And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
The sons of Israel came to buy grain along with many other people who had come for the same reason, because there was a severe famine in the land of Canaan.
The writer is showing that Jacob's sons had to travel to Egypt to buy food because their homeland was experiencing a devastating famine.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, a severe famine had spread across the region, including the land of Canaan, as part of God's sovereign plan that was foretold to Abraham and fulfilled in Joseph's story. Jacob, also known as Israel, sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain because their own land was barren and unable to sustain them. This event occurs after Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, had risen to a high position in Egypt and was overseeing the distribution of stored food during the famine.
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