36. Let the food be held in reserve for the land for the seven years of famine that is coming upon the land of Egypt. Then the land will not be annihilated by the famine.”
37. Now the plan seemed good in the eyes of Pharaoh as well as all his servants.
38. Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can a man like this be found, one in whom is God’s Spirit?”
39. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40. You! You will be over my house, and all my people will pay homage to you . Only in relation to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I appoint you over the whole land of Egypt.”
42. Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, clothed him with fine linen garments, and put a chain of gold around his neck.
43. Then he had him ride in the chariot as second-in-command, the one that belonged to him, and they called out before him, “Kneel down!” So he appointed him over the whole land of Egypt.
44. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one will lift up his hand or his foot in the whole land of Egypt.”
45. Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Then Joseph went out, in charge of the land of Egypt.
46. Now Joseph was 30 years old when he began serving as representative of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and passed throughout the whole land of Egypt.
47. During the seven years of abundance, the land produced in heaps.
48. So he gathered all the food in the land of Egypt during the seven years, and put food in the cities; the food from the city fields surrounding the cities he put in each city.
49. So Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, vast amounts, until he stopped keeping record because it was beyond counting.
50. Two sons also had been born to Joseph before the year of famine came, born to him by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51. Joseph named his first-born Manasseh, “because God has caused me to forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.”
52. And the second he named Ephraim, “because God has made me fruitful in the land of my oppression.”
53. Then the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54. and the seven years of famine started to come—just as Joseph had said. So there was famine in all the lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was bread.
55. When the whole land of Egypt suffered famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all of Egypt, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he tells you.”