Dreams of Egypt’s Future
The King’s Dreams
Two years passed from the king’s feast and the rewards of his two servants: restoration for one and death for the other. For Joseph, the time was much as in his farming experiences in the Fayum. The future lay somewhere distant, but the work of the day always was at hand.
The path of the slave is laid out before him. At least, this is the common perspective of both the freeman and of the slave. A slave who supervises other slaves is still a slave.
As a slave owned by Captain Potiphar, Joseph had thought himself at the lowest rank possible, yet he had determined that he would contribute as best he could through his labor. God would provide, and so He had done.
Although he had fallen to an even lower level, now imprisoned as well as enslaved, the resolution to contribute to the best of his ability still guided Joseph.
Neferhotep received recognition for the productivity of the prison and received his promotion. A new man came and, with Neferhotep’s strong recommendation, allowed Joseph to continue to utilize the prisoners to work the gardens.
Another man’s reputation was in the making, just as Neferhotep’s had been, and all was stable within the prison. The sun rose on the work force beginning its labor, and the sun set on the work force ending its labor. And Joseph was always among them.
Seeing Meri-ptah approach the work crews one mid-morning was a great surprise to Joseph, as it had been to the prison overseer.
Having long ago been freed from the rope linking him to the other prisoners, Joseph walked toward the man he had not seen in several years. Even in prison he had heard that Meri was doing well in his dual military positions as trainer and head of the temple guards.
Meri smiled and reached out to embrace Joseph.
Stepping back, he said to Joseph, “I heard of your arrest and imprisonment here. There was not anything that I could do considering the nature of the charge, but I could not believe it to be true. I told Neferhotep to treat you well and make use of your skills.”
“You are over the king’s prison?’ asked Joseph, incredulously.
“Yes,” Meri said as he looked around. “This does not fall cleanly under anyone’s jurisdiction, and was an orphan. The post was considered a place to send an officer who had little hope for the future.”
He laughed. “But you have changed that! Neferhotep received his promotion, and the current overseer will be promoted soon, as well. Perhaps you would do well as a trainer of men!”
“What brings you to this prison now?” A hint of hope seeped into Joseph’s voice.
“The king’s dreams. I recall something of your adept interpretation of dreams, but the cupbearer to the king remembered you when the king told his counsellors of his dreams and none could interpret them. He told of your interpretation of his dream and the dream of the baker two years ago.”
Joseph smiled. His patience had been rewarded. He held no animosity for the two years, for they had no doubt been a necessary delay.
“When I heard that you were to be brought before the king immediately, I offered to be your escort.
“Now, shave quickly and put on the clothes that I have brought for you. We will make you presentable for your appearance before the king!”
Joseph was only too happy to comply.
He was given water to wash himself thoroughly and a good blade to remove his beard. The three years’ growth was significant, but he was not reluctant to part with it.
The clothing was clean and soft, a stark contrast with his prison garb.
The walk to The Residence did not take long. As they approached, it seemed that nothing had changed in three years. The building with its well-watered gardens looked as magnificent as ever. The contrast with the drab prison lifted his spirits higher.
King Senusret II had anxiously awaited Joseph’s arrival, so Meri and Joseph were brought immediately into the king’s presence.
The king sat in his chair as Meri-ptah bowed and introduced Joseph. Although Joseph had been among those who had stood before the king years before, reporting on issues regarding the flood and irrigation, Meri presented Joseph as if he were unknown to the king.
The king proceeded directly to his request.
“I have had two dreams that are of great importance, but there is none who can interpret them for me. It has been said that you are able to understand dreams, to give understanding to their meaning.”
Joseph bowed and said, “The gift of interpretation of dreams comes from God, so it will be God who gives the king understanding of the dreams and brings peace to the king’s heart.”
“In my dream, I stood on the bank of a river. Suddenly, seven cows came up out of the river. These were plump, well fed cattle of excellent appearance. And they went and grazed in the meadow.
“But then seven other cows came up after them. These were very thin, as though they were starving. They were physically appalling to the sight, the worst looking cattle in all of Egypt.
“And these disgusting cattle came up to the first seven cattle and devoured them. But no one would know that these starving cattle had eaten the well-fed ones, for they were just as thin and disgusting as when they had emerged from the river.”
Without pausing, the king continued.
“And then I saw seven heads came up on one stalk, all full and good.
“But then seven heads, withered and thin, dried out by the east wind, came up after the full heads.
“And the withered heads devoured the full heads, and they still looked as withered and thin as they had when they first appeared.
“I have told the magicians what I have told you, but none could explain the meaning to me.”
Joseph paused long enough to arrange his thoughts, but his response was quick.
“The two dreams of the king are one. God has shown the king of Egypt what He will do.
“The seven well-fed cows are seven good years, and the seven full heads are seven good years.
“And the seven gaunt and starving cattle are seven bad years, and the seven heads withered by the east wind are seven bad years.
“What I have spoken to the king is what God has shown the king that God will do.
“There will be seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt, but they will be followed by seven years of famine. The famine will be so great, that all of the previous abundance will be forgotten, and famine will consume the land.
“The king dreamed the dream in two different ways because these events are established by God, and they soon will come to pass.
“The dreams allow the king the opportunity to set a man filled with wisdom and understanding over all of Egypt to guide the country through the good years and the years of famine.
“Let the king do this: let him appoint officers of the king to collect one fifth of the produce of the land during the seven years of plenty. Let them gather the grain and store it under the guard of the king, establishing storage sites in the cities of Egypt.
