Famine in Egypt Genesis 41-47
The time period was around 1878 - 1871 B.C. While Joseph was in prison in Egypt, two different people had strange dreams. They looked for someone to interpret their dreams and weren't able to find anyone who could tell the meaning of them. Joseph's name was recommended to be the one to interpret them. He listened to the butler and the baker and interpreted both of their dreams correctly. Joseph developed a reputation for interpreting dreams.
Sometime later, Pharaoh had a couple of dreams. He looked for someone to interpret his dreams, when the butler whose dream Joseph had interpreted a while back, told Pharaoh to get Joseph. He called Joseph from prison and Joseph told the meaning of Pharaoh's dreams to him. God had given Joseph the ability to understand the meaning of the dreams.
The meaning of Pharaoh's dreams indicated that there would be seven years that the land would produce plenty of food, that would be followed by seven years that would be a time of severe famine. After Joseph interpreted the dreams for Pharaoh, Pharaoh placed him second to himself in command of all of Egypt. In order for there to be enough food for all the people to eat, Joseph set up storehouses for grain during the seven years of plenty. This would provide food for the people during the seven years of famine.
Joseph's family was still in Israel, and they were beginning to run out of food. His brothers came to Egypt to buy grain from him, although they did not realize that Joseph was their brother! They did not recognize him and may have assumed he was killed or that they would never see him again. Joseph tested his brothers. He finally told them who he was. I imagine they were in shock!
Pharaoh found out that Joseph's family was now looking to him for their grain. He invited Jacob, Joseph's brothers and all of Jacob's household to live in a town called 'Goshen' which was in Egypt.
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