After Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, Pharaoh gave permission and provided the necessary resources to move Jacob and the rest of the family to Egypt (Genesis 45:16-23). When they arrived, Joseph introduced his father to Pharaoh.
“Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, ‘How many years have you lived?’ So Jacob said to Pharaoh, ‘The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning.’ And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from his presence” (Genesis 47:7-10).
The fact that only one statement from Pharaoh to Jacob is recorded – the question about the patriarch’s age – is significant. Pharaoh looked upon the elder Jacob as one to be admired for his longevity. Besides this, Pharaoh would have already known that he was blessed by the number of sons that he had. Pharaoh’s initial response indicated that he believed that Jacob’s life was one that most would desire.
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