$25. Pharao's Dream, and Joseph's delivery from Prison.

Joseph remained shut up in the prison for two years after this, until it happened that Pharao had a dream. Pharao dreamed that he stood by the river, out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat, and they fed in the ground near the river that had

ANDUDLEY

EGYPTIAN COW.

been overflowed. Other seven kine

also came out of the river, ill-favoured and lean-fleshed, and they fed on the green places on the bank of the river itself; and the seven lean kine came and

eat up the seven well-favoured and fat kine. And

Pharao awoke. He fell asleep again, and dreamed that he saw seven ears of corn come up upon one stalk, full and fair; then seven other ears sprung up, thin and withered, and devoured the seven fine and full ears. And Pharao awoke from his sleep. And in the morning, being struck with fear, he sent for all the wise men and interpreters of

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dreams in his kingdom to interpret to him the meaning of the dream; but none of them were able to interpret it. At length the chief butler, remembering Joseph in the prison, said, in the presence of all who were assembled: "I confess my sin; when my lord the king was angry with his servants, and commanded me and the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain of the soldiers, in the same night we both dreamed a dream. In the prison at the time there was a young man, a Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the soldiers, to whom we told our dreams, which he interpreted to us; for I was restored to my office, and the chief baker was hanged upon a gibbet." Forthwith Pharao commanded Joseph to be taken out of the prison; and he was shaved and dressed, and brought into their presence. Pharao then spoke to him, and said: "I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one in my kingdom that can interpret them for me. I have heard that thou canst interpret dreams wisely." Joseph replied: "I cannot interpret dreams; but God shall give Pharao the answer he desires." The king then told Joseph his two dreams-of the seven fat and lean kine, and the seven full and withered ears of corn. Joseph then spoke, and said: "The king's dreams are one; God hath shown to Pharao what He is about to do. The seven fat kine and the seven full ears are seven years of plenty; and the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the east wind, are seven years of famine, which are to come. They shall be fulfilled in this order; there shall be seven years exceedingly

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fruitful in the land of Egypt, which shall be followed by seven years of scarcity, such that they shall consume all that was over and above of the seven years of

plenty. And that the king saw two dreams of the like meaning, this signifies that the word of God shall be speedily fulfilled. Now, therefore, let the king look out for some wise and discreet man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt, that he may appoint

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overseers, and gather up into storehouses the abundance of the years of plenty, that the people of the land be not consumed with famine during the seven years of scarcity.'

This counsel pleased Pharao and all his servants. And he rose and said to his servants: "Can we find such another man filled with the spirit of God?" And when none replied, turning to Joseph, he said: "Seeing God hath showed thee all thou hast said, can I find one wiser and like to thee? Thou shalt be over my house, and thy word all the people shall obey; only in the throne will I be before thee." And he took his own ring from his hand, put upon him a robe of silk, and a chain of gold round his neck, and caused him to mount up into the second royal chariot, and ordered the crier to go before him, proclaiming to all the people that they should bow the knee, and know that Joseph was made governor over the whole land of Egypt.

§ 26. Joseph is Steward over the Land of Egypt.

The seven years of plenty were now come, as Joseph had foretold; and so great was the abundance of wheat, that it was like the sand on the sea-shore. Joseph lost no time in taking his measures to have the storehouses prepared, and the grain that was over and above safely laid up in them in every city, with proper overseers appointed to see that the corn was kept in safety. And a great abundance of grain by these means was laid up in every city.

The seven years of plenty passed away, and the

seven years of scarcity foretold by Joseph came in their place; and the famine began to prevail in the whole world; but there was bread in the land of Egypt.

And when the people were famished for want of food, they came to Pharao, and he said to them: "Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you."