Genesis 41
41
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams
1Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing near the Nile. 2In front of him, seven healthy-looking, fattened cows climbed up out of the Nile and grazed on the reeds. 3Just then, seven other cows, terrible-looking and scrawny, climbed up out of the Nile after them and stood beside them on the bank of the Nile. 4The terrible-looking, scrawny cows devoured the seven healthy-looking, fattened cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. 5He went back to sleep and had a second dream, in which seven ears of grain, full and healthy, grew on a single stalk. 6Just then, seven ears of grain, scrawny and scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them, 7and the scrawny ears swallowed up the full and well-formed ears. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. 8In the morning, he was disturbed and summoned all of Egypt’s religious experts#41.8 Or magicians and all of its advisors. Pharaoh described his dreams#41.8 Sam; MT dream to them, but they couldn’t interpret them for Pharaoh.
9Then the chief wine steward spoke to Pharaoh: “Today I’ve just remembered my mistake. 10Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker under arrest with the commander of the royal guard. 11We both dreamed one night, he and I, and each of our dreams had its own interpretation. 12A young Hebrew man, a servant of the commander of the royal guard, was with us. We described our dreams to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us, giving us an interpretation for each dream. 13His interpretations came true exactly: Pharaoh restored me to my position but hanged him.”
14So Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed clothes, and appeared before Pharaoh. 15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, but no one could interpret it. Then I heard that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.”
16Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It’s not me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable response.”
17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile. 18In front of me, seven fattened, stout cows climbed up out of the Nile and grazed on the reeds. 19Just then, seven other cows, weak and frail and thin, climbed up after them. I’ve never seen such awful cows in all the land of Egypt. 20Then the thin, frail cows devoured the first seven, fattened cows. 21But after they swallowed them whole, no one would have known it. They looked just as bad as they had before. Then I woke up. 22I went to sleep again#41.22 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT lacks I went to sleep again. and saw in my dream seven full and healthy ears of grain growing on one stalk. 23Just then, seven hard and thin ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24and the thin ears swallowed up the healthy ears. I told the religious experts,#41.24 Or magicians but they couldn’t explain it to me.”
25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh has actually had one dream. God has announced to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears of grain are seven years. It’s actually one dream. 27The seven thin and frail cows, climbing up after them, are seven years. The seven thin ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, are seven years of famine. 28It’s just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29Seven years of great abundance are now coming throughout the entire land of Egypt. 30After them, seven years of famine will appear, and all of the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land. 31No one will remember the abundance in the land because the famine that follows will be so very severe. 32The dream occurred to Pharaoh twice because God has determined to do it, and God will make it happen soon.
Joseph’s rise to power
33“Now Pharaoh should find an intelligent, wise man and give him authority over the land of Egypt. 34Then Pharaoh should appoint administrators over the land and take one-fifth of all the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35During the good years that are coming, they should collect all such food and store the grain under Pharaoh’s control, protecting the food in the cities. 36This food will be reserved for the seven years of famine to follow in the land of Egypt so that the land won’t be ravaged by the famine.”
37This advice seemed wise to Pharaoh and all his servants, 38and Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man with more God-given gifts#41.38 Or like this one, in whom is the spirit of God than this one?” 39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, no one is as intelligent and wise as you are. 40You will be in charge of my kingdom,#41.40 Or house and all my people will obey#41.40 LXX; Heb uncertain, perhaps submit themselves to your command your command. Only as the enthroned king will I be greater than you.” 41Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Know this: I’ve given you authority over the entire land of Egypt.” 42Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, he dressed him in linen clothes, and he put a gold necklace around his neck. 43He put Joseph on the chariot of his second-in-command, and everyone in front of him cried out, “Attention!”#41.43 An Egyptian loanword similar to the Heb word kneel So Pharaoh installed him over the entire land of Egypt. 44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; no one will do anything or go anywhere in all the land of Egypt without your permission.” 45Pharaoh renamed Joseph, Zaphenath-paneah, and married him to Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of Heliopolis.#41.45 Heb On
Then Joseph assumed control of the land of Egypt. 46Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, Egypt’s king, when he left Pharaoh’s court and traveled through the entire land of Egypt. 47During the seven years of abundance, the land produced plentifully. 48He collected all of the food during the seven years of abundance#41.48 LXX; MT lacks of abundance. in the land of Egypt, and stored the food in cities. In each city, he stored the food from the fields surrounding it. 49Joseph amassed grain like the sand of the sea. There was so much that he stopped trying to measure it because it was beyond measuring. 50Before the years of famine arrived, Asenath the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis,#41.50 Heb On gave birth to two sons for Joseph. 51Joseph named the oldest son Manasseh,#41.51 Or making forget “because,” he said, “God has helped me forget all of my troubles and everyone in my father’s household.” 52He named the second Ephraim,#41.52 Sounds like has given me children “because,” he said, “God has given me children in the land where I’ve been treated harshly.”
