An agrarian society is at the mercy of the climate.
Whether Joseph was hoaxing ... well. .... given the quality of his brothers and parents, I would not put it past him. Of course, the narrative weaves in Gods chosen status in there somewhere.
But consider this: pay taxes 7 years, and then when hunger strikes, you get to give all you have including yourself to survive.
Nice way forward. That the story violates Egyptian sensibilities is beyond the the story itself. (See book of the dead)
An agrarian society is at the mercy of the climate.
Whether Joseph was hoaxing ... well. .... given the quality of his brothers and parents, I would not put it past him. Of course, the narrative weaves in Gods chosen status in there somewhere.
But consider this: pay taxes 7 years, and then when hunger strikes, you get to give all you have including yourself to survive.
Nice way forward. That the story violates Egyptian sensibilities is beyond the the story itself. (See book of the dead)
It is a blueprint .... that's for sure.