Archaeological Evidence Confirms the Seven-Year Famine Mentioned in Genesis
The Famine Stela is an ancient inscription, carved in Egyptian hieroglyphs on Sehel Island in the Nile near Aswan, Egypt. It records a remarkable event during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty—a seven-year period of plenty followed by seven years of severe drought and famine. The inscription credits one of the pharaoh’s officials, Imhotep, who is said to have received divine guidance that helped Egypt endure this devastating crisis. This account bears striking similarities to the biblical narrative of Joseph in Genesis 41.
Another piece of supporting evidence is a marble tablet discovered in the ruins of a fortress on the seashore of Hadramaut (modern-day Yemen). This tablet also mentions a seven-year famine, indicating that this catastrophic event was not confined to Egypt but spread across surrounding regions. The Bible confirms this in Genesis 41:56, which states that the famine affected “all the face of the earth,” reaching as far as Canaan and prompting Joseph’s family to travel to Egypt in search of food.
These archaeological inscriptions provide compelling historical support for the biblical account of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream:
“God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them…” (Genesis 41:28–32).
Far from being a myth, the story of Joseph aligns with historical and archaeological findings, strengthening the credibility of the Bible’s record.
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