“This food in storage will provide for the land during the famine, so that the people of Egypt will not become as the starving cattle or as the withered heads.”
The king’s gaze had been fixed intently upon Joseph during the interpretation, and remained so for another long moment.
The king said, “Can we find such a man, one of wisdom and understanding, in whom is the spirit of God?”
The king looked to the counselors on his left, and then to those on his right.
As if they had come to an unspoken agreement, the king continued, “God has given you understanding and discernment, Joseph, and there is no one else upon whom He has conferred His favor.
“You are set over my house and all of the people of Egypt, and they will obey the words that you speak. Only the throne of kingship will be greater than you.”
The king took his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand.
“See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
And the king put a gold necklace around Joseph’s neck. He then commanded that appropriate garments be brought for Joseph to wear.
The king was no longer the cocky young man of ten years previous when Joseph had first seen him dismounting from his chariot at The Residence. At that time, his father had recently died and kingship still had been new to him.
Since that time, King Senusret II had passed into the maturity of his office, combining decisiveness with his long term goals for the kingdom. He had become accustomed to the corridors of power and the manner in which many sought their own benefit without regard for the king’s orders. The king committed himself to his course.
And thus the king declared to Joseph for all to hear, to ensure that no one was unaware of the level of Joseph’s authority, “I am king, and I declare that no man may lift his hand or his foot in all of Egypt without your consent.”
With this decree, the king stated as clearly and succinctly as he could that no activity in Egypt was outside of Joseph’s jurisdiction. Whatever a man did with his hand or wherever he travelled were subject to Joseph’s command.
“Joseph, you will attend me in the morning. That God has given us fair warning gives us the opportunity to begin preparations immediately.
“Rest well tonight, for your work will not diminish for these fourteen years.”
Joseph bowed and retreated toward the door by which he had entered. An attendant to the king took charge of him, guiding him to the rooms where he would spend the night.
Having awakened in a small and poorly ventilated prison in the morning, Joseph found himself with a room suited to royalty. He bathed in clean water rather than a canal. His meal was of the finest food of the land, and sets of new clothing were brought to dress him for his new position, replacing even what had been a fine robe for his first appearance before the king.
The events of the day had made Joseph ready for sleep, but anticipation of the challenges threatened his ability to relax. Joseph opened his heart and mind to God.
“You have brought me thus far, and Your hand will give guidance. Great thanks, and I rest in Your assurance.” Focusing on the conclusion rather than the details of the labor, Joseph closed his eyes and found rest.
The morning brought a breakfast such as he had not experienced in three years. The wardrobe had been completed during the evening before, and he selected what he would wear before the king.
Reconciliation
The king summoned Joseph before mid-morning. He was led to a smaller room than that of the previous afternoon, one with fewer people but maintaining the intimidating magnificence of the king of Egypt, arguably the most powerful man on earth.
Senusret bid Joseph to rise after he bowed before the king.
“I remember you well, Joseph, the man who tamed the Nile. Were it not for your previous benefit to the throne and to the kingdom, I would not have put so much trust in your dream interpretation or abilities.
“I have consulted with Captain Potiphar concerning you. He speaks highly of you, in spite of a misunderstanding that resulted in your imprisonment. Your fortunes have fallen, but now they have risen.
“Will you be able to work with the captain again?”
“Yes, my king. I regret the misunderstanding that caused our separation.”
“Good. His counsel has proven its value to me, and so his wisdom will also help you. The signet ring that is on your hand often has been worn by him as he performed his duties for me. His experience and resources are at your command.”
The restoration of the relationship with Captain Potiphar was a pleasant surprise, but the reversal in roles was most unexpected.
Joseph bowed. “His presence and counsel are a blessing. Thank you.”
The king continued. “You have become Egyptian in all things except for name, and that must be corrected. You will be known as Zaphnath-Paaneah, ‘the Revealer of Hidden Things.’
“This will be the name you use as you obey my commands and maintain ma’at in my kingdom.”
Joseph bowed again. “As the king commands, so it will be done.”
“And so my command to all of Egypt will be done, that your commands be followed to spare Egypt from the inevitable famine. That we have seven years will provide time for preparation, and this seven good years of harvest will prove the interpretation.
“Go now. Captain Potiphar waits upon you, as all Egypt waits upon you.”
Joseph bowed a final time. “As the king commands, so will your servant perform.” And he went out of the king’s presence into the antechamber.
Captain Potiphar stood talking with Meri, waiting for Joseph to exit the king’s presence.
Joseph smiled to see his old friend and walked to the captain.
Captain Potiphar looked at Meri-ptah and said, “Would you give us a few minutes to talk? We have some personal business to cover.”
“Oh! Yes,” smiled Meri, as if he already knew the topic of discussion. “I look forward to seeing you in the morning, Joseph.”
And with that, Meri exited the room.
Potiphar stood uncharacteristically ill at ease when the two were alone. Seeing the captain’s hesitancy, Joseph said, “The king has assured me of your counsel and resources. I hope that I may count on both.”
“Of course, Joseph,” as he embraced his former slave. “You have weathered three hard years, and I regret the role that I played in your imprisonment.”
“Do not give yourself too much credit for the events of three years ago. The true cause of my fall and imprisonment was my own.”
Potiphar started to interrupt, but Joseph held up his hand.
“You had given me freedom to accomplish deeds and to have power over others. Not in so many words, but in my actions, I thanked God for what I had been given. Then after giving Him thanks, I gave Him permission to handle the rest of the world, and I would care for what He had given me.
