And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it seems like a simple distribution plan, the verse highlights a surprisingly generous provision for the people. They get to keep four-fifths of their harvest, with specific allocations for seed, food for adults, and even for their children, showing Joseph’s concern for their future and well-being beyond mere survival. This setup, a fifth for Pharaoh and four-fifths for themselves, was actually a remarkably merciful arrangement considering they had sold their land and almost their very selves to him.
And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Joseph, through his God-given wisdom, saved Egypt from utter ruin during the severe famine, he establishes a system for the remaining years. The Egyptian people, having sold their lands and themselves into servitude to Pharaoh for survival, are now being provided with seed to replant the fields they once owned, making them tenants on their own soil. This verse lays out the terms of this new arrangement, defining how the harvest will be divided between the people and Pharaoh.
Imagine a land ravaged by famine, where people sold everything—money, cattle, even themselves—for a single bite of bread. Now, look at this verse. What does it reveal about the fairness of Joseph's decree?
The Bargain Struck
Joseph's actions during the famine were a complex mix of shrewd management and divine providence. When Egypt's people had exhausted all their money and then their livestock to buy food, they offered their lands and their very selves to Pharaoh for survival (Genesis 47:18-19). Joseph, acting on behalf of Pharaoh, essentially 'bought' them and their land.
A Generous Arrangement
Instead of claiming everything for Pharaoh, Joseph institutes a system that, while undeniably placing the people under Pharaoh's authority, offered a remarkable level of generosity given the circumstances. Verse 24 outlines this: a fifth of the harvest goes to Pharaoh, while the remaining four-fifths are kept by the people.
This wasn't just a tax; it was a lifeline. Those four-fifths were designated for crucial purposes:
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This arrangement, while a far cry from absolute ownership, was a humane way to manage the kingdom's resources and the people's lives, preserving both for the future.
After surrendering everything else, the people are given back essentials. What does the specific allocation of the 'four parts' tell us about Joseph's priorities?
Beyond Mere Survival
The verse doesn't just mention food; it breaks down how the people's portion (four-fifths) is to be used. This reveals a strategic vision beyond simply feeding a starving population.
Investing in the Future
Joseph's decree wasn't just about collecting revenue for Pharaoh; it was about reconstituting Egyptian society after the devastating famine, ensuring that the people had the means not only to live but to thrive again.
Understand the original words
tebuah · Hebrew Noun
The act or time of gathering the fruits of one's labor, often used as a metaphor for divine judgment or the realization of God’s provision.
This verse marks the establishment of a systematic taxation policy in Egypt born out of severe famine. Joseph's decree, setting aside four-fifths of the harvest for the people, was considered a generous provision compared to other ancient Near Eastern tax rates, ensuring the nation's survival and rebuilding.
c. 1800 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph is sold by his brothers into slavery, beginning a series of events that lead him to Egypt.
c. 1780 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams, predicting seven years of plenty followed by seven years of severe famine.
c. 1779 BC
Joseph appointed ruler of Egypt
Pharaoh appoints Joseph as the second-in-command over all of Egypt, tasking him with managing the grain reserves.
c. 1773 BC
Famine begins in Egypt and Canaan
The predicted famine begins, causing widespread starvation. Joseph opens the storehouses and sells grain to the Egyptians and Canaanites.
c. 1772 BC
Egyptians sell money, then cattle for food
As the famine intensifies, Egyptians first exhaust their money, then their cattle, trading them to Joseph for food, all for Pharaoh.
c. 1771 BC
Egyptians sell their land and themselves
With no money or cattle left, the Egyptians sell their land to Pharaoh and become his servants, toiling the fields for food.
c. 1771 BC— this verse
Joseph establishes a land tax
Joseph sets a tax of one-fifth of the harvest for Pharaoh, with the remaining four-fifths for the people's seed and sustenance. This establishes a system that continues to the present day.
This passage sets the expectation for tithing a tenth of one's produce for religious purposes, highlighting a general biblical principle of dedicating a portion of one's harvest to a higher authority.
1 Samuel 8:11-18This passage describes the rights of a king over his people, including taking a tenth of their produce and enslaving them, providing a stark contrast to Joseph's more lenient decree of a fifth.
Nehemiah 5:1-5Here, the people cry out against the oppressive taxes and debt they are forced into, illustrating the potential for harsh economic policies and showing how Joseph's arrangement, while demanding, was ultimately a relief from utter destitution.
Matthew 20:1-16In this parable, Jesus shows a master rewarding all laborers the same regardless of hours worked, illustrating God’s generous provision and contrasting with the strict economic arrangements often found in human systems.
calvinGenesis 47:1-31: "Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen."
- Et dixerunt ad Pharaonem, Ut peregrinaremur in hac terra, venimus, quia non est pascuum pecudibus, quae sunt servis tuis: gravis enim fames est in terra Chenaan: nunc igitur habitent quaeso servi tui in terra Gosen.
5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy fat…
clarkeGenesis 47:24: "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."
Ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh - This is precisely the case in Hindostan; the king has the fifth part of all the crops.
While it seems like a simple distribution plan, the verse highlights a surprisingly generous provision for the people. They get to keep four-fifths of their harvest, with specific allocations for seed, food for adults, and even for their children, showing Joseph’s concern for their future and well-being beyond mere survival. This setup, a fifth for Pharaoh and four-fifths for themselves, was actually a remarkably merciful arrangement considering they had sold their land and almost their very selves to him.
After Joseph, through his God-given wisdom, saved Egypt from utter ruin during the severe famine, he establishes a system for the remaining years. The Egyptian people, having sold their lands and themselves into servitude to Pharaoh for survival, are now being provided with seed to replant the fields they once owned, making them tenants on their own soil. This verse lays out the terms of this new arrangement, defining how the harvest will be divided between the people and Pharaoh.
After Joseph, through his God-given wisdom, saved Egypt from utter ruin during the severe famine, he establishes a system for the remaining years. The Egyptian people, having sold their lands and themselves into servitude to Pharaoh for survival, are now being provided with seed to replant the fields they once owned, making them tenants on their own soil. This verse lays out the terms of this new arrangement, defining how the harvest will be divided between the people and Pharaoh.
"And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.”" — While it seems like a simple distribution plan, the verse highlights a surprisingly generous provision for the people. They get to keep four-fifths of their harvest, with specific allocations for see…
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Last reviewed October 2026