And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the river.

2 And behold, there came up out of the river seven wellfavored cows, and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, illfavored and leanfleshed, and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river.

4 And the illfavored and leanfleshed cows ate up the seven wellfavored and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

6 And behold, seven thin ears, blasted with the east wind sprang up after them.

7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

9 Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, “I do remember my faults this day.

10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me under guard in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker.

11 And we dreamed a dream one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

12 And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. To each man according to his dream he did interpret./span>

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was: me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.”

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.”

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river.

18 And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fatfleshed and wellfavored, and they fed in a meadow.

19 And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very illfavored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness.

20 And the lean and the illfavored cows ate up the first seven fat cows;

21 and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still illfavored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22 And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good;

23 and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind sprang up after them.

24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I told this unto the magicians, but there was none that could declare it to me.”

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God hath shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: the dreams are one.

27 And the seven thin and illfavored cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He showeth unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land.

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following, for it shall be very grievous.

32 And for that the dream was repeated unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh seek out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up a fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store for the land against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine.”

37 And the counsel was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, “Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?”

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “Inasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art.

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.”

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.”

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, “Bow the knee!” And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea — very much, until he left off numbering; for it was without number.

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh [that is, Forgetting], “For God,” said he, “hath made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim [that is, Fruitful], “For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, which were in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said; and the dearth was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, “Go unto Joseph. What he saith to you, do.”

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians. And the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, because the famine was so sore in all lands

1. And it came to passe at the end of two ful yeeres, that Pharaoh dreamed: and beholde, hee stood by the riuer.

2And behold, there came vp out of the riuer seuen well fauoured kine, and fat fleshed, and they fed in a medow.

3And behold, seuen other kine came vp after them out of the riuer, ill fauoured and leane fleshed, and stood by the other kine, vpon the brinke of the riuer.

4And the ill fauoured and leane fleshed kine, did eate vp the seuen well fauoured and fat kine: So Pharaoh awoke.

5And hee slept and dreamed the second time: and beholde, seuen eares of corne came vp vpon one stalke, ranke and good.

6And beholde, seuen thinne eares and blasted with the Eastwind, sprang vp after them.

7And the seuen thinne eares deuoured the seuen ranke and full eares: and Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dreame.

8And it came to passe in the morning, that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the Magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh tolde them his dreame; but there was none that could interprete them vnto Pharaoh.

9 Then spake the chiefe Butler vnto Pharaoh, saying, I doe remember my faults this day.

10Pharaoh was wroth with his seruants, and put mee in warde, in the captaine of the guards house, both mee, and the chiefe Baker.

11And we dreamed a dreame in one night, I and he: we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dreame.

12And there was there with vs a yong man an Hebrew, seruant to the captaine of the guard: and wee told him, and he interpreted to vs our dreames, to each man according to his dreame, he did interpret.

13And it came to passe, as he interpreted to vs, so it was; mee he restored vnto mine office, and him he hanged.

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Ioseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: And he shaued himselfe, and changed his raiment, and came in vnto Pharaoh.

15And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph, I haue dreamed a dreame, and there is none that can interpret it: and I haue heard say of thee, that thou canst vnderstand a dreame, to interpret it.

16And Ioseph answered Pharaoh, saying; It is not in me: God shall giue Pharaoh an answere of peace.

17And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph; In my dreame, behold, I stood vpon the banke of the riuer.

18And behold, there came vp out of the riuer seuen kine, fat fleshed and well fauoured, and they fed in a medow.

19And behold, seuen other kine came vp after them, poore and very ill fauoured, and leane fleshed, such as I neuer saw in all the land of Egypt for badnes.

20And the leane, & the ill fauoured kine, did eate vp the first seuen fat kine.

21And when they had eaten them vp, it could not bee knowen that they had eaten them, but they were still ill fauoured, as at the beginning: So I awoke.

22And I saw in my dreame, and behold, seuen eares came vp in one stalke, full and good.

23And behold, seuen eares withered, thin & blasted with the East wind, sprung vp after them.

24And the thin eares deuoured the seuen good eares: and I told this vnto the magicians, but there was none that could declare it to me.

25 And Ioseph said vnto Pharaoh, the dreame of Pharaoh is one; God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to doe.

26The seuen good kine are seuen yeeres: and the seuen good eares are seuen yeeres: the dreame is one.

27And the seuen thin and ill fauoured kine that came vp after them, are seuen yeeres: and the seuen emptie eares blasted with the East wind, shall bee seuen yeeres of famine.

