28This is the very thing that I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29Look, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 30Seven years of famine will come up after them, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will consume the land, 31and the abundance will not be remembered in the land because of the famine that follows, for it will be very severe. 32The double dream was shown to Pharaoh, because this matter is established by God, and God will bring it to pass very soon.”
Joseph Comes to Power
33“Let Pharaoh, therefore, look for a man who is wise and discerning, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34When Pharaoh does this, let him appoint overseers over the land to collect one fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35Let them collect all this food from these good years that are coming. Accumulate grain under the authority of Pharaoh to provide food for the cities, and let them store it. 36The food will be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt so that the land does not perish because of the famine.”
37The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38Pharaoh said to his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man, a man who has the spirit of God?”
39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. 40You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people will submit to your word. Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “Look, I have appointed you over the whole land of Egypt.”
42Pharaoh took his signet ring off of his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. He dressed Joseph in robes made from the best linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43He had him ride in the second best chariot that he had. Men went ahead of him crying out, “Kneel down!”[] Pharaoh appointed him over the whole land of Egypt. 44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but in the whole land of Egypt no one will lift up his hand or his foot without your permission.” 45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath Paneah, and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as a wife. Joseph went out and began to rule over the land of Egypt. 46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and traveled throughout the whole land of Egypt. 47During the seven years of abundance the earth produced plentiful harvests. 48He collected all the food during the seven good years in the land of Egypt, and he stored up the food in the cities. In every city he stored the food from the fields that were around the city. 49Joseph stored up a huge amount of grain, like the sand of the sea. Finally he stopped keeping track, because it was too much to measure.
50Two sons were born to Joseph before the first year of famine arrived. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, gave birth to them. 51Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, because he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's house.”[] 52He named the second son Ephraim. He said, “Yes, God has made me fruitful in the land where I was afflicted.”[] 53So the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every land, but in the whole land of Egypt there was bread. 55When the whole land of Egypt was starving, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he tells you.” 56The famine spread over the face of the whole earth. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe all over the whole world.
