Genesis 47:15
New International Version
When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

New Living Translation
When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”

English Standard Version
And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.”

Berean Standard Bible
When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

King James Bible
And when money failed 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 faileth.

New King James Version
So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”

New American Standard Bible
When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph saying, “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone.”

NASB 1995
When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone.”

NASB 1977
And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the money came to an end in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan. So all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone.”

Amplified Bible
And when the money was exhausted in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die before your very eyes? For our money is gone.”

Christian Standard Bible
When the silver from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The silver is gone! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The money is gone!”

American Standard Version
And when the money was all spent 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 our money faileth.

Contemporary English Version
But when everyone had run out of money, the Egyptians came to Joseph and demanded, "Give us more grain! If you don't, we'll soon be dead, because our money's all gone."

English Revised Version
And when the money was all spent 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 our money faileth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the money in Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. "Give us food," they said. "Do you want us to die right in front of you? We don't have any more money!"

Good News Translation
When all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food! Don't let us die. Do something! Our money is all gone."

International Standard Version
After all the money had been spent throughout Egypt and Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and demanded, "Give us food! Why should we die right in front of you? Our money is spent!"

Majority Standard Bible
When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

NET Bible
When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food! Why should we die before your very eyes because our money has run out?"

New Heart English Bible
And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone."

Webster's Bible Translation
And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence: for the money faileth.

World English Bible
When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the silver is consumed out of the land of Egypt and out of the land of Canaan, and all the Egyptians come to Joseph, saying, “Give bread to us—why do we die before you, though the money has ceased?”

Young's Literal Translation
And the silver is consumed out of the land of Egypt, and out of the land of Canaan, and all the Egyptians come in unto Joseph, saying, 'Give to us bread -- why do we die before thee, though the money hath ceased?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the silver will be spent from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan; and all the Egyptians will go to Joseph, saying, Give to us bread: and for what shall we die before thee? for the silver failed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the buyers wanted money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: Give us bread: why should we die in thy presence, having now net money.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when the buyers had run out of money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: “Give us bread. Why should we die in your sight, lacking money?”

New American Bible
When all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, pleading, “Give us food! Why should we perish in front of you? For our money is gone.”

New Revised Standard Version
When the money from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us food! Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the money was spent from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said to him, Give us wheat that we may live, and not die in your presence; for the money is spent.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the money from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan was spent, and all the Egyptians came to Yoseph and they were saying, “Give us grain and we will not die before you, because the money for it is spent.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when the money was all spent 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 our money faileth.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And all the money failed out of the land of Egypt, and out of the land of Chanaan; and all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying, Give us bread, and why do we die in thy presence? for our money is spent.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph's Leadership During the Famine
14Joseph 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. 15When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!” 16“Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.”…

Cross References
Genesis 41:54-57
the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. / When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” / When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ...

Genesis 42:1-3
When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” / “Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” / So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

Genesis 43:1-2
Now the famine was still severe in the land. / So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

Genesis 45:6-11
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. / Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ...

Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

Exodus 16:3
“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”

Exodus 16:12-15
“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’” / That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. / When the layer of dew had evaporated, there were thin flakes on the desert floor, as fine as frost on the ground. ...

2 Kings 6:25
So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver.

2 Kings 7:12
So the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving, so they have left the camp to hide in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and enter the city.’”

Nehemiah 5:3
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

Psalm 105:16
He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.

Isaiah 3:1
For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,

Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Lamentations 5:10
Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.

Ezekiel 4:16-17
Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. / So they will lack food and water; they will be appalled at the sight of one another wasting away in their iniquity.


Treasury of Scripture

And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in your presence? for the money fails.

A.