“I made myself large in my own eyes, and there was no longer a need for Him in my small realm. This hubris brought my fall.”
Potiphar stood listening, arms folded on his chest. He had some understanding of Joseph’s God, but it was insufficient to answer the unspoken question he was anxious to ask.
“Does that mean you refuse the rank and status that comes with your new role, Joseph? You are no longer a slave. You are indeed free to receive what is yours: the rooms, furnishings, food. Will your God not permit the benefits of your success?”
“We have in our religion a story of the fall of mankind away from God. The tempter was one who desired to be as God, and he brought out this desire in the woman and the man. He offered them forbidden fruit. The disobedience of accepting the fruit was evil, not the fruit itself. When they stepped out from under God, the order that God had created vanished.
“The evil that stands against the spiritual world is not the material world, but the ego of the man who would reign in God’s place.
“This was my sin: to believe that I determined right and wrong and the course of events. The danger is not the material things of this world, but my ego that said I could manage without God’s rule.
“My time in prison was part of God’s training for me, His preparation of me for just such a time as this.”
The captain was still too focused on his own role in Joseph’s imprisonment. “Were you not innocent of the charge made against you? Was the misery of the Place of Confinement and hard labor not too stern a punishment for the sin that was not committed?”
Joseph saw that Potiphar had come to understand the true nature of Zelicha’s charge, but not the fault of Joseph that had made the events possible.
“On occasion, I have thought of the prison we each endure. The walls may have been built by family, or by culture, or by circumstances. I was imprisoned by my self-importance, my belief that some things, indeed, that anything was mine.
“We bind ourselves to what surrounds us, to the people and things we would call our own, knowing that ultimately nothing is ours. When we let go of these things, then we find freedom.”
Joseph paused, hoping that the captain was aware that he had been as imprisoned as Joseph, as indeed all are chained when they allow themselves to become prisoner to something they cherish as their own.
He continued. “The walls that held me for a while were indeed solid. Wherever I am, whether in prison or outside the prison in daily life, my character remains free to choose its path while still under God’s guidance. This was the lesson required of me, and such a lesson must be experienced to have any meaning.”
The captain stood silent, his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. At last, he spoke in a most uncharacteristic tone, emotion modulating his voice.
“Well spoken, and not a surprise to hear from you. You mention the prison without walls, and indeed I have been there. My freedom did come when I gave my captive the command to leave and experience her freedom. Only in this state of freedom did she willingly choose her captivity.
“The past cannot be undone, but we may profit from it.”
Joseph understood what his friend had endured, and he also had emerged in a better state for that trial.
The captain continued, apparently eager to get on more comfortable and familiar ground. “But now you have much to do, and I am to assist you. What is your order?”
Joseph smiled. “And what order could I give to a friend who understands the situation better than I?
“There are many who must be involved for the plan to succeed. To say that we must tax the people one-fifth of the yield in the good years does not sound difficult until we have to implement the plan. This is at least twice the level of tax that they have been paying.
“The effort requires a means to ensure that 20% of the produce comes to the king, and that the food is safely stored until the time it is needed.”
“Yes,” said the captain. “I have been thinking of this since I heard of your interpretation of the king’s dream.”
Potiphar easily transitioned back into his logical mind and the need for planning so that all parts would come together as seamlessly as possible.
“We must have a scribe for estimating production, transportation to storage, grain bins at established locations, and guards to ensure security. All of this is in addition to the normal needs for planting, irrigation, and harvest. Fortunately, we have until the harvest to prepare.”
Joseph asked, “Can you have those people available tomorrow morning about this time to meet so that we can prepare the steps necessary to accomplish our goal?”
“Yes. I will summon Irsu as chief scribe, who also is familiar with the harvest, and General Djar to represent the military. With the general’s permission, I will include Meri-ptah, who answers to the general and will be suited for training and supervising the guard of the storage sites. These men you know.
“We also need men who can assist with building the storage sites, and those who will handle transportation. These men I know.”
“Good,” responded Joseph, thinking their meeting was at an end.
A Proposal
Potiphar did not move and was silent for a moment, then spoke in a different tone on a completely different topic.
“The king has made clear that you must be Egyptian in every manner of your life. He is less concerned with your God than he is with your appearance.
“He wants you to wear the eyes of the Egyptian as well as to remain clean shaven. You are to wear Egyptian clothing, as you do already.”
The captain’s unease became more apparent as he raised the next point.
“I have seen no evidence of a woman in your life. Tell me, Joseph: has a woman ever captured your attention, or perhaps even your heart?”
The interest in this aspect of his personal life surprised Joseph, particularly in view of the events of three years ago, but the unexpected appeared to be occurring more frequently and he understood the captain’s concern.
“I cannot say that this has occurred. I have had little time or inclination to wander in that direction.”
“But for years you have been of an age when a man’s desires take strong hold and turn his mind from other pursuits! Would you not have taken a wife as a shepherd and begun a family?”
“Yes, surely! My father would have selected a wife for me at some time, this is true. Our tradition has been to take wives of the extended family, those who are known to us and are faithful to the one God. But I do not know his thoughts on the choice for me. And his decision is forfeit at this time, a moot point.”
“So is it because the women are not of your belief concerning God? Is this belief of your spiritual heart and mind stronger than the desires of your physical heart and body?”
Joseph remembered Meera, the deceptive woman in the tent of the gods, in that all too real dream during his travel with Teyma. He had been sorely tempted, but he had come to see that what she offered was a diversion from the path on which he was called to walk. Zelicha’s acts had confirmed this belief. His reply could be but an honest confession.