28This is the thing which I haue spoken vnto Pharaoh: what God is about to doe, he sheweth vnto Pharaoh.

29Behold, there come seuen yeeres of great plentie, throughout all the land of Egypt.

30And there shall arise after them, seuen yeeres of famine, and all the plentie shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt: and the famine shall consume the land.

31And the plentie shal not be knowen in the land, by reason of that famine following: for it shalbe very grieuous.

32And for that the dreame was doubled vnto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God: and God will shortly bring it to passe.

33Now therfore let Pharaoh looke out a man discreet and wise, and set him ouer the land of Egypt.

34Let Pharaoh doe this, and let him appoint officers ouer the land, & take vp the fift part of the land of Egypt, in the seuen plenteous yeeres.

35And let them gather all the food of those good yeeres that come, and lay vp corne vnder the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keepe food in the cities.

36And that food shall be for store to the land, against the seuen yeeres of famine, which shall bee in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his seruants.

38And Pharaoh said vnto his seruants, Can we find such a one, as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is?

39And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreete and wise, as thou art:

40Thou shalt be ouer my house, and according vnto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater then thou.

41And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph, See, I haue set thee ouer all the land of Egypt.

42And Pharaoh tooke off his ring from his hand, & put it vpon Iosephs hand, and arayed him in vestures of fine linnen, and put a gold chaine about his necke.

43And he made him to ride in the second charet which he had: and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler ouer all the land of Egypt.

44And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift vp his hand or foote, in all the land of Egypt.

45And Pharaoh called Iosephs name, Zaphnath-Paaneah, and he gaue him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of On: and Ioseph went out ouer all the lande of Egypt.

46( And Ioseph was thirtie yeeres old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt) and Ioseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went thorowout all the land of Egypt.

47And in the seuen plenteous yeres the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48And he gathered vp all the foode of the seuen yeeres, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid vp the foode in the cities: the foode of the field which was round about euery citie, laid he vp in the same.

49And Ioseph gathered corne as the sand of the sea, very much, vntill he left numbring: for it was without number.

50And vnto Ioseph were borne two sonnes, before the yeeres of famine came: which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah, Priest of On bare vnto him.

51And Ioseph called the name of the first borne Manasseh: for God, said hee, hath made me forget all my toile, and all my fathers house.

52And the name of the second called he Ephraim: for God hath caused mee to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction.

53 And the seuen yeeres of plenteousnesse, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54And the seuen yeeres of dearth beganne to come according as Ioseph had saide, and the dearth was in all lands: but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said vnto all the Egyptians, Goe vnto Ioseph: what he saith to you, doe.

56And the famine was ouer all the face of the earth; and Ioseph opened all the storehouses, and solde vnto the Egyptians: and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57And all countreys came into Egypt to Ioseph, for to buy corne, because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == Ex 7:11 , 22 ; Isa 29:14 ; Dan 1:20 ; 2:1-2 ; 4:5 , 7 , 19 ; Mat 2:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

X == Gen 39:20 ; 40:2-3

 

XI == Gen 40:5

 

 

XII == Gen 37:36 ; 40:12-23

 

 

 

XIII == Gen 40:22

 

XIV == 1st Sam 2:8 ; Ps 105:20 ; 113:7-8 ; Dan 2:25

 

 

XV == Gen 41:12 ; Ps 25:14 ; Dan 5:16

 

 

XVI == gen 40:8 ; Dan 2:22 , 28 , 30 , 47 ; 4:2 ; Acts 3:12 ; 2nd Cor 3:5

XVII == Gen 41:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Gen 41:8 ; Dan 4:7

 

 

XXV == Dan 2:28 , 29 , 45 ; Rev 4:1

 

 

 

 

XXVII == 2nd Kings 8:1

 

 

XXVIII == Gen 41:25

 

 

XXIX == Gen 41:47

 

XXX == Gen 41:54 ; 47:13

 

 

 

 

XXXII == Num 23:19 ; Isa 46:10-11

 

 

 

 

XXXIV == Prov 6:6-8

 

 

XXXV == Gen 41:48

 

 

XXXVI == Gen 47:15 , 19

 

 

XXXVII == Ps 105:19 ; Acts 7:10

XXXVIII == Num 27:18 ; Job 32:8 ; Prov 2:6 ; Dan 4:8 , 18 ; 5:11 , 14 6:3

 

 

XL == Ps 105:21-22 ; Acts 7:10

 

 

XLI == Dan 6:3

 

