The seven years of good crops came to an end in the land of Egypt.
Joseph named the second son Ephraim and said, “God has given me children in the land of my troubles.”
Then the seven years of hunger began, just as Joseph had said. In all the lands people had nothing to eat, but in Egypt there was food.
No food has grown on the land for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest.
It will be like waking from a dream. Lord, when you rise up, they will disappear.
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember when you were alive you had the good things in life, but bad things happened to Lazarus. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering.