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known that they had eaten them; but they were still illfavoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I slept and dreamed a second time.

And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good. And behold, seven ears, withered, thin and blasted with the east-wind, sprung up after them.

And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it unto me.

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one.

And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them, are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the east-wind, shall be seven years of famine.

This is the thing which I have spoken untò Pharaoh. What GOD is about to do, he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt? and the famine shall consume the land.

And the plenty shall not be known in the land, by reason of that famine following: for it shall be very grievous.

And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh; it is because the thing is established by Gon, and GoD will shortly bring it to pass.

Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers

over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, aud lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of GOD is?

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as GOD hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art :

Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.

And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath paaneah and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

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And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt: and Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

And 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: the food of the field which was round

about every city laid he up in the same.

And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering: for it was with

out number.

And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On, bare unto him.

And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: for GOD, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

And the name of the second called he Ephraim: for God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended,

And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all land's but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the store-houses, and sold unto the Egyptians and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

And

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

In the early ages of the world, before mankind had much experience, or writing was invented, there were many particulars necessary to be known in order to ascertain the seasons in which different parts of the earth should be cultivated. It was very material in Egypt, for instance, to be prepared for the inundation of the river Nile, because the future harvest depended greatly upon it, and the people were obliged to remove to the highest ground whilst it lasted. This it is supposed first led the Egyptians to observe the motions of the stars, that they might know how the year passed by the appearance of the heavens, as the stars succeeded in regular order. There is one bright star called the Dog Star, which appears in Egypt, early in the morning, just before the time of the inundation; this and a number of other circumstances attracted the particular attention of some among the antient Egyptians, and led to great discoveries in the science of astronomy, which was connected with their religion; for the principal deities of this people were the Sun, Moon, and Dog Star, worshipped under a great variety of fr gures and emblems. The priests of these idols pretended to have immediate intercourse with the gods by means of certain magical arts which they practised; these were the magicians, some of whom Pharaoh sent for to interpret his dreams; their failing to do so proved that they were false prophets.

Pharaoh's butler seems to have recollected his pro

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mise to Joseph with great compunction of mind. How much was his present kindness invalidated by his former forgetfulness!

The dreams of Pharaoh were such, that the art of man could not investigate them; yet without these dreams Pharaoh would not have been induced to send for Joseph; neither would he have known a truth 'of great importance in a country where superstition prevailed, that interpretations come from Gop. We may add, that in all probability Pharaoh in the years of plenty would have neglected to gather the corn into storehouses; or the people might have been remiss in sowing grain, after a few years of such astonishing abundance; the consequences of which would have been fatal to thousands. Or they might have supposed the plenty and famine to have been the effects of mere natural causes, instead of looking up to Gop as the author of them.

Joseph's advice, though perfectly agreeable to reason, proceeded from Divine revelation. A man like him, remarkable for humility, and just released from a prison, would scarcely have ventured to offer his own sentiments so freely to an august monarch. A fifth part of the corn was afterwards found adequate to the deficiencies of the years of famine; for it is to be considered, that, besides the king's stores, the rich people of the land had it in their power, during the years of plenty, to lay by great quantities, after having supplied their quota to government; and we may suppose that the earth itself, even while the dearth lasted, yielded a small quantity.

Though Pharaoh had very erroneous notions respecting religion, in consequence of his having been educated in that of the Egyptians, he still believed in the

LORD

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