Bible Strands
Genesis 41:35
Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joseph addresses Pharaoh and his court, explaining the administrative response required after revealing the meaning of the king's dreams of abundance and famine.
The words — The Hebrew imperative יִקְבְּצוּ (yikbeṣû) commands "let them gather," applied to כָּל־אֹכֶל (kol-ʾokhel, "all food") from הַשָּׁנִים הַטֹּבֹת הַבָּאֹת הָאֵלֶּה (hashšānîm hatṭōḇōt habbāʾōt hāʾēlleh, "these coming good years").
The thread — The same order to stockpile surplus in urban centers is recorded as fulfilled in Genesis 41:48, and the exact duration of the coming famine is specified in Genesis 45:6.
Why it lands — The verse states a direct command to institutionalize surplus collection and urban storage to prevent national collapse. It asks readers to observe how practical governance and obedience to revealed warning function as the mechanism for preservation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
Cross-references
- Genesis 41:48 During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.
- Genesis 41:56 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 45:6 For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
- Exodus 4:13 But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”