The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses speak about the length of the famine The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says there were 5 more years of the 7 years of famine left while the other verse states the famine ended and in fact people were doing agriculture. We see the contradiction---which is it? Were there 2 or 7 famine years? Rashi simply resolves this using the broad literal method: The famine was suppose to last 7 years. But because of the merit of Jacob's family reuniting the famine terminated early after 2 years.

Summary	Verse / Source	Text of verse / Source
The famine was suppose to last five more years.	Gn45-09:11	Hurry back to my father, and say to him, Thus said your son Joseph, ... come down to me, delay not; ...for yet there are five years of famine;
The famine only lasted two years.	Gn47-18:19	When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, We will not hide it ... buy us and our land for bread, ...and give us seed, that we may live ...
Resolution:	Broad-literal	The famine was suppose to last 7 years. But because of the merit of Jacob's family reuniting the famine terminated early after 2 years.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi literally says In Jacob's merit the famine stopped early when he came to Egypt. I however said In the merit of Jacob reuniting with his family the famine terminated early. I was not trying to contradict Rashi but rather to supplement his comments. The point here is that through Jacob's merit - for example, the merit that he mourned Joseph 22 years and stuck to his belief (till they reunited) that Joseph was going to become a leader in accordance with his dreams - the famine was stopped early.

There is another subtle point here. Joseph was a prophet and predicted the years of plenty and famine. But Jacob surpassed Joseph in prophetic insight and authority and therefore had the right to curtail the 7 years to 2 years since all bad prophecies may be ameliorated by repentance.