22. The only land he did not buy was the land the priests owned. They did not need to sell their land because the king paid them for their work. So they had money to buy food.
23. Joseph said to the people, “Now I have bought you and your land for the king, so I will give you seed and you can plant your fields.
24. At harvest time you must give one-fifth to the king. You may keep four-fifths for yourselves to use as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your families, and your children.”
25. The people said, “You have saved our lives. If you like, we will become slaves of the king.”
26. So Joseph made a law in Egypt, which continues today: One-fifth of everything from the land belongs to the king. The only land the king did not get was the priests’ land.