Genesis 41:28-54

281It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: 2God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29Behold, 3seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30and after them 4seven years of famine will 5come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will 6ravage the land. 31So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. 32Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that 7the matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about. 33So now let Pharaoh look for a man 8discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers 9in charge of the land, and let him take a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt as a tax in the seven years of abundance. 35Then have them 10collect all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and have them guard it. 36Let the food be used as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”

37Now the 11proposal seemed good 12to Pharaoh and 13to all his servants. 38Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, 14in whom there is a divine spirit?” 39So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as 15discerning and wise as you are. 4016You shall be 17in charge of my house, and all my people shall 18be obedient to you; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you.” 41Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I have placed you 19over all the land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh 20took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and 21put the gold necklace around his neck. 43And he had him ride in 22his second chariot; and they proclaimed ahead of him, “23Bow the knee!” And he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet 24without 25your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45Then Pharaoh named Joseph 26Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of 2728On, to be his wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46Now Joseph was 29thirty years old when he 30stood in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47During the seven years of plenty the land produced 31abundantly. 48So he collected 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 its own surrounding fields. 49Joseph stored up grain 32in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped 33measuring it, for it was 34beyond measure.

50Now before the year of famine came, 35two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of 36On, bore to him. 51Joseph named the firstborn 37Manasseh; “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all of my father’s household.” 52And he named the second 38Ephraim; “For,” he said, “39God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53When the seven years of plenty which had taken place in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54and 40the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.