Genesis 41:48
New International Version
Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.

New Living Translation
During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities.

English Standard Version
and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it.

Berean Standard Bible
During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

King James Bible
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

New King James Version
So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.

New American Standard Bible
So he collected all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and put the food in the cities; he put in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

NASB 1995
So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

NASB 1977
So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt, and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

Legacy Standard Bible
So he gathered all the food of these seven years which happened in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

Amplified Bible
And Joseph gathered all the [surplus] food of the seven [good] years in the land of Egypt and stored [enormous quantities of] the food in the cities. He stored away in every city the food [collected] from its own surrounding fields.

Christian Standard Bible
Joseph gathered all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and put it in the cities. He put the food in every city from the fields around it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joseph gathered all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and put it in the cities. He put the food in every city from the fields around it.

American Standard Version
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

Contemporary English Version
Joseph collected and stored up the extra grain in the cities of Egypt near the fields where it was harvested.

English Revised Version
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joseph collected all the food grown in Egypt during those seven years and put this food in the cities. In each city he put the food from the fields around it.

Good News Translation
all of which Joseph collected and stored in the cities. In each city he stored the food from the fields around it.

International Standard Version
Joseph collected the surplus food throughout the land of Egypt, storing food in cities; that is, he gathered the food from fields that surrounded every city and stored it there.

Majority Standard Bible
During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

NET Bible
Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it.

New Heart English Bible
And he collected all the food during the seven years when there was abundance in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from the fields surrounding it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he gathered all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field which was around every city, he laid up in the same.

World English Bible
He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. He stored food in each city from the fields around that city.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he gathers all the food of the seven years which have been in the land of Egypt, and puts food in the cities; the food of the field which [is] around [each] city has he put in its midst;

Young's Literal Translation
And he gathereth all the food of the seven years which have been in the land of Egypt, and putteth food in the cities; the food of the field which is round about each city hath he put in its midst;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will gather all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and he will give the food in the cities: the food of the field of the city which round about her, he gave in the midst of her.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the abundance of grain was laid up in every city.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And now all the abundance of grain was stored away in every city.

New American Bible
he collected all the food of these years of plenty that the land of Egypt was enjoying and stored it in the cities, placing in each city the crops of the fields around it.

New Revised Standard Version
He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he gathered up all the grain of the seven plenteous years which were in the land of Egypt, and stored up the grain in towns; the grain of the fields which was round about every town he stored in the same.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he collected all the produce that came in seven years of the fullness that was in the land of Egypt, and he put the produce in a town; he gathered the grain of the fields of a town and its surroundings within it.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he gathered all the food of the seven years, in which was the plenty in the land of Egypt; and he laid up the food in the cities; the food of the fields of a city round about it he laid up in it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Seven Years of Plenty
47During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. 48During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. 49So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.…

Cross References
Genesis 41:29-30
Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, / but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land.

Genesis 47:13-14
There was no food, however, in all that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine. / Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace.

Genesis 41:34-36
Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. / Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. / This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

Genesis 45:6-7
For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. / God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Genesis 47:24
At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

Exodus 1:11
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Exodus 12:35-36
Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. / And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. / Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, / it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.

Proverbs 10:5
He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Proverbs 21:20
Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...

Matthew 25:14-30
For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. / To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. / The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. ...

Luke 12:16-21
Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ / Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods. ...

Luke 16:1-9
Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. / So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’ / The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg. ...

Acts 11:28-30
One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.) / So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. / This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.


Treasury of Scripture

And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

Genesis 41:34-36
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…

Genesis 47:21
And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

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Abundance Cities City Collected Egypt Field Fields Food Gathered Gathereth Grown Joseph Laid Occurred Placed Plenty Produce Produced Round Seven Store Stored Surrounding Together Towns
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Abundance Cities City Collected Egypt Field Fields Food Gathered Gathereth Grown Joseph Laid Occurred Placed Plenty Produce Produced Round Seven Store Stored Surrounding Together Towns
Genesis 41
1. Pharaoh has two dreams.
9. Joseph interprets them.
33. He gives Pharaoh counsel, and is highly advanced, and married.
46. The seven years of plenty.
50. He begets children.
53. The famine begins.














During those seven years
This phrase refers to the period of abundance that God revealed to Pharaoh in his dreams, which Joseph interpreted. The number seven often symbolizes completeness or divine perfection in the Bible. These years were a time of preparation, a divine provision for the future famine. Theologically, it underscores the importance of heeding divine warnings and acting with foresight and wisdom.

Joseph collected
The Hebrew root for "collected" is "אָסַף" (asaph), which means to gather or assemble. Joseph's role as a gatherer of resources highlights his administrative skills and obedience to God's plan. It reflects the biblical principle of stewardship, where one is responsible for managing resources wisely for the benefit of others.

all the excess food
The phrase "all the excess food" indicates the abundance that God provided. The Hebrew word for "excess" can also mean surplus, emphasizing that God’s provision was more than sufficient. This abundance is a reminder of God's generosity and the importance of using His blessings to prepare for future needs.

in the land of Egypt
Egypt, in the biblical narrative, often represents a place of refuge and provision, as well as a place of testing and trial. Historically, Egypt was a powerful and prosperous nation, known for its advanced agricultural practices. Joseph's actions in Egypt demonstrate God's sovereignty in using even foreign lands to fulfill His purposes.

and stored it in the cities
The act of storing food in cities shows strategic planning and organization. The Hebrew word for "stored" is "צָבַר" (tsabar), meaning to heap up or accumulate. This reflects the wisdom of creating reserves and the importance of community centers as places of resource distribution.

In every city he put the food
This phrase highlights Joseph's systematic approach to resource management. By placing food in every city, Joseph ensured that the resources were accessible to all, demonstrating fairness and equity. It also illustrates the principle of decentralization, which can prevent monopolization and ensure widespread distribution.

grown in the fields around it
The mention of "fields" emphasizes the agricultural basis of Egypt's economy and the natural provision of God through the land. The Hebrew word for "fields" is "שָׂדֶה" (sadeh), which can also mean open country or territory. This indicates that the food was locally sourced, promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency.

(48) All the food.--Probably besides the fifth paid as tax to the king, and out of which all the current expenses of the realm would have to be provided, Joseph bought corn largely during these years when it was at its cheapest.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
During those seven
שֶׁ֣בַע (še·ḇa‘)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

years,
שָׁנִ֗ים (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

Joseph collected
וַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ (way·yiq·bōṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6908: To gather, collect

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the excess food
אֹ֣כֶל ׀ (’ō·ḵel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 400: Food

in the land
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and stored
וַיִּתֶּן־ (way·yit·ten-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

it
אֹ֖כֶל (’ō·ḵel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 400: Food

in the cities.
בֶּעָרִ֑ים (be·‘ā·rîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

In
בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃ (bə·ṯō·w·ḵāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

every city
הָעִ֛יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

he laid up
נָתַ֥ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the food
אֹ֧כֶל (’ō·ḵel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 400: Food

from the fields
שְׂדֵה־ (śə·ḏêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7704: Field, land

around it.
סְבִיבֹתֶ֖יהָ (sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hā)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around


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OT Law: Genesis 41:48 He gathered up all the food (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 41:47
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