1And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well-favored kine and fat-fleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

9Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: 11and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. 17And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: 18and, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored; and they fed in a meadow: 19and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 20and the lean and the ill-favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 21and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: 23and, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 24and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

25And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27And the seven thin and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. 28This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh. 29Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 32And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. 33Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 35And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

Joseph Made Ruler over Egypt

37And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 39And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40#Acts 7.10. thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 44And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 45And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaph´nath–paane´ah; and he gave him to wife As´enath the daughter of Potiphe´rah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 48And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. 49And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

50And unto Joseph were born two sons, before the years of famine came: which As´enath the daughter of Potiphe´rah priest of On bare unto him. 51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manas´seh:#41.51 That is, Forgetting. For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. 52And the name of the second called he E´phra-im:#41.52 That is, Fruitful. For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

53And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 54#Acts 7.11. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55#John 2.5. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. 56And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

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Genesis 41

1After two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by the river,

2Out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat: and they fed in marshy places.

3Other seven also came up out of the river, ill favoured, and lean-fleshed: and they fed on the very bank of the river, in green places.

4And they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful and well conditioned. So Pharao awoke.

5He slept again, and dreamed another dream: Seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk full and fair.

6Then seven other ears sprung up thin and blasted,

7And devoured all the beauty of the former. Pharao awaked after his rest.

8And when morning was come, being struck with fear, he sent to all the interpreters of Egypt, and to all the wise men. And they being called for, he told them his dream; and there was not any one that could interpret it.

9Then at length the chief butler remembering said: I confess my sin.

10The king, being angry with his servants, commanded me and the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain of the soldiers;

11Where in one night both of us dreamed a dream foreboding things to come.

12There was there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the same captain of the soldiers: to whom we told our dreams.

13And we heard what afterwards the event of the thing proved to be so. For I was restored to my office: and he was hanged upon a gibbet.

14Forthwith at the king's command, Joseph was brought out of the prison: and they shaved him, and changing his apparel brought him in to him.

15And he said to him: I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one that can expound them. Now I have heard that thou art very wise at interpreting them.

16Joseph answered: Without me, God shall give Pharao a prosperous answer.

17So Pharao told what he had dreamed: Methought I stood upon the bank of the river;

18And seven kine came up out of the river exceeding beautiful and full of flesh. And they grazed on green places in a marshy pasture.

19And, behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so very ill favoured and lean, that I never saw the like in the land of Egypt.

20And the devoured and consumed the former,

21And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again,

22And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk, full and very fair.

23Other seven also, thin and blasted, sprung of the stock.

24And they devoured the beauty of the former. I told this dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can expound it.

25Joseph answered: The king's dream is one: God hath shewn to Pharao what he is about to do.

26The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning of the dream.

27And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come.

28Which shall be fulfilled in this order:

29Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt:

30After which shall follow other seven years of so great scacity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten. For the famine shall consume all the land,

31And the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty.

32And for that thou didst see the second time a dream pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the certainty, and that the word of God cometh to pass, and is fulfilled speedily.

33Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt,

34That he may appoint overseers over all the countries; and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years,

35That shall now presently ensue. And let all the corn be laid up under Pharao's hands, and be reserved in the cities.

36And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not consumed with scarcity.

37The counsel pleased Pharao and all his servants.

38And he said to them: Can we find such another man, that is full of the spirit of God?

39He said therefore to Joseph: Seeing God hath shewn thee all that thou hast said, can I find one wiser and one like unto thee?

40Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above thee.

41And again Pharao said to Joseph: Behold, I have appointed thee over the whole land of Egypt.

42And he took his ring from his own hand, and gave it into his hand: and he put upon him a robe of silk, and put a chain of gold about his neck.

43And he made him go up into his second chariot, the crier proclaiming that all should bow their knee before him, and that they should know he was made governor over the whole land of Egypt.

44And the king said to Joseph: I am Pharao; without thy commandment no man shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

45And he turned his name, and called him in the Egyptian tongue, The saviour of the world. And he gave him to wife Asenth, the daughter of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis. Then Joseph went out to the land of Egypt:

46(Now he was thirty years old when he stood before king Pharao): and he went round all the countries of Egypt.

47And the fruitfulness of the seven years came: and the corm being bound up into sheaves was gathered together into the barns of Egypt.

48And all the abundance of grain was laid up in every city.

49And there was so great abundance of wheat, that it was equal to the sand of the sea: and the plenty exceeded measure.

50And before the famine came, Joseph had two sons born: whom Aseneth, the daughter of Putiphare, priest of Heliopolis, bore unto him.

51And he called the name of the first born Manasses, saying: God hath made me to forget all my labours, and my father's house.

52And he named the second Ephraim, saying: God hath made me to grow in the land of my poverty.

53Now when the seven years of the plenty that had been in Egypt were past,

54The seven years of scarcity, which Joseph had foretold, began to come: and the famine prevailed in the whole world. But there was bread in all the land of Egypt.

55And when there also they began to be famished, the people cried to Pharao for food. And he said to them: Go to Joseph; and do all that he shall say to you.

56And the famine increased daily in all the land. And Joseph opened all the barns, and sold to the Egyptians: for the famine had oppressed them also.

57And all provinces came into Egypt, to buy food, and to seek some relief of their want.

An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Genesis 41

Genesis 41