From Prison to Glory
Background and Printed Text: Genesis 39:21-Genesis 41:57
Genesis 39:21 And Yehovah was with He-Will-Gather [Joseph]. And He tilted grace unto him. And He gave His favour in the eyes of the prince of the house of the prison. 22And the prince of the house of the prison gave into He-Will-Gather’s [Joseph’s] hand all the prisoners that are in the house of the prison. And all that they did there, he, he was doing. 23There is not a prince of the house of the prison seeing all-anything in his hand in that Yehovah is with him. And what he does, Yehovah prospers.
Genesis 40:1 And he was after these things. The water-provider of the king of Egypt and the baker sinned to their lords, to the king of Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was furious concerning two of his eunuchs—concerning the prince of the water-providers and concerning the prince of the bakers. 3And he gave them unto the house of the prison via the guard of the house of the prince of the executioners, a place where He-Will-Gather [Joseph] is bound there. 4And the prince of the executioners appointed He-Will-Gather [Joseph] with them. And he ministered-to them. And they were days in the guard.
5And they dreamed a dream—both of them—a man his dream in one night, a man according-to the interpretation of his dream: the water-provider and the baker who are to the king of Egypt who are bound in the house of the prison.
6And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] came in unto them in the morning. And he saw them. And behold, they are upset. 7And he asked Pharaoh’s eunuchs who are with him in the guard of his lord’s house, saying, “Why are your faces bad today?” 8And they said unto him, “We have dreamed a dream. And no interpreter is of him.” And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] said unto them, “Are not interpretations to Elohim? Scroll-ye to me, na.” 9And the prince water-provider scrolled his dream to He-Will-Gather [Joseph]. And he said to him, “Via my dream—and behold a vine is to my faces. 10And in the vine are three intertwiners. And he is as budding. Her blossom elevated. Her clusters ripened grapes. 11And Pharaoh’s cup is in my hand. And I took the grapes. And I squeezed them unto Pharaoh’s cup. And I gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh.” 12And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] said to him, “This is his interpretation. Three of the tendrils—they are three days. 13In yet three days Pharaoh shall carry thy head. And he shall restore thee upon thy footing. And thou shalt give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according-to the first justice when thou wast his water-provider. 14But rather thou remembered me with thee just as he shall-be-good to thee. And thou shalt do grace with me, na. And thou shalt remember me unto Pharaoh. And thou shalt bring me from this house. 15For, stolen, I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews. And also here, I have not done from a blemish that they put me into a pit.”
16And the prince of the bakers saw that the interpretation is good. And he said unto He-Will-Gather [Joseph], “Even I am in my dream. And behold three baskets of whiteness are upon my head. 17And in the uppermost basket is from every food of Pharaoh, the doing of a baker. And the bird ate them from the basket from upon my head.” 18And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] answered. And he said, “This is his interpretation. Three of the baskets—they are three days. 19In yet three days Pharaoh shall carry thy head from upon thee. And he shall hang thee upon a tree. And the bird shall eat thy flesh from off of thee!”
20And he was in the third day, a day of the childing of Pharaoh. And he made a drinking-party to all his slaves. And he carried the head of the prince of the water-providers and the head of the prince of the bakers in the midst of his slaves. 21And he restored the prince of the water-providers upon his water-providership. And he gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh. 22And he hanged the prince of the bakers just as He-Will-Gather [Joseph] interpreted to them.
23And the prince of the water-providers did not remember He-Will-Gather [Joseph]. And he forgot him.
Genesis 41:1 And he was at the end of two years of days. And Pharaoh dreamed. And behold, he stood upon the river. 2And behold, seven cows beautiful of the appearance and healthy-[ones] of flesh are ascending from the river. And they grazed in a marsh. 3And behold, seven other cows bad of appearance and thin-[ones] of flesh are ascending from the river after them. And they stood near the cows upon the lip of the river. 4And the bad-of-the-appearance and thin-[ones]-of-the-flesh cows ate the seven beautiful-[ones]-of-appearance and the healthy cows. And Pharaoh awoke.
5And he slept. And he dreamed a second time. And behold, seven healthy and good grain-heads are ascending in one stalk. 6And behold, seven thin and blighted-of-the-east grain-heads are springing after them. 7And the seven thin ears devoured seven of the healthy and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke. And behold a dream.
