Genesis 45:6
For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joseph isn't just stating a fact about the famine; he's revealing a divine timeline of seven years. He frames this not just as a hardship, but as a specific period God has orchestrated, from which He will preserve and deliver Jacob's family.
Joseph has just revealed himself to his terrified brothers, and now he’s explaining the divine purpose behind his suffering and his rise to power. He assures them that God sent him ahead to Egypt specifically to save their lives during the ongoing famine, which has already lasted two years and will continue for five more with no possibility of plowing or harvest.
How could Joseph know with such certainty about the coming famine, and what does this tell us about God's plans?
Joseph's ability to predict the exact length and severity of the famine reveals God's deep involvement in human history. These weren't random events; they were part of a divine plan.
God's Foresight and Plan
If God planned everything, what was the point of Joseph's diligent preparation and his brothers' journey?
While God's providence is sovereign, it doesn't negate human responsibility. Joseph's actions demonstrate the crucial role of preparation and obedience within God's overarching plan.
The Role of Joseph's Preparation
Understand the original words
ra‘ab · Hebrew Noun
A severe shortage of food causing widespread hunger, often used in Scripture as a judgment or a means of testing and humbling God's people to rely upon Him.
charish · Hebrew Noun
An agricultural act of preparing soil for planting; metaphorically, it often represents the human effort or preparation required before the harvest, which remains entirely dependent on God's blessing.
qatsiyr · Hebrew Noun
The gathering of mature crops, often used in the Bible as a metaphor for the final judgment or the ingathering of God's people at the end of the age.
This verse reveals Joseph's intimate knowledge of God's providential plan, foreseeing not only the current hardship but also the remaining duration of the famine, enabling him to direct his family's migration to Egypt for survival.
c. 1700 BC
Joseph's Youth and Slavery in Egypt
Jacob's son Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and eventually rises to a position of power in Egypt.
c. 1693 BC
Seven Years of Famine Foretold
Pharaoh dreams of seven fat cows and seven lean cows, and seven full heads of grain followed by seven withered heads. Joseph interprets these dreams as a prediction of seven years of great abundance followed by seven years of severe famine.
c. 1686 BC
Joseph Implements Famine Plan
During the years of plenty, Joseph oversees the collection and storage of vast amounts of grain throughout Egypt, preparing for the predicted famine.
c. 1679 BC— this verse
Famine Grips the Land
The prophesied seven years of famine begin. Egypt and surrounding regions, including Canaan where Joseph's family lives, face severe food shortages.
This passage describes the prophecy of the seven years of famine, directly setting the context for Joseph's statement about the remaining years of scarcity.
Luke 12:16-21Jesus' parable of the rich fool speaks to the folly of trusting in material abundance and failing to consider future needs or God's providence, which is a parallel to the situation described here where planning for the extended famine is crucial.
Amos 8:11This prophetic passage laments a spiritual famine, a 'hunger for the word of the Lord,' which contrasts with the physical famine here but highlights the devastating consequences of a lack of essential sustenance, whether physical or spiritual.
Matthew 25:1-13The parable of the ten virgins illustrates the importance of preparedness for future needs or events, mirroring Joseph's warning about the continuing famine and the need for his family to be provided for.
gillGenesis 45:6: "For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest."
For these two years hath the famine been, in the land,.... In the land of Egypt and in the countries round about: and yet there are five years; still remaining, which he knew by the above dreams and the interpretation of them: in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest; that is, no tillage of land, neither ploughing nor sowing, a…
calvinGenesis 45:1-28: "Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren."
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
Tunc non potuit Joseph se comprimere coram omnibus, qui staba…
Joseph isn't just stating a fact about the famine; he's revealing a divine timeline of seven years. He frames this not just as a hardship, but as a specific period God has orchestrated, from which He will preserve and deliver Jacob's family.
Joseph has just revealed himself to his terrified brothers, and now he’s explaining the divine purpose behind his suffering and his rise to power. He assures them that God sent him ahead to Egypt specifically to save their lives during the ongoing famine, which has already lasted two years and will continue for five more with no possibility of plowing or harvest.
Joseph has just revealed himself to his terrified brothers, and now he’s explaining the divine purpose behind his suffering and his rise to power. He assures them that God sent him ahead to Egypt specifically to save their lives during the ongoing famine, which has already lasted two years and will continue for five more with no possibility of plowing or harvest.
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The Meaning of 'Earing' and 'Harvest'
The text speaks of 'neither plowing nor harvest.' This doesn't necessarily mean zero agricultural activity, but a severely limited, almost non-existent yield. The ground would be too hard to plow without rain, and any attempt would likely yield no grain (Genesis 45:6). The Egyptians and Joseph's family bought seed later (Genesis 47:19, 23), indicating a desperate, small-scale effort, not a normal agricultural cycle.
c. 1677 BC
Joseph's Brothers Visit Egypt
Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain, unaware that the powerful official they are dealing with is their long-lost brother.
c. 1676 BC
Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers
After testing his brothers, Joseph can no longer contain his emotions and reveals his identity to them, setting the stage for the relocation of his family.
"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest." — Joseph isn't just stating a fact about the famine; he's revealing a divine timeline of seven years. He frames this not just as a hardship, but as a specific period God has orchestrated, from which He…
