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)
The response, "Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers," was not just a simple statement of their trade, but a strategic declaration designed to ensure their segregation and preservation as a distinct people. By identifying with an occupation Egyptians disdained, they signaled their otherness and avoided assimilation into the broader Egyptian society.
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)
Joseph has just brought his family to Egypt, and Pharaoh has graciously offered them land in Goshen. Now, Pharaoh questions Joseph's brothers about their livelihood, and they, following Joseph's earlier instruction, declare themselves to be shepherds, a profession that was looked down upon by Egyptians. This honest confession sets the stage for their distinct settlement and preserves their identity as a separate people.
Joseph's family is about to enter a foreign land. How they present themselves matters.
Pharaoh asks the brothers, 'What is your occupation?' (Genesis 47:3). This isn't just a casual question; it's about understanding who these newcomers are and how they fit into Egypt. Joseph had already coached them on how to answer, telling them to say, 'Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were' (Genesis 46:34). This deliberate response serves several purposes:
Shepherding wasn't a prestigious job in Egypt, yet it was their family's calling.
The brothers' confession of being 'shepherds' (Genesis 47:3) might seem like a mark of shame, especially in a sophisticated society like Egypt where such a profession was often looked down upon. However, the text invites us to see beyond societal status.
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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.
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Joseph's family migrates to Egypt
Driven by a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob and his entire household, numbering around 70 people, migrate to Egypt under the guidance of Joseph, who has risen to a position of power. They are settled in the land of Goshen.
c. 1800-1700 BC
Growth of the Israelites in Goshen
The family of Jacob, now known as Israelites, thrives in the fertile land of Goshen, multiplying and growing in wealth and numbers. This period of prosperity lasts for generations.
c. 1500 BC
New dynasty in Egypt, Israelites viewed with suspicion
A new, possibly foreign, dynasty (the Hyksos) takes control of Egypt. While they initially tolerated the growing Israelite population, their eventual expulsion leads to a period of nationalism and suspicion towards foreigners, including the Israelites.
c. 1446 BC
Israel's Exodus from Egypt
After centuries of servitude and oppression under Egyptian Pharaohs who feared their numbers and influence, the Israelites are miraculously led out of Egypt by Moses, marking a pivotal moment of liberation and the formation of a nation.
This passage shows Moses, another shepherd from the same lineage, interacting with foreign rulers (a king of Midian and his daughters). It highlights how a shepherd's role, while sometimes looked down upon, can be a space for wisdom and divine guidance in interactions with authority.
1 Samuel 16:11-13This passage mirrors the pastoral identity of David, who was also a shepherd before being chosen by God and anointed king. It emphasizes that a humble occupation does not preclude individuals from God's significant purposes and future leadership roles.
Song of Solomon 1:7-8This passage directly references shepherds and their flocks, framing their work within a context of love and beauty, even as the people of Israel are in a foreign land. It suggests that even in challenging or seemingly lowly circumstances, there can be a divine beauty and purpose.
Luke 2:8-20This passage connects the shepherd profession with a pivotal moment in salvation history – the announcement of Jesus' birth. It shows how God often chooses those in humble occupations to be the first recipients and messengers of His most profound revelations.
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 response, "Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers," was not just a simple statement of their trade, but a strategic declaration designed to ensure their segregation and preservation as a distinct people. By identifying with an occupation Egyptians disdained, they signaled their otherness and avoided assimilation into the broader Egyptian society.
Joseph has just brought his family to Egypt, and Pharaoh has graciously offered them land in Goshen. Now, Pharaoh questions Joseph's brothers about their livelihood, and they, following Joseph's earlier instruction, declare themselves to be shepherds, a profession that was looked down upon by Egyptians. This honest confession sets the stage for their distinct settlement and preserves their identity as a separate people.
Joseph has just brought his family to Egypt, and Pharaoh has graciously offered them land in Goshen. Now, Pharaoh questions Joseph's brothers about their livelihood, and they, following Joseph's earlier instruction, declare themselves to be shepherds, a profession that was looked down upon by Egyptians. This honest confession sets the stage for their distinct settlement and preserves their identity as a separate people.
"Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.”" — The response, "Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers," was not just a simple statement of their trade, but a strategic declaration designed to ensure their segregation and preserv…
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Last reviewed October 2026