Genesis 47 · Verse 3

Genesis 47:3

And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
Genesis 47:3, King James Version

Genesis 47:3 in other translations

BSB“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
WEBPharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.”
ASVAnd Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.
YLTand Pharaoh saith unto his brethren, ‘What are your works?' and they say unto Pharaoh, ‘Thy servants are feeders of a flock, both we and our fathers;'
DARBYAnd Pharaoh said to his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said to Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.
BBEAnd Pharaoh said to them, What is your business? And they said, Your servants are keepers of sheep, as our fathers were before us.
WebsterAnd Pharaoh said to his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said to Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

What does Genesis 47:3 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 47:1-6

Though Joseph was a great man, especially in Egypt, yet he owned his brethren. Let the rich and great in the world not overlook or despise poor relations. Our Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren. In answer to Pharaoh's inquiry, What is your calling? they told him that they were shepherds, adding that they were come to sojourn in the land for a time, while the famine prevailed in Canaan. Pharaoh offered to…

Read the full comment on Genesis 47:1-6 →

Genesis 47:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
פַּרְעֹ֛הpar.'OhPharaohH6547
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֶחָ֖יו'e.Chavbrothers hisH251
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶ֑םma.'a.sei.Khem[are] work<s> yourH4639
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
אֶל\־'el-toH413
פַּרְעֹ֗הpar.'OhPharaohH6547
רֹעֵ֥הro.'Eh[are] herder[s] ofH7462
צֹאן֙tzoNsheepH6629
עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaservants yourH5650
גַּם\־gam-bothH1571
אֲנַ֖חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuweH587
גַּם\־gam-as well asH1571
אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ\׃'a.vo.Tei.nufathers ourH1

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 47:3

  • Genesis 46:33-34

    And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:10

    For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

  • Amos 7:14-15

    Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

  • Jonah 1:8

    Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

  • Genesis 4:2

    And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What is.
46:33,34; Am 7:14,15; Jon 1:8; 2Th 3:10
shepherds.
4:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 47:2

    And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

  • Genesis 47:3

    And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

  • Genesis 47:4

    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.

Read all of Genesis 47

Genesis 47:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Faraón dijo á sus hermanos: ¿Cuál es vuestro oficio? Y ellos respondieron á Faraón: Pastores de ovejas son tus siervos, así nosotros como nuestros padres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le Pharaon dit à ses frères: Quelle est votre occupation? Et ils dirent au Pharaon: Tes serviteurs sont bergers, tant nous que nos pères.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Pharao sprach zu seinen Brüdern: Was ist eure Hantierung? Und sie sprachen zum Pharao: Deine Knechte sind Schafhirten, sowohl wir als auch unsere Väter.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quos ille interrogavit: Quid habetis operis? Responderunt: Pastores ovium sumus servi tui, et nos et patres nostri.