Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a
portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
The method which Joseph took to
accommodate the matter between prince and
people, so that the prince might have his just
advantage, and yet the people not be quite
ruined.
1. For their lands, he needed not come to any
bargain with them while the years of famine
lasted; but when these were over (for God will
not contend for ever, nor will he be always
wroth) he came to an agreement, which it
seems both sides were pleased with, that the
people should occupy and enjoy the lands, as
he thought fit to assign them, and should have
seed to sow them with out of the king's stores,
for their own proper use and behoof, yielding
and paying only a fifth part of the yearly
profits as a chief rent to the crown. This
became a standing law, Ge 47:26. And it was
a very good bargain to have food for their
lands, when otherwise they and theirs must
have starved, and then to have their lands
again upon such easy terms.
Note, Those ministers of state are worthy of
double honour, both for wisdom and integrity,