Study Desk

"For in fact I was taken (stolen) from the land of the Hebrews by [unlawful] force, and even here I have done nothing for which they should put me in the dungeon."

and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating [these foods] out of the basket on my head."

Now on the third day, [which was] the Pharaoh's birthday, he [released the two men from prison and] made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker [that is, presented them in public] among his servants.

So when morning came his spirit was troubled and disturbed and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them to him.

"Now there was with us [in the prison] a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us, to each man according to the significance of his own dream.

"And just as he interpreted [the dreams] for us, so it happened; I was restored to my office [as chief cupbearer], and the baker was hanged."

Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothes [making himself presentable], he came to Pharaoh.

"So the great abundance will become forgotten in the land because of that subsequent famine, for it will be very severe.

"So now let Pharaoh [prepare ahead and] look for a man discerning and clear-headed and wise, and set him [in charge] over the land of Egypt [as governor under Pharaoh].

"That food shall be put [in storage] as a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine and hunger which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land (people) will not be ravaged during the famine."

In the seven abundant years the earth produced handfuls [for each seed planted].

Thus Joseph gathered and stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting it, for it could not be measured.

Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh (causing to forget), for he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and hardship and all [the sorrow of the loss of] my father's household."

He named the second [son] Ephraim (fruitfulness), for "God has caused me to be fruitful and very successful in the land of my suffering."

So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; do whatever he says to you."

He said, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy [some] grain for us, so that we may live and not die [of starvation]."

But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's [younger] brother, with his brothers, for he said, "I am afraid that some harm or injury may come to him."

So the sons of Israel came [to Egypt] to buy grain along with the others who were coming, for famine was in the land of Canaan also.

But they said to him, "No, my lord, for your servants have [only] come to buy food.

Then Joseph put them all in prison for three days.