Now Joseph proceeded to give the king the true interpretation
of the two dreams. They were both a revelation concerning
the seven good years impending and the seven years
of famine to follow them. In reality, it had been the purpose
of God to bring a famine of forty-two years' duration
upon Egypt, but only two years of this distressful period
were inflicted upon the land, for the sake of the blessing of
Jacob when he came to Egypt in the second year of the
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: