16 He called down famine on the land

and destroyed all their supplies of food;

17 and he sent a man before them—

Joseph, sold as a slave.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: He brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, Even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

16 He called for a famine on the land of Canaan,

cutting off its food supply.

17 Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land;

He destroyed all the provision of bread.

17 He sent a man before them—

Joseph—who was sold as a slave.

16 God ordered a time of hunger in the land,

and he destroyed all the food.

17 Then he sent a man ahead of them—

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

16 And he called for a famine upon the land;

He brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them;

Joseph was sold for a servant:

16 And he called for a famine upon the land; he broke the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them: Joseph was sold for a bondman.

16 He brought famine to the land. 

He took away their food supply. 

17 He sent a man ahead of them. 

He sent Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 

16 He called down famine against the land

and destroyed the entire food supply.

17 He had sent a man ahead of them—

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

16 When he summoned famine against the land,

and broke every staff of bread,

17 he had sent a man ahead of them,

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

16 Then he called for a famine upon the land;

he broke every supply of bread.

17 He sent a man on ahead of them;

Joseph was sold as a slave.

16 He made the people in the land go hungry.

He destroyed all their food supplies.

17 He sent a man ahead of them into Egypt.

That man was Joseph. He had been sold as a slave.

16 And He called for a famine upon the land;

He broke the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them,

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.