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'''Joseph''' (in Hebrew, '''יוֹסֵף''' or ''Yosef''; "God shall add") (2259-vr. 2289-2369 AM) (, or 1745-vr. 1715-1635 BC) was the eleventh son of [[Jacob]] (and the first by his second and favorite wife [[Rachel]]). Kidnapped and sold into slavery in [[Egypt]], he interpreted a dream for the then-reigning [[Pharaoh]] (most likely Sesostris I<ref name=Timing>Tas Walker, Steve Cardno and Jonathan Sarfati. "[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/4190 Timing is Everything: A Talk with Field Archaeologist David Down]." ''Creation'' 27(3):30-35, June 2005.</ref>), and as a result became [[viceroy]] of Egypt, an office he held for eighty years, beginning with his management of a [[famine in Egypt|major agricultural crisis]].

In another, Joseph dreamed that the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed low to him. Even Jacob found that an arrogant thing to say--though say—though he remembered it, perhaps finding it significant and possibly [[prophet]]ic.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=37|verses=5-11}}</ref>

Gone, by now, were the arrogance and tactlessness that had marked Joseph's earlier life. Furthermore, what Joseph probably did not know was that, even though Joseph remained a slave and was now a State prisoner, God was training him to be an administrator, with ever -larger budgets and levels of authority. Nor did Joseph know in advance the extraordinary turn of events that would cause him to vindicate this training.

The third day happened to be the Pharaoh's birthday--and birthday—and on that day, the butler ''was'' reinstaed, and the baker ''was'' executed.

The butler did not, however, remember to speak to Pharaoh about Joseph's case. But the butler would not forget Joseph forever--for forever—for within two years he would have occasion to remember him again.

In 2289 AM (1716-15 BC),<ref name=Ussher4>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 132</ref> the reigning Pharaoh had two very troubling dreams that were strikingly and chillingly parallel. Each dream involved seven symbols of great plenty being devoured by seven symbols of great hunger and want. When none of Pharaoh's advisers could interpret this dream reliably, Pharaoh's butler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh the full story.

Pharaoh realized two things at once: that this was a sound plan, and that none in the land of Egypt was better qualified than Joseph to carry out this plan. Therefore , Pharaoh placed Joseph second-in-command only to himself over all of Egypt, and even gave Joseph his signet ring, so that Joseph could make law and issue decrees in Pharaoh's name. Thus Joseph became, by definition, [[viceroy]] of Egypt.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=41|verses=1-44}}</ref>

During the next seven years, Egypt saw some of the most abundant harvests in that nation's history. Joseph did exactly as he said he would: he reserved one-fifth of the harvest in granaries in every major city. Then the famine struck. This famine affected not only Egypt but also all the surrounding lands--but lands—but Joseph now had granaries full of grain to dole out to anyone who asked, Egyptian or foreign.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=41|verses=53-57}}</ref>

Two years into the famine, Jacob sent ten of his eleven remaining sons to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph now remembered his original dreams of reigning over his brothers and decided to test them.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=42-44}}</ref> He at first accused them of being on a spy mission for a warring foreign power--not power—not an entirely unreasonable assumption, except that Joseph knew who his brothers were, even if they did not recognize him. (They knew him by his Egyptian name Zaphnathpaaneah, not by his Hebrew name Joseph.) The brothers told him their history, except that they said that one of their number (Joseph) was dead, which of course was untrue, and that another brother ([[Benjamin]]) was staying with their father. Joseph ordered them to bring Benjamin back to him, and held [[Simeon]] as a hostage against their return. But Joseph also gave them a full ration of grain to take back to Jacob in [[Canaan]]--and —and also returned the money they had used to buy it, by placing it in their grain sacks for them to find on the return journey.

Eventually the brothers had to return, after the grain ration ran out. This time they brought Benjamin with them. Again Joseph sent them back with a full load of grain, and again Joseph put back their money into their sacks--but sacks—but this time Joseph hid a silver cup in Benjamin's sack. He then had the brothers arrested, ostentatiously searched them, and "found" the cup in Benjamin's sack. Whereupon [[Judah]], who by now had acceded to the headship of the family in place of Reuben, confessed all to Joseph, including the complete truth of Joseph's disappearance. Judah also offered himself as a hostage in place of Benjamin.

The famine was so sore in Egypt that very quickly the Egyptian people ran out of money to buy grain. So Joseph allowed them to pay him in cattle, and thus acquired for Pharaoh all of the livestock of Egypt. Eventually even livestock gave out, and so Joseph ended up buying all the land that everyone held--so held—so that from that day forward, the Pharaoh owned all the land directly. (This did not apply to the priestly class, because they always received a portion of whatever grain Pharaoh himself had.) Joseph also set this permanent policy for all farmers in Egypt: that every year, when they had a plentiful harvest, they would give twenty percent to Pharaoh as a store against a repeat of the famine.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=47|verses=13-26}}</ref>

Joseph lived for one hundred ten years, and reigned as viceroy in Egypt for eighty years. In 2369 AM,<ref name=Ussher5>[[James Ussher|Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World|op. cit.'']], pgh. 149</ref> Joseph died. Before he died, he gave an order--or order—or perhaps simply uttered a prophecy--that prophecy—that his descendants were to carry his bones out of Egypt when they left.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=50|verses=22-26}}</ref>

As mentioned above, the most likely candidate for the Pharaoh who made Joseph viceroy of Egypt is [[Sesostris I]].<ref name=Timing/> He is the second ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty,<ref>Author unknown. "[httphttps://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9066895/Sesostris-I Entry for Sesostris I]." ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from Encyclopedia Britannica Online.</ref><ref>Kinnaer, Jacques. "[http://www.ancient-egypt.org/kings/12/1202_sesostris_i/history.html Entry on Sesostris I]." ''The Ancient Egypt Site'', 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2007.</ref><ref>Kjellen, Tore. "[http://lexicorient.com/e.o/sesostris_1.htm Entry for Sesostris I]." ''Encyclopedia of the Orient'' online, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2007.</ref> having succeeded his father [[Amenemhet I]], and receives credit for ushering in an era of prosperity in his country.

[[James Ussher]]'s calculation of the "years of the world" at which Joseph was born, flourished, and died has its basis in the detailed genealogies mentioned for all of Joseph's direct ancestors, going clear back to [[Adam]] through [[Shem]] and his father [[Noah]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=5}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=11}}</ref>

==See Alsoalso==