8And he was in the morning. And his spirit beat. And he sent. And he called all magicians of Egypt and all her wise men. And Pharaoh scrolled his dream to them. And there is no interpreter of them to Pharaoh.
9And prince of the waterers spoke with Pharaoh, saying, “I remind of my sins today. 10Pharaoh was furious concerning his slaves. And he gave me into guard, house of the prince of the executioners, me and prince of the bakers. 11And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12And there with us is a youth, a Hebrew, slave to prince of the executioners. And we scrolled to him. And he interpreted our dreams to us. He interpreted a man according to his dream. 13And he was just as he interpreted to us—so he was. He restored me upon my foundation and he hanged him.”
14And Pharaoh sent. And he called Joseph. And they hurried him from the pit. And he shaved. And he changed his garments. And he came unto Pharaoh.
15And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream. And an interpreter is not with him. And I, I have heard concerning thee to say, thou wilt hear a dream to interpret him.” 16And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “Without me! Elohim shall answer the peace of Pharaoh.” 17And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I am standing upon the lip of the river. 18And behold, seven healthy-of-flesh and beautiful-of-appearance cows ascend from the river. And they grazed in a marsh. 19And behold, seven other very skinny and bad-of-appearance and lean-of-flesh cows are ascending after them. I didn’t see as such in all the land of Egypt for badness! 20And the lean and the bad cows ate the first seven healthy cows. 21And they came into their midst. And it could not be known that they had come into their midst! And their appearance is bad just as at the beginning. And I awoke.
22“And I saw in my dream. And behold, seven ears are ascending in one stalk, full and good. 23And behold, seven ears—withered, emaciated, blasted with the east wind are springing up after them. 24And the emaciated ears devoured the seven good ears. And I said unto the magicians. And there is not a teller for me!”
25And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh—it is one. Elohim has told Pharaoh what He is doing. 26The seven good cows—they are seven years. And the seven good ears—they are seven years. The dream—it is one. 27And the seven emaciated and bad of appearance cows that are ascending after them—they are seven years. And the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28 “This is the speech that I spoke unto Pharaoh. He shows unto Pharaoh what the Elohim is doing. 29Behold, seven years are coming, big fullness in all the land of Egypt. 30And seven years of famine shall arise after them. And all the fullness shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. And the famine shall finish the land. 31And the fullness shall not be known in the land from the faces of that famine afterward. For he was very heavy! 32And concerning the doubling of the dream unto Pharaoh twice: for the speech is established from with the Elohim. And the Elohim is hastening to do him! 33And now Pharaoh shall see a man of understanding and of wisdom. And he has set him over the land of Egypt. 34Pharaoh shall do. And he has visited visitors over the land. And he shall one-fifth the land of Egypt in the seven years of the fullness. 35And they gathered all food of these coming good years. And he shall pile grain under the hand of Pharaoh, food in the cities. And they shall guard! 36And the food shall be for appointment to the land to seven years of the famine that shall be in the land of Egypt. And the land shall not be cut via famine.”
37And the speech was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his slaves. 38And Pharaoh said unto his slaves, “Will we find as this, a man whom a spirit of gods is in him?”
39And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “After gods making thee know all this, there is no understanding and wisdom as thee! 40Thou, thou shalt be over my house. And all my people shall kiss upon thy mouth! Only the chair—I will be bigger than thee.”
41And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “See! I gave thee over all the land of Egypt!” 42And Pharaoh removed his ring from upon his hand. And he gave her upon Joseph’s hand. And he dressed him, clothing of fine-linen. And he put a decking of the gold upon his neck. 43And he rode him via the second chariot that is to him. And they called to his faces, “I will kneel!” And he will be given him over all the land of Egypt.
44And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “I am Pharaoh! And no man shall elevate his hand and his foot without thee in all the land of Egypt!” 45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Salvation of the Age [Zaphnath Paaneah]. And he gave to him Asnat daughter of Poti Pherah priest of On for a woman. And Joseph exited over the land of Egypt. 46And Joseph is a son of thirty year via his standing to the faces of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
And Joseph exited from the faces of Pharaoh. And he crossed-over in all the land of Egypt.
