Chapter 9

He had heard rumors of Eli since the vizier took him under his wing. Micha rarely spent time in court so he never met Eli until yesterday. Most of Micha’s days were spent reviewing numbers and providing tallies in papyrus. He knew Yusuf reviewed them because the messengers would deliver Yusuf’s questions, which he would answer. Sometimes Yusuf would request his appearance and during those brief discussions only other scribes were present.

He wondered where Eli was housed that he never ran into Eli.

He also didn’t understand these dreams that Yusuf kept alluding to—only that he attributed them to Elohim. Pharaoh, who did not know why Yusuf had these dreams, respected Yusuf, and gave him wide latitude. If famine worsened in Egypt, Pharaoh’s kingdom could fall. That was Pharaoh’s concern: holding on to power. Thebes would rise up again if famine spread so the risks were great. Even now, behind the palace walls, people whispered derogatorily about the king and his supporters.