famine. The other forty years fell upon the land at the
time of the prophet Ezekiel.[177]

Joseph did more than merely interpret the dreams. When
the king gave voice to doubts concerning the interpretation,
he told him signs and tokens. He said: "Let this be a sign
to thee that my words are true, and my advice is excellent:
Thy wife, who is sitting upon the birthstool at this moment,
will bring forth a son, and thou wilt rejoice over him, but
in the midst of thy joy the sad tidings will be told thee of
the death of thine older son, who was born unto thee but two
years ago, and thou must needs find consolation for the loss
of the one in the birth of the other."

Scarcely had Joseph withdrawn from the presence of the
king, when the report of the birth of a son was brought to
Pharaoh, and soon after also the report of the death of his
first-born, who had suddenly dropped to the floor and passed
away. Thereupon he sent for all the grandees of his realm,
and all his servants, and he spake to them, saying: "Ye
have heard the words of the Hebrew, and ye have seen that
the signs which he foretold were accomplished, and I also
know that he hath interpreted the dream truly. Advise me
now how the land may be saved from the ravages of the
famine. Look hither and thither whether you can find a
man of wisdom and understanding, whom I may set over
the land, for I am convinced that the land can be saved only
if we heed the counsel of the Hebrew." The grandees and
the princes admitted that safety could be secured only by
adhering to the advice given by Joseph, and they proposed