Daily Bread

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”^{(A) 42} Then Pharaoh took his signet ring^(B) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes^(C) of fine linen^(D) and put a gold chain around his neck.^{(E) 43} He had him ride in a chariot^(F) as his second-in-command,^[a](G) and people shouted before him, “Make way^[b]!”^(H) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.^(I)

⁴⁴ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”^{(J) 45} Pharaoh gave Joseph^(K) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest^(L) of On,^[c](M) to be his wife.^(N) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(O) when he entered the service^(P) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(Q) the land produced plentifully. ⁴⁸ Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.^(R) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. ⁴⁹ Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;^(S) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.^{(T) 51} Joseph named his firstborn^(U) Manasseh^[d](V) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” ⁵² The second son he named Ephraim^[e](W) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful^(X) in the land of my suffering.”

⁵³ The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine^(Y) began,^(Z) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. ⁵⁵ When all Egypt began to feel the famine,^(AA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(AB)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(AC) for the famine^(AD) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(AE) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(AF) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(AG)