Genesis 47:6
in Genesis 47the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
the land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
KJV
The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
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This verse in Genesis 47
Commentary
5 notes on this verseIn the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell - So it appears that the land of Goshen was the best of the land of Egypt. Men of activity - אנשי חיל anshey chayil, stout or robust men - such as were capable of bearing fatigue, and of rendering their authority respectable.
This site's exposition
your father and brothers have come to you
on Genesis 47:5-6
Pharaoh grants more than the brothers asked for. They asked for pasture in Goshen, and he settles them in the best part of the land of Egypt. He also offers to put any talented man among them in charge of his own livestock. Jacob's family enters Egypt as guests of the crown.
This site's exposition
the land of Egypt is before you
Abimelech made the same kind of offer to Abraham at 20:15. Talented men translates men of chayil, the phrase Jethro uses at Exodus 18:21 for the capable men who would judge Israel. Pharaoh offers Joseph's brothers charge of the royal livestock along with the best part of the land.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The land of Egypt is before thee,....
This was an instance of Pharaoh's gratitude to Joseph; because he had been such a blessing to him and his kingdom, he would be kind to his relations, purely for his sake. He offered them preferment as shepherds over his cattle, provided they were men of activity; for it is the man who is diligent in his business that shall stand before kings.
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶ֤רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| לְפָנֶ֣יךָ | lefaneikha | [is] <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הִ֔וא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| בְּמֵיטַ֣ב | bemeitav | in [the] best of | H4315 → | |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הוֹשֵׁ֥ב | hoshev | cause to dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אָבִ֖יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַחֶ֑יךָ | ʾacheikha | brothers your | H251 → | 630 times |
| יֵשְׁבוּ֙ | yeshevu | let them dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| גֹּ֔שֶׁן | goshen | Goshen | H1657 → | 15 times |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יָדַ֗עְתָּ | yada'ta | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| וְיֶשׁ־ | veyesh- | and there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| בָּם֙ | bam | among them | ||
| אַנְשֵׁי־ | ʾanshei- | [are] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| חַ֔יִל | chayil | ability | H2428 → | |
| וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ם | vesamtam | and you will appoint them | H7760 → | 584 times |
| שָׂרֵ֥י | sarei | overseers of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| מִקְנֶ֖ה | mikneh | livestock | H4735 → | 76 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | [belongs] to me |
אֶ֤רֶץ[the] land of
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
לְפָנֶ֣יךָ[is] <to> before you
lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
הִ֔ואit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
בְּמֵיטַ֣בin [the] best of
bemeitavH4315 →
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
הוֹשֵׁ֥בcause to dwell
hoshevH3427 →1079 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אָבִ֖יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אַחֶ֑יךָbrothers your
ʾacheikhaH251 →630 times
יֵשְׁבוּ֙let them dwell
yeshevuH3427 →1079 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
גֹּ֔שֶׁןGoshen
goshenH1657 →15 times
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
יָדַ֗עְתָּyou know
yada'taH3045 →945 times
וְיֶשׁ־and there
veyesh-H3426 →140 times
בָּם֙among them
bam
אַנְשֵׁי־[are] men of
ʾanshei-H582 →566 times
חַ֔יִלability
chayilH2428 →
וְשַׂמְתָּ֛םand you will appoint them
vesamtamH7760 →584 times
שָׂרֵ֥יoverseers of
sareiH8269 →421 times
מִקְנֶ֖הlivestock
miknehH4735 →76 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
לִֽי׃[belongs] to me
li
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
Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:28
Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.
- Matthew 25:21
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Proverbs 10:4
Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- 1 Kings 11:28
Through
Exodus 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
it leads to
- Acts 6:3
Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them
- 2 Chronicles 19:5–10
He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
- Deuteronomy 1:13–17
Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- Acts 6:3
About Genesis

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
