Literary Devices – Bereshit 47/0

Literary Devices – Bereshit 47

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Allusions / Foreshadowing

• Makbilot Bamikra demonstrates that the statement that Israel “were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly” (verse 27) is both an allusion and foreshadowing. It recalls previous divine promises of fertility to the Patriarchs, reflecting that Yaakov’s family has inherited the covenantal promise and continues to flourish even in Egypt. It simultaneously foreshadows the population increase described at the beginning of Shemot, which contributes to Pharaoh’s decision to enslave the nation.
• Secondary Literature – See U. Simon, "יוסף משעבד את המצרים לפרעה" in בקש שלום ורדפהו, (Tel Aviv, 2002): 86-90, T. Granot, "מנהיגותו של יוסף במצרים", and D. Sabato, "ותהי הארץ לפרעה - שורשו של שעבוד מצרים", Megadim 52 (2011): 41-59. who all suggest that the foreshadowing is meant to link the later enslavement with Yosef's enslaving of the Egyptians in this chapter. They posit that the later decree stemmed from Egyptian resentment towards Yosef's favoring of his family who proliferated while everyone else was struggling to survive.

Key Words

פרעה, ארץ, אדמה

• Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the most frequently appearing words of this chapter are פרעה, ארץ, אדמה (Paroh, country/region and land).  These words relate to the main theme of the chapter which contrasts Pharaoh’s offer of "אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן" to Yaakov’s family with Yosef’s acquisition of the land of Egypt (אַדְמַת מִצְרַיִם) on behalf of Paroh.¹
• Secondary Literature – See "ותהי הארץ לפרעה – שורשו של שעבוד מצרים" by R. David Sabato² who notes that these guiding words serve to highlight the contrast between the Egyptians and Israelites, suggesting that the favoritism shown to Yosef's family instilled jealousy and bitterness which later contributed to the enslavement of Israel.

מקנה

• מִקְנֶה – See the Tanakh Lab that relative to the rest of Tanakh, the word "מִקְנֶה"  is the most frequently appearing word in the chapter. It, too, serves to contrast the lot of the Egyptians and that of Yaakov's family.  Yaakov’s family’s occupation allows them to settle in their own part of the land, as Paroh offers them to be officers over his cattle.  In contrast, the rest of the Egyptians are forced to sell their cattle to Paroh in return for food.
• Secondary Literature – See "ותהי הארץ לפרעה – שורשו של שעבוד מצרים" by R. David Sabato, discussed above.

Character Titles

Yaakov As in the previous chapter, both of Yaakov’s names are used.  He is called Yaakov when he appears before Paroh and Yisrael when he gives Yosef instructions to bury him in Eretz Yisrael.  In verses 27-28, both names are used in quick succession and in similar contexts.  R. Ezra Bick suggests that he is generally called Yaakov in contexts having to do with exile, and Yisrael in contexts that relate to Jewish destiny.  For further analysis of the significance of the usage of the two different names in the end of Bereshit, see R. Ezra Bick’s article The Twilight Years. 

¹ Though the two nouns are somewhat synonymous, here the text divides between them, using the word "אדמה" exclusively when referring to the Egyptians being forced to give of their land to Paroh, and using the word "ארץ" when referring to Goshen. As only the latter can refer also to a territory, country or region, the distinct usages reinforce the security that was given to the Israelites in the midst of the instability experienced by the Egyptians.

² See also the other article cited above under "Foreshadowing".