And the King was wroth, and he dismissed the wise men from his presence; and all the wise men and the soothsayers and magicians of Egypt went out from the presence of their King in shame and confusion. And the King commanded in his wrath that all these men should be put to death.
When the chief butler heard this he sought the presence of the King, and in deep obeisance before him spoke as follows:
“O King, live for ever! May thy greatness, O King, increase for ever through the land. Lo, thou wast wroth with thy servant, and thou didst place him in confinement. For a year was I imprisoned, I and the chief baker. And with us in our dungeon was a Hebrew servant who belonged to the captain of the guard. His name was Joseph, and his master growing wroth with him, had placed him in prison, where he served the captain of the guard, and he served us also.
“And it came to pass when we had been in the prison for a year we dreamed, each, a dream, and the Hebrew slave interpreted for each of us his dream. And lo, as he interpreted our dreams so was the reality. As he spoke so did it come to pass.
“Therefore, my lord King, I pray thee, do not kill the wise men of Egypt for naught. Behold, this slave is still in the prison. If it be pleasing in the eyes of the King let him be sent for. Let him listen to the dreams which trouble the mind of the King, and he will be able to solve them correctly.”
The King listened to the words of the chief butler, and he ordered that Joseph should be brought before him. But he commanded his officers to be careful not to frighten the lad, lest through fear he should be unable to interpret correctly.
And the servants of the King brought Joseph forth from his dungeon, and shaved him and clothed him in new garments, and carried him before the King. The King was seated upon his throne, and the glare and glitter of the jewels which ornamented the throne dazzled and astonished the eyes of Joseph.
Now the throne of the King was reached by seven steps, and it was the custom of Egypt for a prince or noble who held audience with the King, to ascend to the sixth step; but when an inferior or a private citizen of the land was called into his presence, the King descended to the third step and from there spoke with him. So when Joseph came into the presence of the King he bowed to the ground at the foot of the throne, and the King descended to the third step and spoke to him.
And he said:
“Behold, I have dreamed a dream, and among all the wise men and magicians of the land there is not one able to read for me its meaning. I have heard that thou art far-sighted and blest with the gift of divination, and I have sent for thee to solve my dream.”