“As a man, I am not immune to the desires that are common to us all. And I am not strong enough under my own power to resist the temptations to which all are susceptible.
“I have seen my desire for a woman reflected back from her eyes as a snare that would enslave my spirit as well as my body and strength.
“As a shepherd my spirit was free, although I was bound to obedience: my body to the service of my father, and my strength to the care of his flocks. I neglected the people around me who deserved precedence over mere herds and possessions.
“Here in Egypt, I am bound to obedience, also: my body to the service of my owner, and my strength to the care of those around me. When the unity of purpose is evident to those who are over me, and to those beside and beneath my position, then the possibility of a union with a woman of like spirit will be possible.”
The captain shook his head. “Have you set a standard that is too high for yourself, your master, and the people around you, not to mention this ideal woman? You sound as one who has chosen the life of a eunuch, or has had that life chosen for him.”
Joseph smiled. “I am confident that God has given the vision so that I will recognize the reality. For now, there is enough to keep my attention and my focus.”
Potiphar shook his head as if in disbelief. “You are a rare man, Joseph.”
He paused so that Joseph would fully comprehend the offer he was about to make. “What if I were to bring your niece before you, the daughter of your sister, Dinah. Would she be acceptable as a wife?”
Joseph was too stunned to respond. The unexpected had been replaced by the inconceivable, an event that did not seem possible. Indeed, the terms “unexpected” and “inconceivable” appeared to no longer have meaning in light of the events of these past two days.
“You have me at a disadvantage. Who is this niece, the daughter of Dinah?”
“Our friend, Teyma, is responsible for this. That fact alone should help you to understand the reality of it.”
The captain then told the story of a visit from Teyma 3 or 4 years ago. Joseph was in the Fayum, or Potiphar would have brought him to see the trader.
Teyma told of finding the infant girl beneath the asenath bush. Teyma already had known part of the story, the story of the men of Shechem, and how Simon and Levi had killed them because one had defiled their sister.
The infant had come to be the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, who had raised her as his own daughter, known as Asenath. Captain Potiphar had approached the priest about wedding his daughter to Joseph after hearing from Teyma, but the priest would have nothing to do with a son-in-law from the east.
With Joseph’s current position, the captain was sure that the priest would now bless the union. Indeed, the priest would have no choice.
“You have the opportunity to take a wife from among your people, Joseph,” he concluded.
Joseph felt the hand of God had moved to bring this to fruition, and he gave his consent.
Potiphar smiled. “I will consult with Potiphera. And I will meet with you and the others indicated about this time tomorrow. In the meantime, let us discuss in detail the preparation for the famine.”
The captain sent messages to those required for tomorrow’s planning session, and Joseph spent the remainder of the day with Captain Potiphar in preparation.
So Joseph’s second day out of prison gave evidence of his new freedom. He thought there was great irony in the fact that his new freedom bound his future to others, including possibly a wife. Perhaps the word “freedom” required a new understanding, also.
A New Commission
Joseph dutifully appeared before the king the next morning with an outline of the preparation for the famine. After a few questions, the king accepted the overall plan envisioned by Joseph and Potiphar the previous day.
Joseph was prepared for dismissal, but the king held him longer.
“Joseph, your rank no longer leaves an excuse for the absence of a wife. You rank second in power in the kingdom only to me, your king. Presenting you with a wife is both my obligation and my privilege.”
Joseph’s heart stopped, fearing that the plans of the king and the captain would collide at this point.
The king turned toward the side and clapped his hands. A young woman, dressed in a style to rival the queen, held the arm of an older man as she approached.
“Joseph, I present to you Potiphera, Priest of Ra in the city of On.” The older man gave a very slight nod of his head.
“And his daughter, Asenath, the woman who will be your wife.”
In spite of the conversation with the captain the day before, Joseph was stunned that the king made the pronouncement himself and so quickly.
He bowed to the king, and then walked to where daughter and father stood.
Bowing to the father, he said, “With your permission, I will wed your daughter.”
Potiphera’s response was not as warm as Joseph would have wished, but the affirmative response in the presence of the king was not surprising. There would be time enough for the relationship to grow more cordial.
And to Asenath, with a bow and taking her hands in his own, he said, “I take you as my wife, with your father’s permission. May this be acceptable to you, also.”
She bowed in response, “Your will is my will.”
The king affirmed the union. “Zaphnath-Paaneah, you are Asenath’s husband, and with the work that you do in my service, you will provide her with food and shelter.
“Asenath is your wife, and she shall provide you with children and comfort.
“Potiphera has received the bride price, and is content with the marriage.
“And so let it be known that Asenath is the wife of Zaphnath-Paaneah.”
Potiphera stepped back from his daughter, leaving the two facing each other and holding hands.
Those present in the room applauded the union, even the king smiling and clapping before addressing Joseph again.
“Rooms are prepared for you here in The Residence. I do not want you far from me or from the people you require to accomplish your task.”
“You have presented me with a doubly great honor, my king. You have given me a wife and also your confidence. I am your servant.”
The king dismissed them with the command, “Joseph, you will return to my presence tomorrow at about this time to give your report.”
Joseph had dropped Asenath’s hands as he had turned to hear the king. He bowed to the king, as did Asenath.
Joseph and his wife left the presence of the king, guided to their new home by Farid. The faithful steward of the king showed his pleasure with the new arrangement as he brought them into their apartment within The Residence.
