Thematic Bible: Joseph interprets pharaoh's dreams


Thematic Bible



So the king sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of jail. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to the king. The king said: I had a dream. No one can explain what it means. I am told that you can interpret dreams. Joseph then answered Pharaoh: I cannot do it myself, but God can give the meaning of your dreams. read more.
The king told Joseph: I dreamed as I stood on the bank of the Nile River, I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river. They began feeding on the grass. Next, seven skinny, bony cows came up out of the river. I have never seen such terrible looking cows anywhere in Egypt. The skinny cows ate the fat ones! Even though they had eaten the fat cows, no one could tell they had eaten them. They looked just as sick as before. Then I woke up. In my second dream I saw seven good, full heads of grain growing on a single stalk. Seven other heads of grain, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted behind them. The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but no one could tell me what it meant. Joseph said to Pharaoh: Pharaoh had the same dream twice. God has told Pharaoh what he is going to do. The seven good cows are seven years. The seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is all the same dream. The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming! It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do. Seven years are coming when there will be plenty of food in Egypt. Seven years of famine will follow. Then people will forget that there was plenty of food in Egypt. The famine will ruin the land. People will not remember that there was once plenty of food in the land, because the coming famine will be so severe. The reason Pharaoh has had a recurring dream is because the matter has been definitely decided by God. He will do it very soon.