Two whole years layer, the Pharaoh has a series of distressing dreams. In the first, seven attractive, plump cows come out of the Nile river followed by seven ugly, thin ones. The thin ones devour the plump ones. In the second dream, Pharaoh sees seven ears of grain growing from a stalk, followed by seven blighted ears. He asks his magicians to interpret his visions, but they don’t know what they mean. 

Finally, after promising to remember Joseph, the cupbearer takes his opportunity to speak up. He tells him about a guy in prison who told him and the baker about their dreams that came true. 

The Pharaoh calls for Joseph to be brought up, shaved and changed. I am getting visions of the Count of Monte Cristo. When the Pharaoh asks him for an interpretation, Joseph again states that it is not him, but God giving him a favorable answer. Joseph tells the Pharaoh that his dreams are from God and a warning. Egypt will experience seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine so harsh that the prosperity will be forgotten. The doubling, he says, is an indication that future is fixed and will happen soon. Joseph advises him to prepare by saving a fifth of all the grain over the next seven years in anticipation of the coming famine. 

Pharaoh not only accepts Joseph’s interpretation and advice, but appoints him as overseer of the entire project. This why you have to be careful with advice for people used to delegating tasks.

To seal the deal, Pharaoh gives Joseph official robes, signet ring, and a gold chain. He has Joseph carried around in his second chariot while servants call out for people to “bow the knee.” Additionally, Pharaoh renames him Zaphenath-paneah, meaning God speaks, and marries him to Asenath, daughter of the priest of On. On is a city where a creator god was worshipped in ancient times. 

Joseph is thirty when he starts working for the Pharaoh and spends the next seven years traveling around Egypt making storage facilities in every city. The prosperous years fill them to overflowing. Joseph has two children with his wife: the first named Manasseh, meaning “forget hardship,” and Ephraim, meaning “doubly fruitful.”

The seven years of plenty end and the famine begins. The Joseph, under the authority of Pharaoh, sells grain not only to the Egyptians, but to all the people in neighboring lands as well. Which sets up the next part of our story.