Joseph son of Jacob named Israel by God.
Genesis 41
Pharaoh's Dreams
1 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing
by the Nile,
2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and
fat, and they grazed among the reeds.
3 After them, seven other cows,
ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the
riverbank.
4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven
sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,
healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk.
6 After them, seven
other heads of grain sprouted-thin and scorched by the east wind.
7 The
thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then
Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians
and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could
interpret them for him.
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of
my shortcomings.
10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he
imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the
guard.
11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a
meaning of its own.
12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant
of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted
them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.
13 And
things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored
to my position, and the other man was hanged.
14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the
dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before
Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret
it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can
interpret it."
16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God
will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the
bank of the Nile,
18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat
and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.
19 After them, seven other
cows came up-scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly
cows in all the land of Egypt.
20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven
fat cows that came up first.
21 But even after they ate them, no one
could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before.
Then I woke up.
22 "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good,
growing on a single stalk.
23 After them, seven other heads
sprouted-withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.
24 The thin
heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the
magicians, but none could explain it to me."
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and
the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 The
seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are
seven years; it is one and the same dream.
27 The seven lean, ugly cows
that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless
heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of
famine.
28 "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he
is about to do.
29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout
the land of Egypt,
30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then
all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage
the land.
31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because
the famine that follows it will be so severe.
32 The reason the dream
was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly
decided by God, and God will do it soon.
33 "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put
him in charge of the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners
over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven
years of abundance.
35 They should collect all the food of these good
years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of
Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held
in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine
that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the
famine."
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
38 So
Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom
is the spirit of God.
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known
to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40 You shall be
in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.
Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the
whole land of Egypt."
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his
finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine
linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43 He had him ride in a
chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your
word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt."
45 Pharaoh gave
Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of
Potiphera, priest of On, to be
his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh
king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled
throughout Egypt.
- Sources of information: Holy Bible, Hebrew Archives, Roman
Historical Records.