And king Pharaoh said to Joseph:  “Since God has shown you all this, there is no other man as wise as you.  I will appoint you to do this work, and to rule over the land of Egypt.  All the people shall be under you; only on the throne of Egypt I will be above you.”

And Pharaoh took from his own hand the ring which held his seal, and put on Joseph’s hand, so that he could sign for the king, and seal in the king’s place.  And he dressed Joseph in robes of fine linen, and put around his neck a gold chain.  And he made Joseph ride in a chariot which was next in rank to his own.  And they cried out before Joseph, “Bow the knee.”  And thus Joseph was ruler over all the land of Egypt.

THE STORY OF THE MONEY IN THE SACKS

When Joseph was made ruler over the land of Egypt, he did just as he had always done.  It was not Joseph’s way to sit down, to rest and enjoy himself, and make others wait on him.  He found his work at once, and began to do it faithfully and thoroughly.  He went out over all the land of Egypt, and saw how rich and abundant were the fields of grain, giving much more than the people could use for their own needs.  He told the people not to waste it, but to save it for the coming time of need.

And he called upon the people to give him for the king one bushel of grain out of every five, to be stored up.  The people brought their grain, after taking for themselves as much as they needed, and Joseph stored it up in great storehouses in the cities; so much at last that no one could keep account of it.

The king of Egypt gave a wife to Joseph from the noble young women of his kingdom.  Her name was Asenath; and to Joseph and his wife God gave two sons.  The oldest son he named Manasseh, a word which means “Making to Forget.”

“For,” said Joseph, “God has made me to forget all my troubles and my toil as a slave.”

The second son he named Ephraim, a word that means “Fruitful.”  “Because,” said Joseph, “God has not only made the land fruitful; but he has made me fruitful in the land of my troubles.”

The seven years of plenty soon passed by, and then came the years of need.  In all the lands around people were hungry, and there was no food for them to eat; but in the land of Egypt everybody had enough.  Most of the people soon used up the grain that they had saved; many had saved none at all, and they all cried to the king to help them.

“Go to Joseph!” said king Pharaoh, “and do whatever he tells you to do.”

Then the people came to Joseph, and Joseph opened the storehouses, and sold to the people all the grain that they wished to buy.  And not only the people of Egypt came to buy grain, but people of all the lands around as well, for there was great need and famine everywhere.  And the need was as great in the land of Canaan, where Jacob lived, as in other lands.  Jacob was rich in flocks and cattle, and gold and silver,