"And Pharaoh asked Yaakov: How old are you? And Yaakov replied to Pharaoh: I have lived in this world for 130 years; the years of my life were few and bad; they did not match up to those of my forefathers." (47:8-9) Why did Yaakov not merely answer Pharaoh's question? Why did he add negative comments about his life and contrast it with the lives of his ancestors?

Like Yosef, Yaakov knew that his descendants would eventually become slaves in Mitzrayim. (See Rashi from Medrash Rabbah on Shmos 3:18.) Yaakov sought to do his best to lessen the future subjugation of Bnei Yisroel there. As such, Yaakov sent Pharaoh a sublime message geared to protect the Jews from harsh decrees of Pharaoh in the time to come. Yaakov related to Pharaoh that despite his (Yaakov's) great ancestry and highly-successful accomplishments, he was afflicted throughout his life and experienced the most horrific of events, such that his life was one of struggle and suffering, in contrast to the lives of Avrohom and Yitzchak. Yaakov intimated to Pharaoh that he (Pharaoh) too should not become confident in himself based on his regal status and successful lineage and therefore flex his muscles to exert force on his subjects (as very self-confident monarchs are wont to do), as no one knows Hashem's plans. Yaakov sought to humble Pharaoh in order to prevent him from affirming his might against Bnei Yisroel in the time to come.