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Day 40 – Plenty and Famine Genesis 41:1 Then it happened, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. 2 Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So, Pharaoh awoke. 5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 The seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So, Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. 8 Now it happened in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for Pharaoh. 9 Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults this day. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker, 11 we each dreamed in one night. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12 Now there was a young Hebrew man with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13 It happened, just as he interpreted for us. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. I heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God (Elohiym) will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. 18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 The gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So, I awoke. 22 Also, I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24 The thin heads devoured the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God (Elohiym) has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Indeed, seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; 30 but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. 31 So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be severe. 32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God (Elohiym), and God (Elohiym) will soon bring it to pass. 33 Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 Let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then the food will be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” 37 The advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit (Ruwach) of God (Elohiym)?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God (Elohiym) has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You will be over my house, and all my people will be ruled according to your word; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So, he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. He gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So, Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. 48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. 49 Joseph gathered much grain, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. 50 To Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For God (Elohiym) made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim. “For God (Elohiym) caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” 53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” 56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. The famine became severe in the land of Egypt. 57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands. God’s name: Elohiym – Mighty God Ruwach – Breath Jehovah – Self-existent, Eternal Yeshuwa – Jesus God’s character: Provider Mashiyach – Savior Lord - Master Everyone has lean years in their lives. How do you prepare for those days? Do you live one day at a time and hope you will make it through the lean years, or do you prepare for them ahead of time? Banks and financial advisors always tell people they need to prepare for bad times. You see how the economy fluctuates between good and bad years. What have you done to prepare for lean days? Pharaoh had two dreams no one could interpret except Joseph. He brought Joseph out of prison and told him his dreams. Joseph told him only Elohiym could interpret his dreams. Then he told him what the dreams revealed. Pharaoh made Joseph head of Egypt. Only in matters of the throne would Pharaoh be greater than Joseph. Joseph prepared for the famine to come during the years of plenty. When the years of famine happened, Egypt was prepared. Preparation is key to one’s survival. When you spend time in Elohiym’s Word, you prepare your soul for the days when Elohiym will bring leanness to the land. 2 Chronicles 7:12 Then the LORD (Jehovah) appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. When you don’t spend time in Elohiym’s Word, you bring leanness to your soul. You need to pray, seek, His face, and spend time with Him every day. Only then will you prepare yourself for what Elohiym will bring upon the land and upon your life. People will see your preparation and come to you for help during the times of crisis. You can then point them to Yeshuwa, their Mashiyach and Lord. Let’s pray: Father, help me prepare my life by spending time with you daily in Your Word. Let me seek Your face when I see the leanness of the people around me. Give me Your wisdom and discernment through Your Holy Spirit to help those seeking answers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 27 February 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.