase”, the next action in the storyH7069to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to ownattain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, [idiom] surely, [idiom] verily.יוֹסֵ֜ףyosefJoseph. Compare H3084יוֹסֵףnoun, proper name — “Joseph. Compare H3084”H3130Joseph, the name of seven IsraelitesJoseph. Compare H3084 (יְהוֹסֵף).אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אַדְמַ֤תadmatcountryאֲדָמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “country”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH127soil (from its general redness)country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land.מִצְרַ֨יִם֙mitsrayimEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.לְפַרְעֹ֔הlefaroto Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Pharaoh”H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kingsPharaoh.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…מָכְר֤וּmakhervsellמָכַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “sell”, a completed actionH4376to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender)[idiom] at all, sell (away, -er, self).מִצְרַ֨יִם֙mitsrayimof Egyptמִצְרִיnoun, proper name — “of Egypt”H4713a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of MitsrajimEgyptian, of Egypt.אִ֣ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…שָׂדֵ֔הוּsadehvfieldשָׂדֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “field”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…חָזַ֥קchazaqbe constantחָזַקverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be constant”, a completed actionH2388to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conqueraid, amend, [idiom] calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintai…עֲלֵהֶ֖םalehemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הָרָעָ֑בharaavthe hungerרָעָבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the hunger”, the ordinary formH7458hunger (more or less extensive)dearth, famine, [phrase] famished, hunger.וַתְּהִ֥יvathiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.הָאָ֖רֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.לְפַרְעֹֽהlefaroto Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Pharaoh”H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kingsPharaoh.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them; and the land became Pharaoh's.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them: and the land became Pharaoh’s.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Joseph buyeth all the ground of Egypt for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians have sold each his field, for the famine hath been severe upon them, and the land becometh Pharaoh's;

World English Bible

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s.

Darby Translation

And Joseph bought all the soil of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them; and the land became Pharaoh's.

Douay-Rheims

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:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them; and the land became Pharaoh's.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Joseph bought all the land of the Egyptians, for Pharao; for the Egyptians sold their land to Pharao; for the famine prevailed against them, and the land became Pharao's.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐκτήσατο Ἰωσὴφ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τῷ Φαραώ· ἀπέδοντο γὰρ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν τῷ Φαραώ· ἐπεκράτησε γὰρ αὐτῶν ὁ λιμός· καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ γῆ τῷ Φαραώ.