sions.

47:23. Then Joseph said to the people: Behold, as you see, both you and
your lands belong to Pharao; take seed and sow the fields,

47:24. That you may have corn. The fifth part you shall give to the
king; the other four you shall have for seed, and for food for your
families and children.

47:25. And they answered: our life is in thy hand; only let my lord look
favourably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king.

47:26. From that time unto this day, in the whole land of Egypt, the
fifth part is paid to the kings, and it is become as a law, except the
land of the priests, which was free from this covenant.

47:27. So Israel dwelt in Egypt, that is, in the land of Gessen, and
possessed it; and grew, and was multiplied exceedingly.

47:28. And he lived in it seventeen years: and all the days of his life
came to a hundred and forty-seven years.

47:29. And when he saw that the day of his death drew nigh, he called
his son Joseph, and said to him: If I have found favour in thy sight,
put thy hand under my thigh; and thou shalt shew me this kindness and
truth, not to bury me in Egypt.

47:30. But I will sleep with my fathers, and thou shalt take me away out
of this land, and bury me in the burying place of my ancestors. And
Joseph answered him: I will do what thou hast commanded.

47:31. And he said: Swear then to me. And as he was swearing, Israel
adored God, turning to the bed's head.

To the bed's head... St. Paul, Heb. 11.21, following the Greek
translation of the Septuagint, reads adored the top of his rod. Where
note, that the same word in the Hebrew, according to the different
pointing of it, signifies both a bed and a rod. And to verify both these
sentences, we must understand that Jacob leaning on Joseph's rod adored,
turning towards the head of his bed: which adoration, inasmuch as it was
referred to God, was an absolute and sovereign worship: but inasmuch as
it was referred to the rod of Joseph, as a figure of the sceptre, that
is, of the royal dignity of Christ, was only an inferior and relative
honour.

Genesis Chapter 48

Joseph visiteth his father in his sickness, who adopteth his two sons
Manasses and Ephraim, and blesseth them, preferring the younger before
the elder.

48:1. After these things, it was told Joseph that his father was sick;
and he set out to go to him, taking his two sons Manasses and Ephraim.

48:2. And it was told the old man: Behold thy son Joseph cometh to thee.