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The King’s Dreams
Two years passed from the king’s feast and the rewards of his two servants: restoration for one and death for the other. For Joseph, the time was much as in his farming experiences in the Fayum. The future lay somewhere distant, but the work of the day always was at hand.
The path of the slave is laid out before him. At least, this is the common perspective of both the freeman and of the slave. A slave who supervises other slaves is still a slave.
As a slave owned by Captain Potiphar, Joseph had thought himself at the lowest rank possible, yet he had determined that he would contribute as best he could through his labor. God would provide, and so He had done.
Although he had fallen to an even lower level, now imprisoned as well as enslaved, the resolution to contribute to the best of his ability still guided Joseph.
Neferhotep received recognition for the productivity of the prison and received his promotion. A new man came and, with Neferhotep’s strong recommendation, allowed Joseph to continue to utilize the prisoners to work the gardens.
Another man’s reputation was in the making, just as Neferhotep’s had been, and all was stable within the prison. The sun rose on the work force beginning its labor, and the sun set on the work force ending its labor. And Joseph was always among them.
Seeing Meri-ptah approach the work crews one mid-morning was a great surprise to Joseph, as it had been to the prison overseer.
Having long ago been freed from the rope linking him to the other prisoners, Joseph walked toward the man he had not seen in several years. Even in prison he had heard that Meri was doing well in his dual military positions as trainer and head of the temple guards.
Meri smiled and reached out to embrace Joseph.
Stepping back, he said to Joseph, “I heard of your arrest and imprisonment here. There was not anything that I could do considering the nature of the charge, but I could not believe it to be true. I told Neferhotep to treat you well and make use of your skills.”
“You are over the king’s prison?’ asked Joseph, incredulously.
“Yes,” Meri said as he looked around. “This does not fall cleanly under anyone’s jurisdiction, and was an orphan. The post was considered a place to send an officer who had little hope for the future.”
He laughed. “But you have changed that! Neferhotep received his promotion, and the current overseer will be promoted soon, as well. Perhaps you would do well as a trainer of men!”
“What brings you to this prison now?” A hint of hope seeped into Joseph’s voice.
“The king’s dreams. I recall something of your adept interpretation of dreams, but the cupbearer to the king remembered you when the king told his counsellors of his dreams and none could interpret them. He told of your interpretation of his dream and the dream of the baker two years ago.”
Joseph smiled. His patience had been rewarded. He held no animosity for the two years, for they had no doubt been a necessary delay.
“When I heard that you were to be brought before the king immediately, I offered to be your escort.
“Now, shave quickly and put on the clothes that I have brought for you. We will make you presentable for your appearance before the king!”
Joseph was only too happy to comply.
He was given water to wash himself thoroughly and a good blade to remove his beard. The three years’ growth was significant, but he was not reluctant to part with it.
The clothing was clean and soft, a stark contrast with his prison garb.
The walk to The Residence did not take long. As they approached, it seemed that nothing had changed in three years. The building with its well-watered gardens looked as magnificent as ever. The contrast with the drab prison lifted his spirits higher.
King Senusret II had anxiously awaited Joseph’s arrival, so Meri and Joseph were brought immediately into the king’s presence.
The king sat in his chair as Meri-ptah bowed and introduced Joseph. Although Joseph had been among those who had stood before the king years before, reporting on issues regarding the flood and irrigation, Meri presented Joseph as if he were unknown to the king.
The king proceeded directly to his request.
“I have had two dreams that are of great importance, but there is none who can interpret them for me. It has been said that you are able to understand dreams, to give understanding to their meaning.”
Joseph bowed and said, “The gift of interpretation of dreams comes from God, so it will be God who gives the king understanding of the dreams and brings peace to the king’s heart.”
“In my dream, I stood on the bank of a river. Suddenly, seven cows came up out of the river. These were plump, well fed cattle of excellent appearance. And they went and grazed in the meadow.
“But then seven other cows came up after them. These were very thin, as though they were starving. They were physically appalling to the sight, the worst looking cattle in all of Egypt.
“And these disgusting cattle came up to the first seven cattle and devoured them. But no one would know that these starving cattle had eaten the well-fed ones, for they were just as thin and disgusting as when they had emerged from the river.”
Without pausing, the king continued.
“And then I saw seven heads came up on one stalk, all full and good.
“But then seven heads, withered and thin, dried out by the east wind, came up after the full heads.
“And the withered heads devoured the full heads, and they still looked as withered and thin as they had when they first appeared.
“I have told the magicians what I have told you, but none could explain the meaning to me.”
Joseph paused long enough to arrange his thoughts, but his response was quick.
“The two dreams of the king are one. God has shown the king of Egypt what He will do.
“The seven well-fed cows are seven good years, and the seven full heads are seven good years.
“And the seven gaunt and starving cattle are seven bad years, and the seven heads withered by the east wind are seven bad years.
“What I have spoken to the king is what God has shown the king that God will do.
“There will be seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt, but they will be followed by seven years of famine. The famine will be so great, that all of the previous abundance will be forgotten, and famine will consume the land.
“The king dreamed the dream in two different ways because these events are established by God, and they soon will come to pass.
“The dreams allow the king the opportunity to set a man filled with wisdom and understanding over all of Egypt to guide the country through the good years and the years of famine.
“Let the king do this: let him appoint officers of the king to collect one fifth of the produce of the land during the seven years of plenty. Let them gather the grain and store it under the guard of the king, establishing storage sites in the cities of Egypt.
