Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 41:34

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt, in the seven plenteous years.

Not by force or violence, for Ioseph would never be the author of such unrighteous Counsels, but by purchase at the common price, which was like to be very low in that case, and therefore might easily be compassed by that rich and mighty Prince.

Quest. Why not half, seeing the years of Famine were as many as the years of plenty? Answ. Because 1. Men would and should live more sparingly in times of Famine. 2. It was likely that very many men would lay up great quantities of Corn in those years, partly because they could not spend it all, and partly in expectation of a scarcer and dearer time, when they might either use it themselves or [illegible: 1+ letters]ell it to their advantage. 3. The fifth part of those years of great plenty, might be more then the half, yea equal to the whole crop of ordinary years.

Marginal references: Or, overseers.