53The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. The famine struck every country, but the entire land of Egypt had bread. 55When the famine ravaged the entire land of Egypt and the people pleaded to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh said to all of the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he tells you.” 56The famine covered every part of the land, and Joseph opened all of the granaries#41.56 LXX, Syr; MT what was in them and sold grain to the Egyptians. In the land of Egypt, the famine became more and more severe. 57Every country came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because in every country the famine had also become more severe.
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Genesis 41: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Genesis 41
41
Pharaoh’s Dreams
1#Ge 20:3After two whole years, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the Nile. 2Seven fine-looking and fattened cows suddenly came up out of the river, and they grazed in the meadow. 3Then seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the riverbank. 4The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine-looking and fattened cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5He slept and dreamed a second time. Seven ears of grain suddenly came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6#Eze 17:10; 19:12Then seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
8#Ex 7:11; 7:22In the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9#Ge 40:14; 40:23Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “Today I remember my offenses. 10#Ge 39:20; 40:2–3Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in confinement in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker. 11And we had a dream in the same night, he and I. We, each of us, dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12#Ge 37:36; 40:12–19A young Hebrew man was with us there, a servant to the captain of the guard. We told him and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13It happened just as he interpreted. He restored me to my position, and the baker was hanged.”
14#Ps 113:7–8; Da 2:25So Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh.
15#Da 5:16Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it.”
16#Ge 40:8; Da 2:47Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I stood on the bank of the Nile. 18And suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fattened and fine-looking, and they grazed in the reeds. 19Then seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt. I have never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt. 20And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21And when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
22“I also saw in my dreams seven ears of grain, full and good, suddenly come up on one stalk. 23Then seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24#Ge 41:8; Da 4:7And the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25#Da 2:45; 2:28–29Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26#Ge 41:2The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. The dreams are one. 27#2Ki 8:1The seven gaunt and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.
28#Ge 41:25“It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29Seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt. 30#Ge 41:54; 47:13However, there will arise after them seven years of famine. All the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will consume the land. 31The abundance will be unknown in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. 32#Nu 23:19; Isa 46:10–11The reason the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice is because the matter is established by God, and God will soon bring it to pass.
33“Now, therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a man who is discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officials over the land and collect the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven abundant years. 35Let them gather all the food from those good years that come and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36This food will be for a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish during the famine.”
Joseph Rises to Power
37The counsel seemed good to Pharaoh and to all of his servants. 38#Da 4:18; 5:11Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39#Ge 41:33And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40#Ps 105:21–22; Ac 7:10You will be over my house, and according to your word all my people will be ruled. Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41#Da 6:3; Ge 42:6Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42#Da 5:7; 5:29; Est 3:10Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in clothes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43#Ge 45:8; 42:6Then he had him ride in the second chariot which was his, and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44#Ps 105:22Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man will lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45#Ge 46:20; Eze 30:17Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah, and he gave him a wife, Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On.#On is also called Heliopolis. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46#Ge 37:2; 1Sa 16:21Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47In the seven abundant years the earth brought forth plentifully. 48So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which was in the land of Egypt and laid up the food in the cities. He put in every city the food of the fields which surrounded the city. 49#Ge 22:17; Jdg 7:12Joseph gathered great quantities of grain as the sand of the sea until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
50#Ge 46:20; 48:5Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For God,” he said, “has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 52#Ge 49:22; 50:23The name of the second he called Ephraim, saying, “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53The seven years of abundance that were in the land of Egypt ended. 54#Ac 7:11; Ge 45:11The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but there was food in all the land of Egypt. 55When all the land of Egypt was hungry, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he says to you.”
56#Ge 42:6The famine was over all the face of the earth, so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, and the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 57#Ge 41:54; 41:56Moreover, all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was so severe in all the lands.
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