Commentary for Genesis 47:3
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו מַה־מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֗ה רֹעֵ֥ה צֹאן֙ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
And Pharaoh said unto his brethren: ‘What is your occupation?’ And they said unto Pharaoh: ‘Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.’
Rabbeinu Bahya
רעה צאן עבדיך , “your servants are shepherds.” When the Torah has the letter ה at the end of the word רעה instead of the customary letter י for the plural ending, this can be explained because the letters אהו'י are interchangeable.
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Rav Hirsch on Torah
רעה צאן im Singular. Vom Schafhirtenstand sind deine Diener. Josef hatte ihnen an die Hand gegeben zu sagen, אנשי מקנה, Viehzüchter. Sie aber scheuen sich ihres Berufs nicht und sagen geradezu: Schafhirten.
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