XLII == Esth 3:10 ; 8:2 , 8 , 15 ; Dan 5:7 , 29

 

XLIII == Gen 42:6 ; 45:8 , 26 ; Esth 6:9 ; Acts 7:10

 

 

 

 

XLV == Ex 2:16 ; 2nd Sam 8:18 ; 20:26

 

 

 

XLVI == 1st Sam 16:21 ; 1st Kings 12:6 , 8 ; Dan 1:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLIX == Gen 22:17 ; Judg 7:12 ; 1st Sam 13:5 ; Ps 78:27

L == Gen 41:45 ; 46:20 ; 48:5 ; 2nd Sam 8:18
LII == Gen 49:22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIV == Gen 41:30 ; Ps 105:16 ; Acts 7:11

LV == James 2:5

 

LVI == Gen 42:6 ; 47:14 , 24

 

LVII == Deut 9:28

1 After a lapse of two years, Pharaoh had a dream. He saw himself standing by the Nile,

2 when up out of the Nile came seven cows, handsome and fat; they grazed in the reed grass.

3 Behind them seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile; and standing on the bank of the Nile beside the others,

4 the ugly, gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 He fell asleep again and had another dream. He saw seven ears of grain, fat and healthy, growing on a single stalk.

6 Behind them sprouted seven ears of grain, thin and blasted by the east wind;

7 and the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven fat, healthy ears. Then Pharaoh woke up, to find it was only a dream.

8 Next morning his spirit was agitated. So he summoned all the magicians and sages of Egypt and recounted his dreams to them; but no one could interpret his dreams for him.

9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke up and said to Pharaoh: "On this occasion I am reminded of my negligence.

10 Once, when Pharaoh was angry, he put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the chief steward.

11 Later, we both had dreams on the same night, and each of our dreams had its own meaning.

12 There with us was a Hebrew youth, a slave of the chief steward; and when we told him our dreams, he interpreted them for us and explained for each of us the meaning of his dream.

13 And it turned out just as he had told us: I was restored to my post, but the other man was impaled."

14 Pharaoh therefore had Joseph summoned, and they hurriedly brought him from the dungeon. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he came into Pharaoh's presence.

15 Pharaoh then said to him: "I had certain dreams that no one can interpret. But I hear it said of you that the moment you are told a dream you can interpret it."

16 "It is not I," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God who will give Pharaoh the right answer."

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: "In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

18 when up from the Nile came seven cows, fat and well-formed; they grazed in the reed grass.

19 Behind them came seven other cows, scrawny, most ill-formed and gaunt. Never have I seen such ugly specimens as these in all the land of Egypt!

20 The gaunt, ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

21 But when they had consumed them, no one could tell that they had done so, because they looked as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

22 In another dream I saw seven ears of grain, fat and healthy, growing on a single stalk.

23 Behind them sprouted seven ears of grain, shriveled and thin and blasted by the east wind;

24 and the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven healthy ears. I have spoken to the magicians, but none of them can give me an explanation."

25 Joseph said to Pharaoh: "Both of Pharaoh's dreams have the same meaning. God has thus foretold to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years - the same in each dream.

27 So also, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven thin, wind-blasted ears; they are seven years of famine.

28 It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29 Seven years of great abundance are now coming throughout the land of Egypt;

30 but these will be followed by seven years of famine, when all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. When the famine has ravaged the land,

31 no trace of the abundance will be found in the land because of the famine that follows it - so utterly severe will that famine be.

32 That Pharaoh had the same dream twice means that the matter has been reaffirmed by God and that God will soon bring it about.

33 "Therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a wise and discerning man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.

34 Pharaoh should also take action to appoint overseers, so as to regiment the land during the seven years of abundance.

35 They should husband all the food of the coming good years, collecting the grain under Pharaoh's authority, to be stored in the towns for food.

36 This food will serve as a reserve for the country against the seven years of famine that are to follow in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine."

37 This advice pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

38 "Could we find another like him," Pharaoh asked his officials, "a man so endowed with the spirit of God?"

39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph: "Since God has made all this known to you, no one can be as wise and discerning as you are.

40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people shall dart at your command. Only in respect to the throne shall I outrank you.

41 Herewith," Pharaoh told Joseph, "I place you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

42 With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph's finger. He had him dressed in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.

43 He then had him ride in the chariot of his vizier, and they shouted "Abrek!" before him. Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt.

