Genesis 47:22
in Genesis 47However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Only the land of the priests bought he not: for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore they sold not their land.
KJV
Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
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This verse in Genesis 47
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThe land of the priests bought he not - From this verse it is natural to infer that whatever the religion of Egypt was, it was established by law and supported by the state. Hence when Joseph bought all the lands of the Egyptians for Pharaoh, he bought not the land of the priests, for that was a portion assigned them by Pharaoh; and they did eat - did live on, that portion. This is the earliest account we have of an established religion supported by the state.
This site's exposition
the priests' portion of the land
on Genesis 47:22-24
Pharaoh feeds his priests from the royal stores, and their land stays theirs. Adam Clarke calls this the earliest state-supported religion on record. Origen set it beside Israel, where the LORD gives the priests no land and tells them He is their portion. Egypt renders a fifth to the throne, and Israel will render a tenth to God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Only the land of the priests bought he not,....
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רַ֛ק | rak | only | H7535 → | 109 times |
| אַדְמַ֥ת | ʾadmat | [the] land of | H127 → | 225 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| קָנָ֑ה | kanah | he bought | H7069 → | 84 times |
| כִּי֩ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| חֹ֨ק | chok | an allowance | H2706 → | 127 times |
| לַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים | lakohanim | [belonged] to the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| מֵאֵ֣ת | meet | from with | H854 → | 929 times |
| פַּרְעֹ֗ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| וְאָֽכְל֤וּ | veakhelu | and they eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֻקָּם֙ | chukam | allowance their | H2706 → | 127 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָתַ֤ן | natan | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | to them | ||
| פַּרְעֹ֔ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֕ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| מָכְר֖וּ | makheru | they sold | H4376 → | 80 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַדְמָתָֽם׃ | ʾadmatam | land their | H127 → | 225 times |
רַ֛קonly
rakH7535 →109 times
אַדְמַ֥ת[the] land of
ʾadmatH127 →225 times
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
קָנָ֑הhe bought
kanahH7069 →84 times
כִּי֩for
kiH3588 →4482 times
חֹ֨קan allowance
chokH2706 →127 times
לַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים[belonged] to the priests
lakohanimH3548 →750 times
מֵאֵ֣תfrom with
meetH854 →929 times
פַּרְעֹ֗הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
וְאָֽכְל֤וּand they eat
veakheluH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֻקָּם֙allowance their
chukamH2706 →127 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נָתַ֤ןhe gave
natanH5414 →2011 times
לָהֶם֙to them
lahem
פַּרְעֹ֔הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֕ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
מָכְר֖וּthey sold
makheruH4376 →80 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אַדְמָתָֽם׃land their
ʾadmatamH127 →225 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 9:13Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
it leads to
- Numbers 18:8–20
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons…
- Numbers 5:9–10
Every sacred contribution the Israelites bring to the priest shall belong to him.
- Leviticus 6:26
The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
- 1 Corinthians 10:18
Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
- Deuteronomy 18:1–5
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
- Numbers 18:8–20
Through
Genesis 41:50Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
it leads to
- Genesis 46:20
Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
- Genesis 48:5
And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
- Genesis 46:20
Through
Deuteronomy 12:19and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 31:4–21
Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 31:4–21
About Genesis

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, Homilies on Genesis.
