Genesis 41:1-36 - Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

¹ And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed. And, behold, he stood by the river. ² And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, well-favored and fat-fleshed, and they fed in the reed grass. ³ And, behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river. ⁴ And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed cows ate up the seven well-favored and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. ⁵ And he slept and dreamed a second time. And, behold, seven ears of grain came up upon one stalk, fat and good. ⁶ And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. ⁷ And the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

⁸ And 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 of it. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no man who could interpret them to

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

¹⁴ Then 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 to Pharaoh.

¹⁵ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no man who can interpret it. And I have heard say of thee, that when thou hear a dream thou can interpret it.

¹⁶ And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

¹⁷ And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the river. ¹⁸ And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat-fleshed and well-favored, and they fed in the reed grass. ¹⁹ And, behold, seven other cows 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. ²⁰ And the lean and ill-favored cows ate up the first seven fat cows. ²¹ And 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. ²² And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good. ²³ And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, [and] blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them, ²⁴ and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no man who could declare it to me.

²⁵ And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. ²⁶ The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. ²⁷ And the seven lean and ill-favored cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind, they shall be seven years of famine.

²⁸ That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown to Pharaoh. ²⁹ Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, ³⁰ and 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. ³¹ And the plenty shall not be known in the land because of that famine which follows, for it shall be very grievous. ³² And because the dream was doubled to Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

³³ Now therefore let Pharaoh look out for a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. ³⁵ And let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶ And the food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land not perish through the famine.