Genesis 41:53-57·~1 min

The Famine Begins

The seven years of plenty end and the famine begins exactly as Joseph foretold. As hunger grips Egypt, Pharaoh sends the people to Joseph for food.

W⁵³hen the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. ⁵⁵When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

As famine spreads everywhere, Joseph opens the storehouses and sells grain to the Egyptians. People from every nation also come to Egypt because the famine is severe across the earth.

⁵⁶When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Section summaryWhen the years turn, the famine begins just as Joseph said. Egypt has food because of what was stored, and as hunger spreads through the land and beyond it, people come to Joseph for grain.

Role in the chapterThis closing section shows Joseph’s words fulfilled in full and widens the chapter’s horizon beyond Egypt. The man once forgotten in prison becomes the keeper of bread for a hungry world.