⁶ For two years now there has been famine^(A) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.

²³ Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed^(A) for you so you can plant the ground.^(B)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(A) for the famine^(B) was severe throughout Egypt.^(C)

⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine^(A) began,^(B) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.

²⁹ Seven years of great abundance^(A) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, ³⁰ but seven years of famine^(B) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.^{(C) 31} The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.

²⁴ The oxen^(A) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder^(B) and mash, spread out with fork^(C) and shovel.

¹² Some he will assign to be commanders^(A) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

⁴ and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck.

²¹ “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest;^(A) even during the plowing season and harvest^(B) you must rest.

¹⁸ When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone^(A) and our livestock belongs to you,^(B) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.