47And the land made to fistfuls in seven of the years of the fullness. 48And he collected all food of seven years that were in the land of Egypt. And he gave food into cities. He gave food of a field of the city that is her surroundings into her midst. 49And Joseph piled grain as sand of the sea—very much—until he ceased to scroll. For there is no scrolling!
50And to Joseph: he childed two sons before the years of famine will come that Asnat, daughter of Poti Pherah priest of On, childed to him. 51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Forgetter [Manasseh]. “For Elohim made-me-forget all my toil and all the house of my father.” 52And he called the name of the second Doubly Fruitful [Ephraim]. “For Elohim fruited me in the land of my humiliation.”
53And seven of the years of fullness that was in the land of Egypt were finished. 54And seven of the years of the famine began to come just as Joseph said. And the famine was in all the lands. And there was bread in all the land of Egypt.
55And all the land of Egypt was famished. And the people outcried unto Pharaoh to [for] bread. And Pharaoh said to all Egypt, “Go-ye unto Joseph! Ye shall do what he will say to you!” 56And the famine was over all faces of the land. And Joseph opened all that was in them. And he broke to Egypt. And the famine gripped in the land of Egypt. 57And all the land—they came—Egyptward unto Joseph to break, because the famine gripped in all the land.
I. Joseph’s Trustworthiness (verses 21-23)
Yehovah was with Joseph. Yehovah bent grace toward Joseph. Yehovah gave His favour in the eyes of the prince of the house of the prison. This resulted in the prince of the prison house giving all the prisoners in the prison into Joseph’s hand. Anything a prisoner did was because Joseph did it. No prince of the prison house concerned himself with seeing anything in the prison that Joseph did; Yehovah was with him. Yehovah prospered everything Joseph did.
Questions
1. How many times does the text state that Yehovah was with Joseph?
2. Why did Yehovah state this so many times?
3. What does “He tilted grace unto him” mean?
4. What does grace mean in the Bible?
5. Explain what “He gave His favour in the eyes of the prince of the house of the prison” means:
6. Why was grace and favour demonstrated by responsibilities? Would you like to be rewarded for doing well by being given responsibilities that include more work?
7. Why did the prince of the prison house give other prisoners into Joseph’s hand?
8. Why did Yehovah make sure that Joseph was over the other prisoners?
9. What does “all that they did there, he, he was doing” mean?
10. How many princes of the prison house were there?
11. If the above is true, how could Joseph take the place of the princes of the prison house? Wouldn’t this be too much responsibility, giving him no sleep?
12. What does “there is not a prince… seeing all-anything in his hand” mean?
13. Did the text again state that Yehovah was with him?
14. How much of Joseph’s work did Yehovah prosper?
II. Double Demotions (Chapter 40, verses 1-4)
After Joseph gained this reputation and set of responsibilities, the following events occurred. Two eunuchs, the prince of the water providers of the king, and the prince of the bakers of the king sinned to their lords, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious. He gave them to the prison house by means of the guard of the house of the prince of the executioners. This was where Joseph was interred (made a prisoner). The prince of the executioners appointed Joseph with them, and Joseph ministered to them. They were days under arrest.
Questions
1. Did the water provider and the baker sin against God, according to Genesis 40:1?
2. How angry was Pharaoh at these two eunuchs?
3. What did they do?
4. Who probably was the prince of the executioners?
5. Who arrested these two eunuchs?
6. The text states that Joseph was bound there. Was he tied up?
7. Who assigned Joseph to these two eunuchs?
8. If Potiphar is involved, what does that tell the reader about Potiphar’s view of Joseph after the accusations of Potiphar’s wife?
9. In what ways did Joseph minister to them?
10. How long were they “in guard” (prisoners)?
III. Two Nightmares (verse 5)
The two arrested eunuchs, the prince of the bakers and the prince of the water providers, dreamed a dream, each one his own dream, in the same night. Each dream had an interpretation.
Questions
1. How did they dream a dream according to the interpretation of each dream? What does that mean?
2. How can one tell if a dream has an interpretation?
IV. The First Dream (verses 6-15)
Joseph came to see them in the morning, and he saw that they were upset. He asked them, “Why are your faces bad today?” They told him, “We have dreamed a dream. And no interpreter is of him.” Joseph’s response was, “Are not interpretations to Elohim? Scroll-ye to me, na.”
