1
And it came to pass that there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
2
And Joseph had gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into the house of Pharaoh.
3
¶ And it came to pass that when money ran out in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph and said: Give us bread; for why should we die in thy presence? For the money is gone!
4
And Joseph said: Bring then unto me your livestock; and I will give you for your livestock, if money fail.
5
And they all brought their livestock unto Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses; and he fed them with bread for all their livestock for that year.
6
¶ And it came to pass that when that year was ended, they came unto him the second year and said unto him: We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent;
7
My lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not aught left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies and our lands; wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land?
8
Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land be not desolate.
9
¶ And it came to pass that Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field because the famine prevailed over them; and so the land became the land of Pharaoh.
10
And as for the people, he removeda them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.
11
Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portiona assigned them of Pharaoh and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore, they sold not their lands.
12
¶ And it came to pass that Joseph said unto the people: Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh; lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
13
And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh; and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
14
And they said: Thou hast saved our lives; let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be the servants of Pharaoh.
15
¶ And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which did not belong to Pharaoh.