Genesis 47:18,19,24
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; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: …

Judges 8:5,8
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian…

1 Samuel 21:3
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

Jump to Previous
Bread Canaan Die Egypt Egyptians Failed Faileth Fails Joseph Money Presence Spent
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Bread Canaan Die Egypt Egyptians Failed Faileth Fails Joseph Money Presence Spent
Genesis 47
1. Joseph presents his father, and five of his brothers before Pharaoh.
11. He gives them habitation and maintenance.
13. He gets the Egyptian's money;
16. their cattle;
18. and their lands, except the priests', to Pharaoh.
23. He restores the land for a fifth.
28. Jacob's age.
29. He swears Joseph to bury him with his fathers.














When the money
The Hebrew word for "money" here is "כֶּסֶף" (kesef), which can also mean "silver." In ancient times, silver was commonly used as currency. This reflects the economic practices of the time, where precious metals were the standard for trade and commerce. The depletion of money signifies a severe economic crisis, highlighting the desperation of the people and the effectiveness of Joseph's management during the famine.

from the land of Egypt and Canaan
This phrase indicates the widespread impact of the famine, affecting not only Egypt but also the neighboring region of Canaan. Historically, Egypt was a major center of civilization and trade, and its influence extended into Canaan. The mention of both regions underscores the severity of the famine and the central role Egypt, under Joseph's administration, played in providing sustenance.

was gone
The Hebrew root "תָּם" (tam) means "to be complete" or "to be finished." This suggests a total depletion of resources, emphasizing the dire situation. The complete exhaustion of money indicates that the people had exhausted all their financial means to survive, setting the stage for Joseph's strategic economic policies.

all the Egyptians came to Joseph
Joseph, as the vizier of Egypt, was the central figure in managing the crisis. His position of authority and the trust placed in him by Pharaoh allowed him to implement policies that would sustain the nation. The phrase highlights Joseph's role as a savior figure, a type of Christ, who provides for the needs of the people in their time of distress.

and said, 'Give us food.'
The plea for food reflects the basic human need for sustenance and survival. In the Hebrew context, food is often symbolic of life and blessing. The Egyptians' request underscores their dependence on Joseph's wisdom and provision, mirroring the spiritual truth of humanity's dependence on God's provision.

Why should we die before your eyes?
This rhetorical question emphasizes the urgency and desperation of the situation. The Egyptians appeal to Joseph's compassion and sense of responsibility. It reflects the human condition of vulnerability and the need for divine intervention in times of crisis.

For our funds have run out
The phrase "funds have run out" reiterates the complete depletion of resources. It highlights the economic collapse and the inability of the people to sustain themselves. This situation sets the stage for Joseph's plan to exchange food for livestock and eventually land, which would consolidate Pharaoh's power and ensure the survival of the people.

Verse 15. - And when money failed (literally, and the silver was consumed, or spent) in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all (literally, and all) the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth (literally, and why should we die in thy presence because silver faileth? i.e. seeing that thou art able to support us).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the money
הַכֶּ֗סֶף (hak·ke·sep̄)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

from the lands
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt
מִצְרַיִם֮ (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
וּמֵאֶ֣רֶץ (ū·mê·’e·reṣ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

Canaan
כְּנַעַן֒ (kə·na·‘an)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3667: Canaan -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their land West of the Jordan

was gone,
וַיִּתֹּ֣ם (way·yit·tōm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8552: To be complete or finished

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

the Egyptians
מִצְרַ֨יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4713: Egyptian -- inhabitant of Egypt

came
וַיָּבֹאוּ֩ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joseph
יוֹסֵ֤ף (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

and said,
לֵאמֹר֙ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Give
הָֽבָה־ (hā·ḇāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3051: To give, to put, imperatively, come

us
לָּ֣נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

food.
לֶ֔חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

Why
וְלָ֥מָּה (wə·lām·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should we die
נָמ֖וּת (nā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

before your eyes?
נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ (neḡ·de·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before

For
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

our funds
כָּֽסֶף׃ (kā·sep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

have run out!”
אָפֵ֖ס (’ā·p̄ês)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 656: To cease, fail, come to an end


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OT Law: Genesis 47:15 When the money was all spent (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 47:14
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