The first one to scroll his dream was the prince water-provider. He described a vine that was in front of him. Three intertwining (interwrapping) vines were in this vine. The vine was as if it were budding. Its blossom elevated (went up). The clusters ripened grapes. The prince water-provider had Pharaoh’s cup in his hand. He took the grapes and squeezed them unto Pharaoh’s cup. He then gave that cup upon Pharaoh’s palm of his hand.
Joseph replied with the interpretation. The three tendrils, the smaller vines that intertwined with the main vain are three days. Three days from the time this prince water-provider had his dream, Pharaoh would carry his head—that is, from the prison back to Pharaoh’s headquarters. Pharaoh will restore this prince to the same place he was before: upon his footing (his pedestal). He will then give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand as usual just as before.
Joseph then told this man to remember him to the same degree that good would occur with the prince water-provider. Joseph told him to grace with Joseph, and remember Joseph to Pharaoh. He also told him to bring him from this prison house. Joseph explained that he had been kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and that he had done nothing from even a blemish that deserved his being put into a pit.
Questions
1. Did Joseph make a habit of visiting prisoners in the morning?
2. What did Joseph mean by, “Why are your faces bad today?”
3. Did these eunuchs expect a dream interpreter for their dreams?
4. What did these eunuchs mean by, “there is no interpreter of him?”
5. What did Joseph mean by “Are not interpretations to Elohim,” and how did the eunuchs take what he said?
6. What does “Scroll-ye to me, na” mean?
7. When the prince of the water provider began to give his dream, he started with “Via my dream…” What did he mean by that?
8. What did he mean by, “behold a vine is to my faces”?
9. What are the three ‘intertwiners’?
10. What did he mean by, “he is as budding”?
11. What occurred if her blossom elevated?
12. What was he making if he squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup?
13. How did Joseph know that the three tendrils (the vine extensions that are growing and wrapping around things) are three days?
14. How did Joseph know that Pharaoh would carry the prince water-provider’s head in three days, and what does this mean?
15. What does “And he shall restore thee upon thy footing” mean, and how did Joseph know that?
16. What does justice mean in verse 13?
17. What did Joseph mean by, “But rather thou remembered me with thee just as he shall-be-good to thee”?
18. What did Joseph mean by “And thou shalt do grace with me, na,” and what would be the result?
19. Was this the first time that Joseph told anyone that he had been stolen (kidnapped)?
20. What is this land of the Hebrews?
21. Who are these Hebrews?
22. What did Joseph mean by, “also here, I have not done from a blemish that they put me into a pit”?
V. The Second Dream (verses 16-19)
The prince of the bakers saw that the interpretation is good—that is, that the news was very good. He said to Joseph, “Even I am in my dream. And behold three baskets of whiteness are upon my head. And in the uppermost basket is from every food of Pharaoh, the doing of a baker. And the bird ate them from the basket from upon my head.”
Joseph answered him, “This is his interpretation. Three of the baskets—they are three days. In yet three days Pharaoh shall carry thy head from upon thee. And he shall hang thee upon a tree. And the bird shall eat thy flesh from off of thee!”
Questions
1. Was the prince of the bakers excited to tell his dream to Joseph?
2. What are three baskets of whiteness?
3. Were the baskets stacked, or where they next to each other on his head?
4. What are the foods of Pharaoh (“from every food of Pharaoh”)?
5. What bird eats bread from a basket?
6. Is there a difference between “Pharaoh shall carry thy head” (verse 13) and “Pharaoh shall carry thy head from upon thee”?
7. What did the prince baker do to deserve being hung?
8. How did Joseph know that the bird eating bakery goods from the top basket represented a bird that would eat the man’s flesh from off of him?
VI. Pharaoh’s Birthday Fun (verses 20-22)
Three days later was Pharaoh’s birthday party. He made a drinking party to all his slaves. He “carried the head” of the prince of the water providers and the head of the prince of the bakers among his slaves. He restored the prince of the water providers to providing drink for himself. And the prince of the water providers gave the cup of Pharaoh upon (into) Pharaoh’s palm of his hand.
Pharaoh hanged the prince of the bakers just as Joseph interpreted to them.
