Joseph in Egypt

Based on Genesis 39:1-41:57

When Joseph arrived in the foreign country with the traders, they sold him to an officer of the king. But, God was with him and blessed him greatly and the officer noticed this. He soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household.

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man. The officer’s wife began to desire him and invited him to sleep with her. But Joseph refused. He told her, “I would never sin against God by doing such an evil thing!” Day after day, he refused her. Then, she publicly accused Joseph of trying to sleep with her, even though he had not done so. The officer was furious! He took Joseph and threw him into prison. But God was with Joseph there, too.

Some time later, two of the king’s officials offended the king, and he put them in the prison. One night, each official had a troubling dream. God told Joseph what the dreams meant. And the dreams came true.

Two years later, the king had a dream. In his dream, seven fat, healthy-looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing. Then seven skinny, ugly cows came up from the river. The thin cows ate the fat ones! No one could tell the king what the dream meant. Then the king’s official remembered how Joseph had told the meaning of his dream in prison!

The king sent for Joseph at once and asked him to interpret his dream. Joseph said, “I don’t have the power to do this, but God will tell you what it means.” So the king told him the dream. Joseph said, “God was telling you what he is about to do. The seven fat cows show that the next seven years will be a period of great prosperity in the land. And the seven thin, ugly cows tell you that afterward there will be seven years of famine. “You should find someone to store the food in the good years so that there will be food during the famine. The king saw that God’s Spirit was with Joseph and appointed him to the job. Only the king ranked higher than Joseph.

And sure enough, for the next seven years there were abundant crops everywhere. During those years, Joseph took a portion of all the crops grown in the country and stored them. Then the seven years of famine began Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the people. And people from surrounding countries also came to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

Drawing Elements: Official’s Wife (flower), Prison, Joseph, God’s Spirit (flame), Dreams (leaves), Seven Years of Plenty, Seven Years of Famine, Crown (Joseph appointed to place of authority), Bag (stored grain)

Joseph-in-Egypt

 

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