From Prison to Palace: Exaltation, Provision, and the Beginning of Preservation

³⁷ This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

³⁸ So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

⁴⁰ You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

⁴¹ Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

⁴² Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

⁴³ He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁴ And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

⁴⁵ Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.

⁴⁸ During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

⁴⁹ So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

⁵¹ Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”

⁵² And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

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

⁵⁴ the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.

⁵⁵ When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

⁵⁷ And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.