Questions
1. What does “a day of the childing of Pharaoh” mean?
2. What is a drinking party?
3. Is such a drinking party wrong in the eyes of Yehovah?
4. Why did He make this party to slaves?
5. What does “he carried the head of the prince of the water-providers and the head of the prince of the bakers in the midst of his slaves” mean?
6. Did the prince of the bakers figure that Joseph had been wrong?
VII. Forget It (verse 23)
The prince of the water providers did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
Questions
1. Why does the text state both: “the prince of the water-providers did not remember Joseph,” and “he forgot him”?
2. Why did he forget Joseph?
VIII. Dream 1 of Pharaoh (chapter 41, verses 1-4)
The next event occurred two years worth of days later. Pharaoh dreamed. He stood upon the river. He saw seven beautiful appearing, physically healthy cows ascending from the river. They grazed in a marsh.
He then saw seven bad-looking, physically thin cows ascending from the river after them. They stood near the others cows upon the lip of the river (the shore of the river). The bad-looking, physically thin cows ate the seven beautiful appearing, physically healthy cows. Pharaoh woke up.
Questions
1. Why does the text refer to the time as “two years of days”?
2. How does a dream work and interact with the dreamer in the Bible?
3. What is the significance of Pharaoh standing upon (by) the river?
4. Identify this river:
5. Why would a river be an important part of a dream given specifically to Pharaoh?
6. How can cows be viewed as beautiful of appearance?
7. What does “healthy ones of flesh” tell the reader?
8. Do cows normally graze in a marsh?
9. What is a marsh?
10. Why are the bad-appearing and thin cows ascending from the river?
11. What is the lip of the river?
12. Do cows ever eat each other?
13. What do cows eating other cows show?
IX. Dream 2 for Pharaoh (verses 5-7)
Pharaoh slept. He dreamed a second time. This time, he saw seven healthy and good grain heads ascending in one stalk. Then seven thin grain heads blighted (diseased) from the east wind sprung up after them. The seven thin grain ears devoured seven of the healthy and full grain ears! Pharaoh woke up, and realized this had been a dream.
Questions
1. What is a grain head?
2. Do seven grain-heads normally come up in one stalk?
3. Why, then, are there seven grain-heads in one stalk? What does this tell the reader?
4. Did the seven thin and blighted grain-heads pop up in another plant?
5. What does blighted mean?
6. Where did this blight originate, according to this dream?
7. What are grain ears?
8. Do ears on grain normally devour other ears?
9. What is the difference between a healthy ear and a full ear?
10. Why does the text say, “And behold a dream,” when it already told the reader that it was a dream in verse 5?
X. Pharaoh’s Frustration (verse 8)
This next event occurred in the morning. Pharaoh’s spirit beat! He sent. He called all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh scrolled his dream to them. There was no interpreter of Pharaoh’s dreams.
Questions
1. What does his spirit beat mean?
2. What was Pharaoh’s reaction to the dream? Was he pleased?
3. What are magicians/magi in the Bible?
4. What are wise men in the Bible?
5. Why did he call the magicians and the wise men when the issue was regarding dreams?
6. What does “scrolled his dream” mean?
7. What does “there is no interpreter of them to Pharaoh” mean?
XI. Sudden Recall (verses 9-13)
The prince of the waterers spoke with Pharaoh, saying that he reminded Pharaoh of his sins today. He said that Pharaoh had been furious concerning his slaves and had given him into guard, the house of the prince of the executioners—both him and the prince of the bakers. He explained that both of them had dreamed a dream in one night, each man according to his dream’s interpretation. A Hebrew slave youth belonging to the prince of the executioners had been with them. They scrolled their dreams to him, and he interpreted the dreams to them, each dream to each man. Exactly what this youth said occurred: Pharaoh restored the prince of the waterers, and he hanged the prince of the bakers.
Questions
1. What does “I remind of my sins” mean?
2. Why would this man remind Pharaoh of this sin? Wouldn’t he want Pharaoh to never remember it?
3. What does “he gave me into guard” mean?
4. What does “house of the prince of the executioners” mean?
5. What does “and he was just as he interpreted to us—so he was” mean?
6. What does “he restored me upon my foundation” mean?
XII. The Call (verse 14)
Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. They hurried him from the pit, the prison house. Joseph shaved and changed his clothes. He then came unto Pharaoh.
