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Genesis 47:22

in Genesis 47

However, 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.

This verse in Genesis 47

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The 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

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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 words

Every 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.

  • רַ֛קonly

    rakH7535109 times

  • אַדְמַ֥ת[the] land of

    ʾadmatH127225 times

  • הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםthe priests

    hakohanimH3548750 times

  • לֹ֣אnot

    lo'H38085168 times

  • קָנָ֑הhe bought

    kanahH706984 times

  • כִּי֩for

    kiH35884482 times

  • חֹ֨קan allowance

    chokH2706127 times

  • לַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים[belonged] to the priests

    lakohanimH3548750 times

  • מֵאֵ֣תfrom with

    meetH854929 times

  • פַּרְעֹ֗הPharaoh

    parohH6547274 times

  • וְאָֽכְל֤וּand they eat

    veakheluH398810 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • חֻקָּם֙allowance their

    chukamH2706127 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich

    ʾasherH8345497 times

  • נָתַ֤ןhe gave

    natanH54142011 times

  • לָהֶם֙to them

    lahem

  • פַּרְעֹ֔הPharaoh

    parohH6547274 times

  • עַל־there-

    ʾal-H59215755 times

  • כֵּ֕ן-fore

    kenH3651771 times

  • לֹ֥אnot

    lo'H38085168 times

  • מָכְר֖וּthey sold

    makheruH437680 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • אַדְמָתָֽם׃land their

    ʾadmatamH127225 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 9:13

    Do 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.

  • Through

    Genesis 41:50

    Before 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.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 12:19

    and 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.

About Genesis

The Garden of Eden, Thomas Cole, 1828, Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Public domain.
The Garden of Eden, Thomas Cole, 1828, Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Public domain.

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.