Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 41:34
Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
34. Let Pharaoh do this ] Joseph’s advice is (1) to appoint a “grain administrator,” praefectus rei frumentariae; (2) to appoint local officers, “over-seers,” LXX , for the various districts of Egypt; (3) to exact for the crown 20 per cent., “the fifth part,” of the grain of the country.
Some think an inconsistency is involved in the recommendation of one supreme officer ( Gen 41:33) and the recommendation of local overseers ( Gen 41:34). The two, however, are practically inseparable elements in a sound administrative scheme.
take up the fifth part of the land ] Lit. “let him fifth the land,” i.e. secure for the crown one-fifth of the annual grain produce of Egypt during the seven years of fertility. In this passage from E, the imposition of a 20 per cent. duty is a special regulation proposed by Joseph to meet the exigencies of the impending famine. In Gen 47:24, from J, it appears as a permanent Egyptian usage, owing its origin to the initiation of Joseph.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 34. Let him appoint officers] pekidim, visiters, overseers: translated by Ainsworth, bishops; see Ge 39:1.
Take up the fifth part of the land] What is still called the meery, or that part of the produce which is claimed by the king by way of tax. It is probable that in Joseph’s time it was not so much as a fifth part, most likely a tenth: but as this was an extraordinary occasion, and the earth brought forth by handfuls, Ge 41:47, the king would be justified in requiring a fifth; and from the great abundance, the people could pay this increased tax without feeling it to be oppressive.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Not by force or violence, for Joseph would never be the author of such unrighteous counsels; but by purchase at the common price, which was like to be very low in that case, and therefore might easily be compassed by that rich and mighty prince.
Quest. Why
the fifth part, and not half, seeing the years of famine were as many as the years of plenty?
Answ. Because,
1. Men would and should live more sparingly in times of famine.
2. It was likely that very many men would lay up great quantities of corn in those years, partly because they could not spend it all, and partly in expectation of a scarcer and dearer time, when they might either use it themselves, or sell it to their advantage.
3. The fifth part of those years of great plenty might be more than the half, yea, equal to the whole crop of ordinary years.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
34. and let him appoint officersover the landoverseers, equivalent to the beys of modernEgypt.
take up the fifth part of thelandthat is, of the land’s produce, to be purchased and storedby the government, instead of being sold to foreign corn merchants.
Ge41:37-57. JOSEPH MADERULER OF EGYPT.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let Pharaoh do [this],…. Appoint such a person; who as a sovereign prince could do it of himself:
and let him appoint officers over the land; not Pharaoh, but the wise and discreet governor he should set over the land, who should have a power of appointing officers or overseers under him to manage things according to his direction:
and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years; not the officers appointed, but the appointer of them, the chief governor under Pharaoh, for the word is singular; it is proposed that he should, in Pharaoh’s name, and by his order, take a fifth part of all the corn in the land of Egypt during seven years of plenty; not by force, which so good a man as Joseph would never advise to, whatever power Pharaoh might have, and could exercise if he pleased; but by making a purchase of it, which in such time of plenty would be bought cheap, and which so great a prince as Pharaoh was capable of. It is commonly asked, why an half part was not ordered to be took up, since there were to be as many years of famine as of plenty? and to this it is usually replied, that besides this fifth part taken up, as there might be an old stock of former years, so there would be something considerable remain of these seven years of plenty, which men of substance would lay up, as Pharaoh did; and besides, a fifth part might be equal to the crop of an ordinary year, or near it: to which may be added, that in times of famine men live more sparingly, as they are obliged, and therefore such a quantity would go the further; as well as it may be considered, that notwithstanding the barrenness of the land in general, yet in some places, especially on the banks of the Nile, some corn might be produced; so that upon the whole a fifth part might be judged sufficient to answer the extremity of the seven years of famine, and even to allow a distribution to other countries.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(34) Take up the fifth part of the land.Heb., let him fifth the land, that is, exact a fifth part of the produce. It has been supposed that it had been usual in Egypt to pay to the king a tithe of the crop, and the doubling of the impost would not press very heavily on the people in these years of extraordinary abundance. As the reason of the enactment would be made known, it would also induce all careful people to store up a portion of their own superabundance for future need. Subsequently, a fifth of the produce was fixed by Joseph permanently as the kings rent.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. Take up the fifth part Hebrews, let him fifth the land of Egypt . Perhaps tithing the produce of the land for the king was already in practice, but Joseph advises that one-fifth of their annual produce be set apart, and saved for the time of famine .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 41:34. Officers, &c. The Hebrew signifies, literally, overseers. The Hebrew pekid, as the Greek , whence we have formed our English word bishop, is a man who has a charge or office, for any business, civil, military, or ecclesiastic.