Questions
1. What is a calling in the Bible?
2. Did Joseph receive ‘a calling’ at this time in the Biblical sense of being called?
3. Why did they hurry Joseph from the pit? What was the rush?
4. Why did Joseph shave? Didn’t he also take a bath?
5. Why did he change his garments?
6. What does pharaoh mean?
7. Did Joseph come to Pharaoh under guard?
XIII. Pharaoh Speaks (verses 15-21)
Pharaoh said to Joseph that he dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter with him. He told Joseph that he heard concerning him—that he will hear a dream to interpret it. Joseph’s response was, “Without me, God shall answer the peace of Pharaoh.” Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph detailing his dream. In his dream he is standing upon the lip (shore) of the river. He described the seven physically healthy and beautiful-appearing cows ascending from the river and grazing in a marsh. Seven other very skinny and bad-looking lean-fleshed cows ascended after them. Pharaoh had never seen cows like this in Egypt, they were so bad-looking. The lean and bad cows ate the first seven healthy cows. Thus, the healthy cows came into the midst (insides) of the bad-looking cows, but the bad-looking cows didn’t change appearance after swallowing the healthy and good-looking cows; they appeared just as bad as at the beginning. Pharaoh awoke.
Questions
1. What did Pharaoh mean by “an interpreter is not with him”?
2. What did Joseph mean by “without me” when he answered Pharaoh, “Without me! Elohim shall answer the peace of Pharaoh”?
3. Joseph stated, “Elohim shall answer the peace of Pharaoh.” What does this mean?
4. Again, what is the lip of the river?
5. What did Pharaoh mean by “they came into their midst” in verse 21?
6. If he saw them come into their midst, why does he state, “and it could not be known that they had come into their midst”?
XIV. Pharaoh Continues (verses 22-24)
Pharaoh continued that he saw in his dream. Seven full and good grain ears are ascending in one stalk. Seven withered, and emaciated grain ears blasted from the east wind sprang up after them. The emaciated ears devoured the seven good ears. Pharaoh told this to the magicians, and no one told him what this meant.
Questions
1. What does emaciated mean?
2. What does blasted mean?
3. The sentence, “And I said unto the magicians,” doesn’t seem complete. What does it mean?
4. What does “there is not a teller for me” mean?
XV. The Interpretation (verses 25-27)
Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh—it is one. Elohim has told Pharaoh what He is doing.” Pharaoh could now know the source of these events.
Joseph continued with the interpretation: “The seven good cows—they are seven years. And the seven good ears—they are seven years. The dream—it is one.” Pharaoh now understood that he actually had just one dream marked with one good period of seven years.
“And the seven emaciated and bad of appearance cows that are ascending after them—they are seven years. And the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.” Pharaoh could have peace to the extent of knowing what the dream meant.
Questions
1. Who will be the cause of all these events, according to verse 25?
2. Why would Elohim do these things?
3. Why did Elohim give two dreams that He said are one dream?
XVI. The Reasoning (verses 28-36)
Joseph then told the events again, but in more detail: “This is the speech that I spoke unto Pharaoh. He shows unto Pharaoh what the Elohim is doing.”
Joseph explained that seven years are coming in which a “big fullness” of great crops and cattle growth will be in all the land of Egypt. Then seven years of famine will arise after them to the degree that all the fullness (the great crops) will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will finish the land. This will be a very heavy famine.
He explained the doubling of the dream, giving it twice: “the speech is established from with the Elohim,” and “the Elohim is hastening to do him,” referring to the event.
Joseph then did something very curious. He began instructing Pharaoh on what to do:
- “Now Pharaoh shall see a man of understanding and of wisdom.”
- Pharaoh “has set him over the land of Egypt.”
- Pharaoh “has visited visitors over the land,” these ‘visitors’ being commanders who will keep a personal eye on what is occurring with authority to give orders, being responsible men.
- Pharaoh must divide the land into five sections during the seven years “of the fullness.”
- The visitors must gather all food of the coming good years.
- The grain gathered must be piled (in silos) under Pharaoh’s hand, the food being stored in the cities.
- The visitors must guard the food.
- The gathered food will only be used for ‘appointment’ during the seven years of famine in the land of Egypt.
