Daily Bread

³⁷ The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.^{(A) 38} So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God^[a]?”^(B)

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,^(C) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.^{(D) 40} You shall be in charge of my palace,^(E) and all my people are to submit to your orders.^(F) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.^(G)”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

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

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

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(V) when he entered the service^(W) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(X) 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.^(Y) 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;^(Z) 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.^{(AA) 51} Joseph named his firstborn^(AB) Manasseh^[e](AC) 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^[f](AD) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful^(AE) 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^(AF) began,^(AG) 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,^(AH) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(AI)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(AJ) for the famine^(AK) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(AL) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(AM) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(AN)