Pharaoh's Dreams and Joseph's Rise to Power

Pharaoh had two strange dreams: seven thin cows swallowed seven fat cows, and seven thin heads of grain swallowed seven full heads. No one in Egypt could explain the dreams. Then the cupbearer remembered Joseph, who had helped him understand a dream in prison, and told Pharaoh about him. Joseph was brought to the palace and humbly said that the answer did not come from him; God would give Pharaoh a peaceful answer. Joseph explained that both dreams meant the same thing: Egypt would have seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. He advised Pharaoh to store food during the good years so people could be helped in the hard years. Pharaoh saw that God had given Joseph wisdom and put him in charge of Egypt’s grain-saving work. Joseph received a ring, fine clothes, and a gold necklace, rode through the streets, and then worked carefully through the plentiful years to fill the storehouses with grain.