The land won’t be ‘cut’ by the famine if these things are done.
Questions
1. If Joseph is speaking to Pharaoh, why does he act as if Pharaoh isn’t there?
2. Who shows unto Pharaoh what the Elohim is doing?
3. What is this big fullness?
4. What does “the famine shall finish the land” mean?
5. What does “for he was very heavy” mean, and why is it in the past tense?
6. Why was the dream doubled, according to verse 32?
7. Why did Joseph begin to tell Pharaoh what to do (verse 33)? Wouldn’t this anger Pharaoh?
8. Why did Joseph say “And now Pharaoh shall see a man of understanding and of wisdom” instead of “And now Pharaoh shall find a man of understanding and of wisdom”?
9. What is understanding in the Bible?
10. Why wound understanding be so important to solve this problem?
11. What is wisdom in the Bible?
12. Why did Joseph tell Pharaoh to set someone else over the land of Egypt? Wasn’t this a very bold thing to say to a king, implying that the king didn’t have either the wisdom or the understanding?
13. What shall Pharaoh do (the sentence reading, “Pharaoh shall do”)?
14. What are visitors in this text, and why does Biblical Hebrew use the word visitors?
15. What does “he has visited visitors over the land” mean?
16. What does “he shall one-fifth the land of Egypt” mean and involve?
17. The text states, “And they gathered all food of these coming good years.” Who gathered, and when did they gather?
18. If they gathered all the food of the coming good years, what would the Egyptians eat?
19. How will they pile the grain?
20. How could they pile all that grain under Pharaoh’s hand?
21. Why must the food be kept in the cities?
22. Who shall guard the grain?
23. What does “and the land shall not be cut via famine” mean?
XVII. The Responses (verses 37-38)
Joseph’s speech was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and all his slaves! Pharaoh’s reaction was quick: “Will we find as this, a man whom a spirit of gods is in him?”
Questions
1. Why was the speech good in their eyes instead of in their ears?
2. Why would Pharaoh’s slaves think that this speech was so good? Wouldn’t they be jealous of Joseph who is counseling their king?
3. What decision did Pharaoh have to make at this time?
4. What spirit did Pharaoh figure was in Joseph, and which gods gave their one spirit to Joseph, in Pharaoh’s mind?
5. Did Joseph have the spirit of gods in him?
6. If they had looked, would they have been able to find someone else in Egypt in whom is a spirit of gods for this task?
XVIII. The Logic (verses 39-40)
Pharaoh figured that there was no understanding and wisdom like Joseph, since Elohim had made him know all this. Pharaoh commanded that Joseph would be over Pharaoh’s house. All the people of Egypt would kiss upon Joseph’s mouth! Pharaoh only reserved one part for himself: the chair, and thus his own authority, as bigger than Joseph’s authority.
Questions
1. What did Pharaoh see so that he concluded that no one had understanding and wisdom like Joseph?
2. Was Pharaoh’s reasoning good?
3. Why did Pharaoh put Joseph over his house? He hadn’t known Joseph for more than about two minutes! Why would he risk this to a slave/prisoner?
4. What does “all my people shall kiss upon thy mouth” mean?
5. To what chair did Pharaoh refer?
6. What did Pharaoh mean by “Only the chair—I will be bigger than thee”?
XIX. New Rank (verses 41-43)
Pharaoh had more to say to Joseph: “See! I gave thee over all the land of Egypt!” Joseph was now in charge of the entire land. He wanted Joseph to see that he had done this. So, he removed his ring from his hand and gave the ring upon Joseph’s hand.
Pharaoh then dressed Joseph so that he would appear with the rank that he now had. He dressed him in fine linen, linen cloth made from very small threads so that it was very soft. He then decked his neck with gold.
Pharaoh had several chariots. The second chariot became the one Joseph would use. Slaves of Pharaoh would then call as Joseph came, “I will kneel!” so that everyone kneeled before Joseph. This had to occur over all the land of Egypt.