“This food in storage will provide for the land during the famine, so that the people of Egypt will not become as the starving cattle or as the withered heads.”
The king’s gaze had been fixed intently upon Joseph during the interpretation, and remained so for another long moment.
The king said, “Can we find such a man, one of wisdom and understanding, in whom is the spirit of God?”
The king looked to the counselors on his left, and then to those on his right.
As if they had come to an unspoken agreement, the king continued, “God has given you understanding and discernment, Joseph, and there is no one else upon whom He has conferred His favor.
“You are set over my house and all of the people of Egypt, and they will obey the words that you speak. Only the throne of kingship will be greater than you.”
The king took his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand.
“See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
And the king put a gold necklace around Joseph’s neck. He then commanded that appropriate garments be brought for Joseph to wear.
The king was no longer the cocky young man of ten years previous when Joseph had first seen him dismounting from his chariot at The Residence. At that time, his father had recently died and kingship still had been new to him.
Since that time, King Senusret II had passed into the maturity of his office, combining decisiveness with his long term goals for the kingdom. He had become accustomed to the corridors of power and the manner in which many sought their own benefit without regard for the king’s orders. The king committed himself to his course.
And thus the king declared to Joseph for all to hear, to ensure that no one was unaware of the level of Joseph’s authority, “I am king, and I declare that no man may lift his hand or his foot in all of Egypt without your consent.”
With this decree, the king stated as clearly and succinctly as he could that no activity in Egypt was outside of Joseph’s jurisdiction. Whatever a man did with his hand or wherever he travelled were subject to Joseph’s command.
“Joseph, you will attend me in the morning. That God has given us fair warning gives us the opportunity to begin preparations immediately.
“Rest well tonight, for your work will not diminish for these fourteen years.”
Joseph bowed and retreated toward the door by which he had entered. An attendant to the king took charge of him, guiding him to the rooms where he would spend the night.
Having awakened in a small and poorly ventilated prison in the morning, Joseph found himself with a room suited to royalty. He bathed in clean water rather than a canal. His meal was of the finest food of the land, and sets of new clothing were brought to dress him for his new position, replacing even what had been a fine robe for his first appearance before the king.
The events of the day had made Joseph ready for sleep, but anticipation of the challenges threatened his ability to relax. Joseph opened his heart and mind to God.
“You have brought me thus far, and Your hand will give guidance. Great thanks, and I rest in Your assurance.” Focusing on the conclusion rather than the details of the labor, Joseph closed his eyes and found rest.
The morning brought a breakfast such as he had not experienced in three years. The wardrobe had been completed during the evening before, and he selected what he would wear before the king.
Reconciliation
The king summoned Joseph before mid-morning. He was led to a smaller room than that of the previous afternoon, one with fewer people but maintaining the intimidating magnificence of the king of Egypt, arguably the most powerful man on earth.
Senusret bid Joseph to rise after he bowed before the king.
“I remember you well, Joseph, the man who tamed the Nile. Were it not for your previous benefit to the throne and to the kingdom, I would not have put so much trust in your dream interpretation or abilities.
“I have consulted with Captain Potiphar concerning you. He speaks highly of you, in spite of a misunderstanding that resulted in your imprisonment. Your fortunes have fallen, but now they have risen.
“Will you be able to work with the captain again?”
“Yes, my king. I regret the misunderstanding that caused our separation.”
“Good. His counsel has proven its value to me, and so his wisdom will also help you. The signet ring that is on your hand often has been worn by him as he performed his duties for me. His experience and resources are at your command.”
The restoration of the relationship with Captain Potiphar was a pleasant surprise, but the reversal in roles was most unexpected.
Joseph bowed. “His presence and counsel are a blessing. Thank you.”
The king continued. “You have become Egyptian in all things except for name, and that must be corrected. You will be known as Zaphnath-Paaneah, ‘the Revealer of Hidden Things.’
“This will be the name you use as you obey my commands and maintain ma’at in my kingdom.”
Joseph bowed again. “As the king commands, so it will be done.”
“And so my command to all of Egypt will be done, that your commands be followed to spare Egypt from the inevitable famine. That we have seven years will provide time for preparation, and this seven good years of harvest will prove the interpretation.
“Go now. Captain Potiphar waits upon you, as all Egypt waits upon you.”
Joseph bowed a final time. “As the king commands, so will your servant perform.” And he went out of the king’s presence into the antechamber.
Captain Potiphar stood talking with Meri, waiting for Joseph to exit the king’s presence.
Joseph smiled to see his old friend and walked to the captain.
Captain Potiphar looked at Meri-ptah and said, “Would you give us a few minutes to talk? We have some personal business to cover.”
“Oh! Yes,” smiled Meri, as if he already knew the topic of discussion. “I look forward to seeing you in the morning, Joseph.”
And with that, Meri exited the room.
Potiphar stood uncharacteristically ill at ease when the two were alone. Seeing the captain’s hesitancy, Joseph said, “The king has assured me of your counsel and resources. I hope that I may count on both.”
“Of course, Joseph,” as he embraced his former slave. “You have weathered three hard years, and I regret the role that I played in your imprisonment.”
“Do not give yourself too much credit for the events of three years ago. The true cause of my fall and imprisonment was my own.”
Potiphar started to interrupt, but Joseph held up his hand.
“You had given me freedom to accomplish deeds and to have power over others. Not in so many words, but in my actions, I thanked God for what I had been given. Then after giving Him thanks, I gave Him permission to handle the rest of the world, and I would care for what He had given me.
