They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
They also said to Pharaoh, 'We have come to live temporarily in your land because we, your servants, have no pasture for our flocks. The famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So please, we ask you, let us live in the land of Goshen.'
The brothers are humbly asking Pharaoh for permission to settle temporarily in Egypt's Goshen region because the severe famine has left them with no food or pasture for their animals back home.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to become a high official in Egypt and orchestrated preparations for a widespread famine that affected the region. When the famine devastated Canaan, Jacob and his family traveled to Egypt to seek sustenance and a place to live, as their flocks had no pasture. Pharaoh's response allowed them to settle in Goshen, a fertile area ideal for shepherds.
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