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Amazing Story of Joseph
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and that of the chief baker had been interpreted by a Hebrew captive
and how the prediction had been fulfilled.
It was humiliating to Pharaoh to consult a slave, but he was
ready to do so if his troubled mind might find relief. Joseph was
immediately sent for; he changed his prison clothes and was taken
to the king.
“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, and there
is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that
you can understand a dream, to interpret it.’ So Joseph answered
Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer
of peace.’” Joseph modestly disclaimed the honor of possessing
superior wisdom in himself. God alone can explain these mysteries.
Pharaoh then proceeded to relate his dreams: “Suddenly seven
cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in
the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them,
poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in
all the land of Egypt. And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first
cows, the fat cows. When they had eaten them up, no one would
have known that they had eaten them, for they were still just as ugly
as at the beginning. So I awoke. Also I saw in my dream, and
suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. Then
behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted with the east wind,
sprang up after them. And the thin heads devoured the seven good
heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one that
could explain it to me.”
The Interpretation of Pharaoh’s Dream
Joseph said, “‘God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.’”
There were to be seven years of great plenty. Field and garden
would yield more abundantly than ever before, and this period was
to be followed by seven years of famine. “‘So the plenty will not
be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be
very severe. ... Now therefore,’” he continued, “‘let Pharaoh select a
discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let
Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect
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one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful
years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are