Genesis 41:46-49 Pre-Famine Prep

"Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt.  During the seven years of abundance, the land produced plentifully.  Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.  In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.  Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure."  (Genesis 41:46-49 NIV)

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Some observations:

1)  Joseph had been seventeen when he was sold by his brothers. (Genesis 37:2)  so he had been serving Potipar and then serving while in prison for a total of thirteen years.

2)  Joseph traveled about Egypt, overseeing the storing of food.  He stored the grain in the cities next to the fields where it had been produced.  This was wise for several reasons.

• It would be more acceptable for the people to give the fifth of their crops to Pharaoh if they saw that it was stored nearby in case they needed it.  Of course, it was no longer owned by them, but at least it would be available to buy.  This lessened the chance of panic or food riots during the famine ahead.
• Storing the food near the cities eliminated having to transport it elsewhere, and eliminated the possibility of the supplies becoming 'lost' while in transport.

3)  The part of Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream which predicted great
abundance came true.

• 'seven years of abundance' (v.47)
• 'the land produced plentifully' (v.47)
• 'huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea....he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.' (v.49)

4)  God was continuing to keep His promise regarding how all nations would be blessed
through the descendants of Abraham.