Genesis 41:33–36
"Joseph continued speaking, after he had explained the
events which God had revealed were coming on the land, to instruct Pharaoh
in how he should prepare to meet the coming crisis. Instead of living every
year on that year’s abundance, as the Egyptians had grown accustomed to
doing, they would need to implement a sound program of savings—not of money
but of grain.
Unfortunately, the people themselves could not be relied
on to store up for the coming years of famine. Human nature being what it
is, most people will spend all they earn, and more, for their immediate
needs, both real and imagined. The few individuals who would indeed save for
the future would be tempted to profiteer when opportunity came. Besides, the
need was going to be so great that nothing less than a centrally
administered plan could really be effective on a national basis.
On the other hand, a central bureaucracy could easily
lead to despotism and cruelty, especially if all available food supplies
were in the hands of a self-seeking dictator. The key to the success of such
a plan, and the survival of the nation, would be the chief administrator.
The right man would be a deliverer; the wrong man could become a tyrant.
Therefore, Joseph’s first recommendation was for Pharaoh
to find the right man, a man who was possessed of both keen intellect and
true wisdom, a man who could with confidence be placed over the whole land
of Egypt to plan its future food production and distribution systems.
Then, this chief administrator should be provided with a
corps of capable and trustworthy deputies to administer his plan. It would
be necessary to levy a “double tithe” on the produce of Egypt during the
years of plenty. It has been shown by historians that tithing was practiced
in ancient Egypt and other nations, as a form of taxes or tribute to the
king; but a 20 percent levy would be very unusual, and might well be
resisted, especially if enacted by an unpopular sovereign. Thus, the chief
administrator of this plan would have to be skilled in diplomacy and
persuasion, as well as be of unquestioned integrity himself, in order to
overcome the natural reluctance of the people to such a tax. Of course,
resistance would be minimized in times of prosperity; so the plan could work
if it was properly carried out.
The food which was gathered in this manner should, Joseph
advised, then be preserved in large storehouses constructed for this
purpose. The 80 percent that the people would have left would be more than
adequate to meet all their needs, as well as the need for exports, during
the seven plenteous years, and the rest would probably have been wasted
anyhow. The food should be kept stored and guarded in depositories in key
cities throughout the land, in order to have food available in the years of
famine which would eventually come.
There is also a possibility that the grain was acquired
by purchase, rather than by taxation. Scripture is not explicit on this
point. In this case, the money must itself have come through taxes, so the
effect would be the same. Because of the abundance, the price would have
been low. However it was done, no one would have to suffer hardship, if it
were handled judiciously and fairly. The key to it all would be to select
the right administrator."
Morris, H. M. (1976). The Genesis
record : A scientific and devotional commentary on the book of
beginnings. Includes indexes. (583). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Books.