Genesis 47:25
And they answered: Our life is in thy hand: only let my lord look favourably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king.
Open Genesis 47:25 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Qui responderunt : Salus nostra in manu tua est : respiciat nos tantum dominus noster, et læti serviemus regi.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπαν Σέσωκας ἡμᾶς, εὕρομεν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐσόμεθα παῖδες Φαραώ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ הֶחֱיִתָ֑נוּ נִמְצָא חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְהָיִ֥ינוּ עֲבָדִ֖ים לְפַרְעֹֽה
The Fathers on this verse
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XVI. Due measure must be observed in liberality, that it may not be expended on worthless persons, when it is needed by worthier ones. However, alms are not to be given in too sparing and hesitating a way. One ought rather to follow the example of the blessed Joseph, whose prudence is commended at great length
80. First of all, then, he gathered up their money, then their implements, last of all he acquired for the king all their rights to the ground. He did not wish to deprive all of them of their property, but to support them in it. He also imposed a general tax, that they might hold their own in safety. So pleasing was this to all from whom he had taken the land, that they looked on it, not as the selling of their rights, but as the recovery of their welfare. Thus they spoke: “Thou hast saved our lives, let us find grace in the sight of our Lord.” For they had lost nothing of their own, but had received a new right. Nothing of what was useful to them had failed, for they had now gained it in perpetuity.