Fifth part of the land That is, the fifth part of the fruits of the earth, or rather of the corn, which grew during the years of plenty. It has been asked, why a fifth part? why not half, since there were to be as many years of famine as of abundance? To which it may be replied, that in time of famine men live more frugally; that many persons, after the king’s example, might fill their own granaries; that even, in those years of greatest famine, something might be sown, at least near the banks of the Nile; that a fifth part of the extraordinary abundance in those seven years, might be equal to a half of the ordinary produce; and that a tenth part being the tribute paid to kings in many countries, and most probably here, Joseph proposed only to double this impost during the years of extraordinary abundance, when the fifth part was not more to the people, than the tenth in other years; or, which is rather to be supposed from a good king and a good counsellor, he might propose to buy as much more as was the tribute, which might be done at an easy rate, when plenty made corn cheap.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 41:34 Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
Ver. 34. And take up the fifth part of the land. ] For so much money as it is worth. The Egyptians might well spare it, and the king might as well buy it, since he should sell it again for very good profit. Neither would Joseph advise, nor Pharaoh be advised, to take his subjects’ goods by violence. When Samuel tells the people that their king, whom they called for, would take their fields and vineyards, the best of them, and give them to his servants, &c., loquitur non tam de iure quam de more, he speaks not of the right of kings, as if all were theirs, and no man had anything of his own, but of the manner, and illimited power that some kings take over their subjects’ goods; as in Turkey, Persia, &c. Let it be the voice of a Nero, whensoever he put any one in office, Scis quid mihi opus sit, et hoc agamus, nequis quicquam habeat: a of a Seleucus, to proclaim that the king’s pleasure is the only law; b as if it were not enough to be above men, but above mankind: as those princes would be, saith our English chronicler, c that would have their will to be law. Melancthon tells us of a certain prince in those parts, that extorted money from his miserable subjects, by knocking out their teeth. First he knocked out one tooth, d threatening to do so by the rest, unless they brought him in such a sum, by such a time, as he demanded. The same author elsewhere d relates, that he was at a sermon on the birthday of our Saviour. The preacher took his text out of Luk 2:1 , “There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” And whereas the audience expected that the preacher should have discoursed of Christ’s nativity, of the hypostatical union, &c., he spent his whole hour (the weather being extremely cold) in this subject, that obedience must be yielded to the higher powers; that they must have as much money given them as they call for; with a great deal of such like stuff, little to the purpose, but much to the pleasure of some princes then and there present. Such court parasites many times do much mischief in a state; as well by seducing good princes, qui essent alii, si essent apud alios, as by stickling against them, when the world doth not favour them. When Edward II, surnamed Carnarvan, was pursued by his Queen and son, the Bishop of Hereford being to preach before her at Oxford, and to deliver the cause of her proceeding, took for his text, “My head acheth, my head acheth”; 2Ki 4:19 and concluded most undivinely, that an aching and sick head of a kingdom, was, of necessity, to be taken off, and no otherwise cured. f
a Sueton., in Nerone.
b D . – Appian.
c Dan., Hist. of Eng., fol. 144.
d Primo unum dentem evellebat, minitans, &c. – Manl., loc. com., 636.
e Eram aliquando in die Natali, in cuiusdam concione, &c. Erant quibus gratificabatur et assentiebatur quorundam auribus, &c. – Ibid. 479.
f Dan., Hist. of Engl, fol. 216.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
do this = take action.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
officers: or, overseers, Num 31:14, 2Ki 11:11, 2Ki 11:12, 2Ch 34:12, Neh 11:9
and take: Job 5:20, Psa 33:19, Pro 6:6-8, Pro 22:3, Pro 27:12, Luk 16:5
Reciprocal: Gen 41:48 – General Gen 47:24 – the fifth part
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 41:34. Let him appoint officers to take up a fifth part Not by force or violence, but by purchase at the common price, which would probably be very low during these years of plenty. But why only a fifth part, seeing the years of famine were to be as many as the years of plenty? 1st, Because people would live more sparingly in the time of the famine. 2d, It is likely that many persons, in all parts of the country, besides the king, would lay up great quantities of corn, both because they could not easily consume it all, and in expectation of a time of greater scarcity and dearness, when they might either use it themselves, or sell it to their advantage. Add to this, 3d, That even the fifth part of the produce of those years of plenty might be more than the half, yea, equal to the whole crop of ordinary years.