Joseph Becomes Governor of Egypt

Introduction: While Joseph was in prison the Pharaoh had a dream. Sometime later the King of Egypt, the Pharaoh, had a dream: He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River when out of the river came seven fat cows. After the fat cows came seven ugly, skinny cows which also came out of the river. And the thin ugly cows ate the seven fat cows and yet they still were ugly and thin. This startled Pharaoh and he woke up. Then Pharaoh had a second dream: This time seven healthy heads of grain were growing on a single stalk.

Then seven thin heads of grain sprouted and the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; and lo it had been a dream. In the morning Pharaoh sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them his dreams, but no

one could interpret them for him. 9-13Then Pharaoh was told by the chief cupbearer that a young Hebrew slave was in prison who could interpret dreams. 14-24So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and told him his dreams and Joseph said, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what God is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. 33-37And now let Pharaoh look for a wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt to take a fifth of the

harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so knowing and wise as you. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck and had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus the Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. When Joseph’s father Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Go down to Egypt

and buy some grain for us.” Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all the people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived in Egypt, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. Then Joseph said, "Have everyone leave my presence. Then he said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my

father still living?" But his brothers were terrified and not able to answer him. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me, I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! Do not be afraid and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was God’s plan to save lives that He sent me ahead of you. "So it was not you who sent me here, but God. “Now hurry back to my father because five years of famine are still to come so you must come here quickly." So the brothers left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him, "Joseph is

alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. But when Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, his spirit revived. And God spoke to Jacob in a vision at night and said, "Jacob, do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

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