The famine worsened in Egypt and Canaan. The people of Egypt and Canaan were particularly hard hit. In Egypt because there were no crops and the level of the River Nile was very low; in Canaan because the rains ceased and the rivers and streams dried up. Canaan was very reliant on its early season and late season rain.
Canaan was in a calamitous situation. No rain, no crops and no grain in storage. Livestock died of starvation and thirst. The people of the land were in a terrible predicament. The only grain available was in Egypt, and the price was high. What would happen when they ran out of money? Dust storms and sand storms became more prevalent as the vegetation died. Livestock ate the dead vegetation, but there was no hope of renewing it. The deep wells of underground water kept people and animals alive.
In Egypt, the Egyptians had water available from the great river but no crops to harvest. The river level continued to drop each year. Their money purchased grain for eating purposes; this was rationed to them according to the number of people in their households. The poorer people struggled to get enough food to live on.
As the famine conditions worsened, commerce and trade declined. People needed their money for grain. The overriding goal of every one was to avoid starvation. Money was the key to survival; it was needed to buy grain. Food became the chief aim for every person. Merchants and traders felt the famine keenly. People were no longer interested in their merchandise. The labour markets and the slave markets had a rapid decline. Who needed another mouth to feed?
Joseph was much in thought about the general conditions in Egypt. The situation was getting desperate for many people. Slowly, through his grain sales, he gathered up all the money in Egypt and Canaan. The people had no choice, buy grain or slowly starve.
The inevitable occurred, the monetary system failed. The Egyptian people were in a terrible predicament. The people came to Joseph.
“Give us bread, why should we die in your presence? We have no more money.”
Joseph said to them, “If you have no money, give me your livestock; I will give you grain for your livestock,” So the people brought their livestock. Joseph gave them grain in exchange for horses, flocks, camels, cattle and asses. He fed the people with grain all that year.
Pharaoh’s possessions increased mightily. He had all the money from Egypt and Canaan in his treasuries. Now, he also owned all the livestock in Egypt. Pharaoh became exceedingly wealthy.
Next year the people approached Joseph again. They said to him, “There’s no way we can hide the truth from you. We have no money, and we don’t have any more animals. We have nothing left except ourselves and our land. Don’t let us starve and our land be ruined. If you will give us grain to eat and seed to plant, we will sell ourselves and our lands to Pharaoh. We will become his slaves.”
Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine prevailed over them. So the land became Pharaoh’s; except the land of the priests. Pharaoh assigned them their lands and was responsible for feeding them and their households.
Joseph now had a new challenge. The people were scattered throughout Egypt. He had to move them to the storage cities and towns. He began a huge logistical operation. He started moving the people off the land into the cities; particularly people who lived away from the river. The people had no choice, it was move, or starve.
Throughout the length and breadth of Egypt, he moved people into the nearest storage city, or town. These places were located along the great river. The population in the cities increased dramatically. Joseph had to house and feed them all. The people were grateful to Pharaoh, it was better than starvation.
Living conditions in the cities were crowded, and accommodation often cramped and noisy. However, the people had food, water and shelter. The news from other countries was very grim. Many people had died from starvation.
Pharaoh was pleased with the way Joseph was looking after the Egyptian people. “Joseph, now we have moved people into the cities, we need to keep them occupied.”
“Yes, lord Pharaoh, we could use the men on building projects in the cities. We don’t want people to be idle and lazy. Do you have any particular building projects in mind?”
“Yes, Joseph I want to discuss them with you.”
They began to discuss Pharaoh’s projects. These projects would keep the population busy until the famine was over.
The seventh and final year of the great famine arrived. Joseph was relieved it was nearly over. Towards the end of that year, Joseph spoke to the people, “You and your land now belong to Pharaoh. I am giving you seed to plant, but one-fifth of your harvest must go to Pharaoh. You can keep the rest as seed or as food for your families.”
They said to him, “You have saved our lives; let us find favour in your sight, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”
Joseph made a law over the land of Egypt that Pharaoh should have one fifth of the harvests; except for the priests, for the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.