GENESIS

Potiphar's dreams

Chapter 41

Potiphar's eyes shot open and he sat up, placing his palms on his face.
What kind of dream is that
He thought, sweat rolling down his forehead despite the well aerated chamber.

His wife stirred beside him and opened her eyes, shocked to see that her husband was up that late.
"My Lord" she said, placing her hand on his thigh but he pushed it away and stood up.

"What does it mean" he muttered and stormed out of the chamber.

***

"So you are telling me none of your can interpret my dreams!" Potiphar shouted at his magicians and dream readers, smashing his fist down on the arm rest of his seat.

The magicians and dream readers stumbled back in shock and bowed their heads in order to avoid eye contact.

"They've tried their b..." Potiphar's wife started but was silenced by the raise of his hand.

"I...if I may, my Lord" the butler, who was standing beside him started " I may have a solution to the problem at hand"

Potiphar frowned at him, considering if he should listen to the words of a mere butler. " Go on" he finally said.

"About two years ago, when I was relieved from the prison and remade a butler, there was also another man, the head Baker. I was given my job while he was hung "

"And how does that concern us?" Potiphar's wife interrupted

"That's it, just three days before then, we both had troubling dreams that we could not interpret, but there was a man there. He interpreted it for us, and exactly what he predicted was what was done on that day" Potiphar digested his words for a while and asked.

"So who is this man?"

"It's Joseph " Potiphar's wife's eyes widened in shock and she turned to her husband.

"Guards" he commanded " bring me Joseph "

***

"I was in a field " Potiphar began with Josphen standing before him " and there were seven fat and healthy cows eating the grass. Everything was normal until suddenly,  seven skinny and starved looking cows arose from no where and swallowed up those fat cows. What confused me the most was that, they all remained skinny just like before".

Joseph began to think, praying for God to give him an interpretation to the dream.

"I slept back and had a second dream. It was on a stalk, seven heads of grain, plump and full sprang up, and later seven other heads that were thin and blighted by the east wind also sprang up and devoured the ones before them" Potiphar narrowed his eyes at him " now tell me, what is the meaning to these dreams "

"Thank you Lord" Joseph whispered to himself " The Lord has revealed the meaning to me" he began " in this kingdom,  no too long before now, there would be seven full years of plenty. Years of full grain and fat cows, years when the food would be more than enough. And after these years would come seven years of farmine that would feel like it would never end. When there would be little grain and dying cattle"

Potiphar frowned in thought at what he had just heard.

"The kingdom is advised to store up as much food as possible during these years of plenty, so that there would be enough during to survive during the famine"

Potiphar then slowly rose up, all eyes on him.
"I have heard your interpretation and I trust the words of your God. Because you were the only one to give me an interpretation, I thereby put you in charge of the kingdom. You will see to it that enough food are stored during these years and ensure the survival of my people. I will still be above you be position but you will be in charge"

Joseph bowed his head. "Yes, my lord"

So at just age thirty, Joseph was given this task, and as predicted, the seven years of abundance came. Over these years, food was stored in the cities, too much to be counted. He was given a wife by Potiphar,  who bore him two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
After the years of plenty came famine, where the whole land was dry and people came from far and wide to buy the food that was stored.