Genesis 47:3
Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The brothers don't just say they are shepherds, but that their fathers were shepherds too. This isn't just stating a profession, but a legacy and a deep-seated identity, subtly signaling to Pharaoh that this is not a temporary pursuit, but their inherited way of life.
Fresh from the famine-stricken lands of Canaan, Joseph's family has arrived in Egypt. Pharaoh, hearing from Joseph that his relatives are shepherds, directly questions them about their livelihood, likely to determine where and how they will settle in his kingdom. Their honest reply, that they are shepherds like their fathers, sets the stage for their designated placement in the land of Goshen.
Why did Jacob's sons immediately bring up their fathers when Pharaoh asked about their jobs?
When Pharaoh asks the brothers, "What is your occupation?" (Genesis 47:3), their immediate response is, "Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were." This wasn't just a statement of fact; it was a strategic answer rooted in their identity and the societal norms of the time.
Shepherding was viewed with disdain in Egypt, yet it was key to their survival and future.
The sons of Jacob's answer, "Your servants are shepherds," carried a dual meaning. While it established their inherited identity, it also represented a profession held in low regard by the Egyptians.
Understand the original words
ro'eh · Hebrew Noun
One who tends sheep; a common, humble, yet essential role in ancient agrarian society. In Scripture, it is a significant metaphor for leadership and care, particularly used to describe God’s relationship with His people and the responsibility of His chosen leaders.
The Israelites' declaration of being shepherds was a strategic choice, aligning with Joseph's counsel. It not only identified their traditional, hereditary occupation but also marked them as a distinct group, separating them from Egyptian society and laying the groundwork for their future unique identity and eventual separation.
c. 1730-1550 BC
Hyksos Rule in Egypt
This period saw foreign rulers, the Hyksos, gain control of Lower Egypt. Their presence may have created a more open environment for foreign settlers like the Israelites, though it also led to eventual Egyptian resurgence.
c. 1700 BC— this verse
Joseph's Family Migrates to Egypt
Jacob and his entire family, numbering around 70 people, migrate to Egypt due to a severe famine in Canaan, settling in the land of Goshen as facilitated by Joseph, who had risen to a high position in Pharaoh's court.
c. 1700 BC onwards
Israelite Settlement in Goshen
The family of Jacob settles in the fertile land of Goshen, east of the Nile Delta. This region was suitable for their livestock, allowing them to flourish and multiply, a key step towards their future growth into a nation.
c. 1550-1292 BC
New Kingdom Period (Egyptian Resurgence)
This passage echoes the family's occupation as shepherds when Moses encounters the daughters of Jethro at the well. It highlights how this pastoral identity, though potentially looked down upon, continued to be a defining characteristic of their lineage.
Leviticus 26:10This verse speaks of an abundance of harvest and the ability to eat 'the old store' before bringing out the new, a stark contrast to the famine the brothers were fleeing. It reveals God's blessings tied to obedience, highlighting the precariousness of their situation before Joseph's intervention.
1 Samuel 16:11-12When Samuel is sent to anoint David king, he first encounters his brothers, who are described as tending sheep. This again connects the humble, yet divinely chosen, role of shepherds with future leadership and divine favor.
Psalm 23:1The iconic opening line, 'The Lord is my shepherd,' draws on the deep familiarity and trust inherent in the shepherd's role. This Psalm beautifully illustrates the reliance and care that defines the shepherd-sheep relationship, mirroring God's relationship with His people even in foreign lands.
Hebrews 11:9The author of Hebrews describes Abraham as living 'in tents, as in a foreign land, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.' This emphasizes the nomadic, sojourner status of the patriarchs, reinforcing the brothers' identity as people whose 'occupation' was tied to a life of temporary dwelling and reliance on God's provision, not settled agriculture.
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…
pooleGenesis 47:3: "And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers."
This employment is not pretended nor taken up by us in design, or in contempt of thee or thy people, but was handed to us by our fathers, and hath been our business to this day.
The brothers don't just say they are shepherds, but that their fathers were shepherds too. This isn't just stating a profession, but a legacy and a deep-seated identity, subtly signaling to Pharaoh that this is not a temporary pursuit, but their inherited way of life.
Fresh from the famine-stricken lands of Canaan, Joseph's family has arrived in Egypt. Pharaoh, hearing from Joseph that his relatives are shepherds, directly questions them about their livelihood, likely to determine where and how they will settle in his kingdom. Their honest reply, that they are shepherds like their fathers, sets the stage for their designated placement in the land of Goshen.
Fresh from the famine-stricken lands of Canaan, Joseph's family has arrived in Egypt. Pharaoh, hearing from Joseph that his relatives are shepherds, directly questions them about their livelihood, likely to determine where and how they will settle in his kingdom. Their honest reply, that they are shepherds like their fathers, sets the stage for their designated placement in the land of Goshen.
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After expelling the Hyksos, a powerful Egyptian dynasty, the New Kingdom, rose to power. Their reign was marked by strong nationalism and military expansion, which eventually led to the enslavement of the Israelites.
"Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.”" — The brothers don't just say they are shepherds, but that their fathers were shepherds too. This isn't just stating a profession, but a legacy and a deep-seated identity, subtly signaling to Phara…
