In this portion the Joseph narrative is continued after two years. Pharaoh has two dreams which no one can interpret. The cup-bearer finally remembers Joseph, who is called from jail and interprets the dreams to mean that there will be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advises Pharaoh to store up food during the years of plenty, as a reserve for the famine. Pharaoh designates Joseph to implement such a plan. When the famine comes, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt for food. By way of testing their character, Joseph, whom they don’t recognize, although he recognizes them, puts his brothers through a series of tests involving their father and youngest brother, Benjamin. In these episodes we see the prediction of Joseph’s dreams realized as God moves His plan inexorably forward through human agency.