Questions
1. What did Pharaoh mean by “I gave thee over all the land of Egypt”?
2. How can a ring be upon someone’s hand?
3. Who dressed whom?
4. What is special about fine linen?
5. What is a decking of gold?
6. Why was it called a decking of the gold?
7. Was this second chariot special?
8. Why did they call, “I will kneel”?
9. Who is he and who is him in, “he will be given him over all the land of Egypt”?
XX. Name and Freedom (verses 44-46)
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh! And no man shall elevate his hand and his foot without thee in all the land of Egypt!” Joseph now had complete authority over every person in Egypt (except Pharaoh).
He then gave Joseph a new name: Salvation of the Age.
Joseph needed a woman (wife), so Pharaoh chose Asnat who was the daughter of Poti Pherah, a priest of a god called On.
Joseph then began his duties, ‘exiting’ (going out) over the land of Egypt.
Joseph’s promotion from prison to his standing “to the faces of” (in front of) Pharaoh occurred when Joseph was thirty years old. He then left Pharaoh to cross over all the land of Egypt.
Questions
1. Why did Pharaoh start by saying, “I am Pharaoh!”?
2. What does “no man shall elevate his hand and his foot without thee in all the land of Egypt” mean?
3. Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name. Did Joseph like his new name?
4. Pharaoh gave Joseph the woman Asnat. Did Pharaoh ask Joseph if he wanted her? Did Pharaoh ask Asnat or Asnat’s father if she or he desired Asnat to be married to a slave who is a sheepherder, and therefore is an abomination to the Egyptians?
5. What does “Joseph exited over the land of Egypt” mean?
6. How old was Joseph when he first stood before Pharaoh?
XXI. Gathering (verses 47-49)
The land produced fistfuls of grain—a very large amount compared to a normal crop. Joseph collected all food during these seven years. He “gave” (placed) food into cities (into storage) during this time. He stored the food of the field surrounding a city in the middle of that city. Joseph piled the grain as if it were the sand of the sea; it was so much that he quit keeping records of the amounts. No one was able to keep records of the amounts.
Questions
1. What is a fistful in this text?
2. If he collected all food of seven years in the land of Egypt, what did the Egyptians eat?
3. The text states, “he gave food into cities.” To whom did he give this food?
4. What does “he gave food of a field of the city that is her surroundings into her midst” mean?
5. What does scroll mean?
6. What does “for there is no scrolling” mean?
7. Who owned all this foodstuff that was put into storage?
XXII. Consolation (verses 50-52)
Joseph had two sons before the years of famine came. His wife was Asnat. She was the daughter of Poti Pherah (not related to Potiphar). Poti Pherah was a priest of a god named On. Joseph called the firstborn Forgetter (Manasseh) because Elohim had caused him to forget all his toil and even the house of his father. He called the second son Doubly Fruitful (Ephraim) because Elohim caused him to be fruitful in the land of his humiliation.
Questions
1. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Forgetter. Joseph said, “For Elohim made-me-forget all my toil and all the house of my father.” What toil did he forget? Did he really forget all the house of his father? What does that mean?
2. What does “Elohim fruited me in the land of my humiliation” mean?
XXIII. The Beginning of Famine (verses 53-54)
Seven years of very good crops and productivity in the land of Egypt finished. Seven years of famine began just as Joseph said. The famine was in all the lands. Yet, there was food in all the land of Egypt.
Questions
1. The text states, “the famine was in all the lands.” Does this mean that the famine was over the entire planet?
2. What is the distinction between bread and food in the Bible?
XXIV. Rationing (verses 55-57)
All the land of Egypt was now in need of food. The people shouted unto Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh’s response to all Egypt was to go to Joseph. They must do whatever he told them to do.
All parts of Egypt had the famine. Joseph opened the storage silos for the people, and he ‘broke’ grain to them (he measured out portions). The famine gripped in the land; it wouldn’t let go. All came toward Egypt unto Joseph to break (portion out) grain.
Questions
1. What does “all the land of Egypt was famished” mean?
2. What does “the people outcried unto Pharaoh to [for] bread” mean?
3. Why did Pharaoh tell them to go to Joseph?
4. What does “the famine was over all faces of the land” tell a careful reader?
5. What did Joseph open (the text states, “Joseph opened all that was in them”)?
6. Did the people come and take what they wanted?
7. What does “he broke to Egypt” mean?
8. The text states, “all the land—they came—Egyptward unto Joseph to break, because the famine gripped in all the land.” What is included in “all the land”?
9. Did Joseph personally give food to every individual?