h told the king at once what his dream meant. He said
that there would be seven years of plenty in Egypt, when there would
be great crops of grain. Then would come seven years of famine, when
no crops would grow. Joseph advised the king to build great store
houses and to store up the grain during the years of plenty, so that
the people might not starve during the years of famine.

Pharaoh was much pleased because Joseph told him the meaning of the
dream, and at once appointed him as the man to gather the grain during
the years of plenty.

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set thee over all the land of
Egypt."

And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's
hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain
about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he
had, and they cried before him, "Bow the knee!" and he made him ruler
over all the land of Egypt.

{183}{184}

[Illustration]
TEMPLE AT THEBES

From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.

This is another of the great Egyptian temples, built thousands of
years ago, with the massive columns still standing.
[End illustration]

{185}

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without thy consent
no man shall lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." So
the shepherd boy, who had been sold as a slave in Egypt, became next
to Pharaoh the chief man in all the country!

During the next seven years, there never had been such harvests, and
Joseph went about gathering up the great loads of grain into all the
storehouses.

Then came the terrible famine. No grain grew in the fields. But Joseph
was ready. The people came to him and bought grain to keep them from
starving.

All this time Joseph's father thought he was dead and he never ceased
to mourn for his boy. By and by the famine reached the land where
Joseph's father lived and he sent his sons down to Egypt to buy food,
but of course they did not know that the ruler of Egypt was Joseph.

Ten of Jacob's sons, each with his donkey, went to Egypt, but the
youngest boy, Benjamin, Jacob kept at home.

When they came to the palace where Joseph lived, he knew at once that
they were his {186} brothers, but they did not know him. At first
Joseph treated them roughly. He said they were spies. But they told
him they were all brothers who lived in the land of Cana