Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's. 27 Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.
Throughout the famine in Egypt, everyone ran out of money and food, and ended up selling their land to Pharoah. In return, they received food, and a contract to continue to give Pharoah a fifth of their harvests. The land now belonged to Pharoah. This arrangement worked out well for Israel, as God blessed them. Joseph had secured for them a safe place to thrive. God works things out... even if we have to pay taxes.
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