17 Baletha-ke izinkomo zabo kuJosefa; uJosefa wabenanela ukudla ngamahhashi, nangezimvu, nangezinkomo, nagezimbongolo; wabapha ukudla ngezinkomo zabo zonke ngalowo mnyaka.
18 Usuphelile lowo mnyaka, beza kuye ngomnyaka wesibili, bathi kuye: “Asiyikufihlela inkosi ukuthi imali yethu yonke isiphelile; imihlambi yezinkomo isingeyenkosi; akukho okuseleyo emehlweni enkosi ngaphandle kwemizimba yethu namazwe ethu.
19 Siyakufelani phambi kwakho thina namazwe ethu na? Sithenge thina namazwe ethu ngokudla, sibe yizinceku zikaFaro thina namazwe ethu; siphe imbewu ukuba siphile, singafi, izwe lingachitheki.”
20 UJosefa wamthengela uFaro izwe lonke laseGibithe, ngokuba bonke abaseGibithe bathengisa ngamasimu abo, lokhu indlala yayinzima phezu kwabo; izwe lase liba ngelikaFaro.
21 Abantu wabayisa emizini, ebasusa komunye umncele wezwe laseGibithe kwaze kwaba komunye umncele walo.
22 Yizwe labapristi kuphela angalithenganga, ngokuba abapristi babethole isabelo kuFaro, badla isabelo sabo abapha sona uFaro; ngalokho abathengisanga ngezwe labo.
23 UJosefa wayesethi kubantu: “Bhekani, namuhla nginithengile nibe ngabakaFaro nina nezwe lenu; nansi imbewu yenu, nize nihlwanyele emhlabathini.