Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 47:17

"And they brought their cattle unto Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their cattle for that year." — Genesis 47:17 (ASV)

Horses ... flocks ... herds ... asses. — The mention of horses is a most important fact in settling the much-debated question as to the dynasty under which Joseph became governor of Egypt. When Abram went there, horses do not seem at that time to have been known (see Note on Genesis 12:16), but oxen and asses were common, and the former were indigenous in the country (Maspero, Histoire Ancienne, pages 11, 12).

The horse was introduced by the Hyksos, according to Lenormant, Les Premières Civilisations, volume 1, page 306 and following; Rawlinson, Egypt, volume 1, page 74; and the first representation of one is drawing the war-chariot of the king who expelled them.

The “flocks” are expressly said in the Hebrew to be sheep. This, too, is important; for while goats were indigenous in Egypt, sheep do not appear in the most ancient monuments, though they were introduced at an earlier date than horses.