“I made myself large in my own eyes, and there was no longer a need for Him in my small realm. This hubris brought my fall.”
Potiphar stood listening, arms folded on his chest. He had some understanding of Joseph’s God, but it was insufficient to answer the unspoken question he was anxious to ask.
“Does that mean you refuse the rank and status that comes with your new role, Joseph? You are no longer a slave. You are indeed free to receive what is yours: the rooms, furnishings, food. Will your God not permit the benefits of your success?”
“We have in our religion a story of the fall of mankind away from God. The tempter was one who desired to be as God, and he brought out this desire in the woman and the man. He offered them forbidden fruit. The disobedience of accepting the fruit was evil, not the fruit itself. When they stepped out from under God, the order that God had created vanished.
“The evil that stands against the spiritual world is not the material world, but the ego of the man who would reign in God’s place.
“This was my sin: to believe that I determined right and wrong and the course of events. The danger is not the material things of this world, but my ego that said I could manage without God’s rule.
“My time in prison was part of God’s training for me, His preparation of me for just such a time as this.”
The captain was still too focused on his own role in Joseph’s imprisonment. “Were you not innocent of the charge made against you? Was the misery of the Place of Confinement and hard labor not too stern a punishment for the sin that was not committed?”
Joseph saw that Potiphar had come to understand the true nature of Zelicha’s charge, but not the fault of Joseph that had made the events possible.
“On occasion, I have thought of the prison we each endure. The walls may have been built by family, or by culture, or by circumstances. I was imprisoned by my self-importance, my belief that some things, indeed, that anything was mine.
“We bind ourselves to what surrounds us, to the people and things we would call our own, knowing that ultimately nothing is ours. When we let go of these things, then we find freedom.”
Joseph paused, hoping that the captain was aware that he had been as imprisoned as Joseph, as indeed all are chained when they allow themselves to become prisoner to something they cherish as their own.
He continued. “The walls that held me for a while were indeed solid. Wherever I am, whether in prison or outside the prison in daily life, my character remains free to choose its path while still under God’s guidance. This was the lesson required of me, and such a lesson must be experienced to have any meaning.”
The captain stood silent, his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. At last, he spoke in a most uncharacteristic tone, emotion modulating his voice.
“Well spoken, and not a surprise to hear from you. You mention the prison without walls, and indeed I have been there. My freedom did come when I gave my captive the command to leave and experience her freedom. Only in this state of freedom did she willingly choose her captivity.
“The past cannot be undone, but we may profit from it.”
Joseph understood what his friend had endured, and he also had emerged in a better state for that trial.
The captain continued, apparently eager to get on more comfortable and familiar ground. “But now you have much to do, and I am to assist you. What is your order?”
Joseph smiled. “And what order could I give to a friend who understands the situation better than I?
“There are many who must be involved for the plan to succeed. To say that we must tax the people one-fifth of the yield in the good years does not sound difficult until we have to implement the plan. This is at least twice the level of tax that they have been paying.
“The effort requires a means to ensure that 20% of the produce comes to the king, and that the food is safely stored until the time it is needed.”
“Yes,” said the captain. “I have been thinking of this since I heard of your interpretation of the king’s dream.”
Potiphar easily transitioned back into his logical mind and the need for planning so that all parts would come together as seamlessly as possible.
“We must have a scribe for estimating production, transportation to storage, grain bins at established locations, and guards to ensure security. All of this is in addition to the normal needs for planting, irrigation, and harvest. Fortunately, we have until the harvest to prepare.”
Joseph asked, “Can you have those people available tomorrow morning about this time to meet so that we can prepare the steps necessary to accomplish our goal?”
“Yes. I will summon Irsu as chief scribe, who also is familiar with the harvest, and General Djar to represent the military. With the general’s permission, I will include Meri-ptah, who answers to the general and will be suited for training and supervising the guard of the storage sites. These men you know.
“We also need men who can assist with building the storage sites, and those who will handle transportation. These men I know.”
“Good,” responded Joseph, thinking their meeting was at an end.
A Proposal
Potiphar did not move and was silent for a moment, then spoke in a different tone on a completely different topic.
“The king has made clear that you must be Egyptian in every manner of your life. He is less concerned with your God than he is with your appearance.
“He wants you to wear the eyes of the Egyptian as well as to remain clean shaven. You are to wear Egyptian clothing, as you do already.”
The captain’s unease became more apparent as he raised the next point.
“I have seen no evidence of a woman in your life. Tell me, Joseph: has a woman ever captured your attention, or perhaps even your heart?”
The interest in this aspect of his personal life surprised Joseph, particularly in view of the events of three years ago, but the unexpected appeared to be occurring more frequently and he understood the captain’s concern.
“I cannot say that this has occurred. I have had little time or inclination to wander in that direction.”
“But for years you have been of an age when a man’s desires take strong hold and turn his mind from other pursuits! Would you not have taken a wife as a shepherd and begun a family?”
“Yes, surely! My father would have selected a wife for me at some time, this is true. Our tradition has been to take wives of the extended family, those who are known to us and are faithful to the one God. But I do not know his thoughts on the choice for me. And his decision is forfeit at this time, a moot point.”
“So is it because the women are not of your belief concerning God? Is this belief of your spiritual heart and mind stronger than the desires of your physical heart and body?”
Joseph remembered Meera, the deceptive woman in the tent of the gods, in that all too real dream during his travel with Teyma. He had been sorely tempted, but he had come to see that what she offered was a diversion from the path on which he was called to walk. Zelicha’s acts had confirmed this belief. His reply could be but an honest confession.
