And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
Joseph collected all the food that was produced during the seven abundant years in Egypt, and he stored this food in the cities. He put the grain from the fields surrounding each city into storage in that same city.
Joseph wisely gathered and stored food during the seven years of plenty to prepare for the coming famine.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes Joseph's implementation of his plan to prepare Egypt for seven years of severe famine that would follow seven years of abundance. As Pharaoh's second-in-command, Joseph had been given authority to manage Egypt's resources after interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dreams. This systematic food storage program would not only save Egypt but also make it a place where surrounding nations could come to buy grain during the famine.
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