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Patriarchs and Prophets
his disgrace and confinement. He was then conducted to the presence
of the king.
“And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there
is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou
canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh,
saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Joseph’s reply to the king reveals his humility and his faith in God.
He modestly disclaims the honor of possessing in himself superior
wisdom. “It is not in me.” God alone can explain these mysteries.
Pharaoh then proceeded to relate his dreams: “Behold, I stood
upon the bank of the river: and, behold, there came up out of the river
seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored; and they fed in a meadow:
and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-
favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt
for badness: and the lean and the ill-favored kine did eat up the first
seven fat kine: and when they had eaten them up, it could not be
known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored, as at
the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and, behold,
seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: and, behold, seven
ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after
them: and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this
unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.”
“The dream of Pharaoh is one,” said Joseph. “God hath showed
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.
“And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine
following; for it shall be very grievous.” The repetition of the dream
was evidence both of the certainty and nearness of the fulfillment.
“Now therefore,” he continued, “let Pharaoh look out a man discreet
and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and
let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the
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land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the
food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of
Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be
for store to the land against the seven years of famine.”
The interpretation was so reasonable and consistent, and the policy
which it recommended was so sound and shrewd, that its correctness