“As a man, I am not immune to the desires that are common to us all. And I am not strong enough under my own power to resist the temptations to which all are susceptible.
“I have seen my desire for a woman reflected back from her eyes as a snare that would enslave my spirit as well as my body and strength.
“As a shepherd my spirit was free, although I was bound to obedience: my body to the service of my father, and my strength to the care of his flocks. I neglected the people around me who deserved precedence over mere herds and possessions.
“Here in Egypt, I am bound to obedience, also: my body to the service of my owner, and my strength to the care of those around me. When the unity of purpose is evident to those who are over me, and to those beside and beneath my position, then the possibility of a union with a woman of like spirit will be possible.”
The captain shook his head. “Have you set a standard that is too high for yourself, your master, and the people around you, not to mention this ideal woman? You sound as one who has chosen the life of a eunuch, or has had that life chosen for him.”
Joseph smiled. “I am confident that God has given the vision so that I will recognize the reality. For now, there is enough to keep my attention and my focus.”
Potiphar shook his head as if in disbelief. “You are a rare man, Joseph.”
He paused so that Joseph would fully comprehend the offer he was about to make. “What if I were to bring your niece before you, the daughter of your sister, Dinah. Would she be acceptable as a wife?”
Joseph was too stunned to respond. The unexpected had been replaced by the inconceivable, an event that did not seem possible. Indeed, the terms “unexpected” and “inconceivable” appeared to no longer have meaning in light of the events of these past two days.
“You have me at a disadvantage. Who is this niece, the daughter of Dinah?”
“Our friend, Teyma, is responsible for this. That fact alone should help you to understand the reality of it.”
The captain then told the story of a visit from Teyma 3 or 4 years ago. Joseph was in the Fayum, or Potiphar would have brought him to see the trader.
Teyma told of finding the infant girl beneath the asenath bush. Teyma already had known part of the story, the story of the men of Shechem, and how Simon and Levi had killed them because one had defiled their sister.
The infant had come to be the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, who had raised her as his own daughter, known as Asenath. Captain Potiphar had approached the priest about wedding his daughter to Joseph after hearing from Teyma, but the priest would have nothing to do with a son-in-law from the east.
With Joseph’s current position, the captain was sure that the priest would now bless the union. Indeed, the priest would have no choice.
“You have the opportunity to take a wife from among your people, Joseph,” he concluded.
Joseph felt the hand of God had moved to bring this to fruition, and he gave his consent.
Potiphar smiled. “I will consult with Potiphera. And I will meet with you and the others indicated about this time tomorrow. In the meantime, let us discuss in detail the preparation for the famine.”
The captain sent messages to those required for tomorrow’s planning session, and Joseph spent the remainder of the day with Captain Potiphar in preparation.
So Joseph’s second day out of prison gave evidence of his new freedom. He thought there was great irony in the fact that his new freedom bound his future to others, including possibly a wife. Perhaps the word “freedom” required a new understanding, also.
A New Commission
Joseph dutifully appeared before the king the next morning with an outline of the preparation for the famine. After a few questions, the king accepted the overall plan envisioned by Joseph and Potiphar the previous day.
Joseph was prepared for dismissal, but the king held him longer.
“Joseph, your rank no longer leaves an excuse for the absence of a wife. You rank second in power in the kingdom only to me, your king. Presenting you with a wife is both my obligation and my privilege.”
Joseph’s heart stopped, fearing that the plans of the king and the captain would collide at this point.
The king turned toward the side and clapped his hands. A young woman, dressed in a style to rival the queen, held the arm of an older man as she approached.
“Joseph, I present to you Potiphera, Priest of Ra in the city of On.” The older man gave a very slight nod of his head.
“And his daughter, Asenath, the woman who will be your wife.”
In spite of the conversation with the captain the day before, Joseph was stunned that the king made the pronouncement himself and so quickly.
He bowed to the king, and then walked to where daughter and father stood.
Bowing to the father, he said, “With your permission, I will wed your daughter.”
Potiphera’s response was not as warm as Joseph would have wished, but the affirmative response in the presence of the king was not surprising. There would be time enough for the relationship to grow more cordial.
And to Asenath, with a bow and taking her hands in his own, he said, “I take you as my wife, with your father’s permission. May this be acceptable to you, also.”
She bowed in response, “Your will is my will.”
The king affirmed the union. “Zaphnath-Paaneah, you are Asenath’s husband, and with the work that you do in my service, you will provide her with food and shelter.
“Asenath is your wife, and she shall provide you with children and comfort.
“Potiphera has received the bride price, and is content with the marriage.
“And so let it be known that Asenath is the wife of Zaphnath-Paaneah.”
Potiphera stepped back from his daughter, leaving the two facing each other and holding hands.
Those present in the room applauded the union, even the king smiling and clapping before addressing Joseph again.
“Rooms are prepared for you here in The Residence. I do not want you far from me or from the people you require to accomplish your task.”
“You have presented me with a doubly great honor, my king. You have given me a wife and also your confidence. I am your servant.”
The king dismissed them with the command, “Joseph, you will return to my presence tomorrow at about this time to give your report.”
Joseph had dropped Asenath’s hands as he had turned to hear the king. He bowed to the king, as did Asenath.
Joseph and his wife left the presence of the king, guided to their new home by Farid. The faithful steward of the king showed his pleasure with the new arrangement as he brought them into their apartment within The Residence.
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