Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
Let Pharaoh do this: he should appoint officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven years when there will be plenty of food in Egypt.
Joseph is advising Pharaoh to set up a system where government officials collect 20% of Egypt's harvest during the good years to prepare for the famine that's coming.
📚 Historical Context
This advice comes after Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, which revealed that Egypt would experience seven years of abundant harvests followed by seven years of severe famine. Joseph was proposing a national food storage program to help Egypt survive the coming crisis. In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh had absolute authority and the resources to implement such a large-scale economic plan.
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