Joseph’s mixed economy?

Continuing from a previous post on economics, wherein I argued that while a free-market economy is basically superior to a command economy, there does seem to be moral justification for redistribution of property in the case of saving life, I want to throw out a possible support for this argument from scripture.

Genesis 41:33-57 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. (34) Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. (35) And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. (36) That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.” (37) This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. (38) And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (39) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. (40) You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” (41) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (42) Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. (43) And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. (44) Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (45) And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. (46) Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. (47) During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, (48) and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. (49) And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured. (50) Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. (51) Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” (52) The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (53) The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, (54) and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. (55) When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” (56) So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. (57) Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Further, later in Genesis the people surely express the opinion of Moses (the narrator, of course ) when they say:

Gen 47:25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.”

And of course, Joseph himself agrees with this conclusion, and probably expresses the greatest single lesson in Genesis:

Genesis 50:15-21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” (16) So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, (17) ‘Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. (18) His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” (19) But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? (20) As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (21) So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

So, I add to my moral/intuitive argument from the previous post that scripture seems to believe it justified for the magistrate to redistribute property for the sake of saving life.