44 "I, Pharaoh, proclaim," he told Joseph, "that without your approval no one shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

45 Pharaoh also bestowed the name of Zaphnath-paneah on Joseph, and he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. After Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

47 During the seven years of plenty, when the land produced abundant crops,

48 he husbanded all the food of these years of plenty that the land of Egypt was enjoying and stored it in the towns, placing in each town the crops of the fields around it.

49 Joseph garnered grain in quantities like the sands of the sea, so vast that at last he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.

50 Before the famine years set in, Joseph became the father of two sons, borne to him by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.

51 He named his first-born Manasseh, meaning, "God has made me forget entirely the sufferings I endured at the hands of my family";

52 and the second he named Ephraim, meaning, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

53 When the seven years of abundance enjoyed by the land of Egypt came to an end,

54 the seven years of famine set in, just as Joseph had predicted. Although there was famine in all the other countries, food was available throughout the land of Egypt.

55 When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he told them.

56 When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the cities that had grain and rationed it to the Egyptians, since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt.

57 In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain, for famine had gripped the whole world.

v 1-4. Cows lolled in the shade of reeds in the water to cool themselves in the day time, so it was nothing uncommon to see them coming up out of the water. What was unusual was the thin ones consuming the fat ones. The cow was the emblem of Isis, the fertility god, so this would have received Pharaoh’s full attention.

v 5-7. Poor ears (kernels of grain) eating good ears would also be perplexing.

 

 

 

v 8. Some of their interpretations were through wisdom or fakery, but these dreams had them completely at a loss.

v 9-13. Seeing the consternation of Pharaoh over his dreams, the butler now recalls his own experience and recommends Joseph, not in concern for Joseph, but to enhance his own position. The two years seems like wasted time, until we realize God was using this to teach Jacob patience and bring him to maturity.

 

 

 

v 14. The Egyptians were clean shaven, and Joseph needed to be in presentable appearance before coming into his presence. We should all examine our appearance as well as our spiritual lives when we come into God’s house.

v 15,16. Pharaoh gives credit to Joseph, but Joseph gives credit to God.

v 17-24. Pharaoh repeats his dreams to Joseph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 25-31. The interpretation is that there will be seven good years of bumper crops followed by seven poor years of hunger and famine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 32. The dream was given twice to indicate the time was nearly upon them.

v 33-36. Joseph went beyond the problem to give the solution, and advised Pharaoh to store up 20% of all crops yearly in preparation for the bad years. He was not asking for himself in suggesting Pharaoh appoint a wise food administrator.

v 37-39. Much to his surprise, he was immediately appointed to that position. To interpret the dreams and present such a plan gave Pharaoh total confidence in Joseph’s ability, in whom was obviously the spirit of God. Pharaoh may have also reasoned that a non Egyptian would be more impartial in administration. v 40-44. He was also given total authority, next to Pharaoh himself. Along with this went all the pomp of the office, and the ring gave him legal authority to stamp documents. The gold chains, raiment and 2nd chariot gave Joseph the prestige needed to gain the respect of other court officials, as prime minister he needed a wife.

Genesis 41:45 Joseph's Palace; ruins was discovered in 1912 by Sir Flinders Petrie.

v 45. Joseph had no choice in selecting a wife, but this was supposed to be a great honor to marry the daughter of the priest. His new Egyptian name means “treasury of the glorious rest”, Asenath - "belonging to the goddess Neith", Potipherah - "he whom the Ra gave", both names of worship of false gods. On, worship center of Ra. Potiphar means "belonging to the sun”, and is taken from Potipherah, honoring the sun god Ra. Pharaoh means "great house", the common title of the king of Egypt. Joseph assumed responsibility immediately by making an inspection tour of Egypt.

The Seven Years' Famine Genesis 41:46-57 Brugsch tells of a contemporary inscription which he calls a "very remarkable and Luminous confirmation" of the Biblical account of the Seven Years' Famine in his "Egypt under the Pharaohs".

v 46-49. Joseph had been in Egypt approximately 13 years. The yield was in handfuls for every grain planted, and Joseph collected 20%, but much more of the surplus was stored in each city at convenient locations.

v 50-52. The names of both sons are explained, and in the order of his feelings. Manasses: That is, oblivion, or forgetting. Ephraim: That is, fruitful, or growing.

v 53-57. The seven good years were followed by seven bad years throughout the entire know area, and Pharaoh continued to give Joseph full responsibility. Because of the tremendous amount stored, they were able to help other nations. Faithfulness in this life is not always rewarded here, but it will be in eternity.