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
This occurs during Joseph's reunion with his family when his brothers come to Egypt seeking relief from a seven-year famine. Joseph, now second in command to Pharaoh, had prepared Egypt for this famine through God's wisdom. The brothers are speaking respectfully to Pharaoh, using diplomatic language ('thy servants') as foreigners seeking refuge.
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