Economic Downturn

Dr.Who

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
6,776
Location
Horse Country
Here is a verse that describes an economic downturn. It is printed here from several different versions of the bible.
The people of all (kol) the earth (eretz) came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all (kol) the earth (eretz).
Genesis 41:57 NASB

And all (kol) countries (eretz) came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because the famine was so sore in all (kol) lands (eretz).
Genesis 41:57 KJV

And all (kol) the countries (eretz) came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all (kol) the world (eretz).
Genesis 41:57 NIV
The message is clear from the different versions despite slight differences in the way that translators chose English words for the original Hebrew words "kol" and "eretz". And when one reads it in context even more is clear.

There was a drought in Egypt that extended to many neighboring countries. As far as the people in that area were concerned the entire world as they knew it (or the entire world that they cared to talk about) was experiencing a drought. But Egypt had been smart enough to save (grain) rather than to rely on deficit spending. Instead of being in debt and then having that debt make life harder in hard times they were fortunate that they had saved. And now, people from many neighboring lands came to buy grain from them - at a profit of course.

Some obvious things that barely need stating but I choose to address them anyway since so many read things literally ( I don't ascribe to the idea of reading the bible literally except when it is supposed to be and figuratively when it is supposed to be): the Hebrew word for "all" is kol, and it does not mean the same thing as the English word all. It can mean virtually all or it can mean all of what is being discussed. And the word "eretz" means either land, or country, or province, or area, or earth, or even people of the land. What it never means is planet. In short, the verse should never be interpreted to mean that American Indians came to Egypt looking for corn.

So what is the lesson that we learn from this? Well if we could go back in time we would know that our country should not have been running a deficit since its inception. Worse still, that debt has taken on astronomical proportions in recent years. Now is the time of the world wide famine and here we sit with debt rather than savings. We are not Egypt, we are more like Canaan.

And where could this lead?
13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace. 15 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 used up."

16 "Then bring your livestock," said Joseph. "I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone." 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, "We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."

20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, [c] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, "Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."

25 "You have saved our lives," they said. "May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."
 
Werbung:
Back
Top