Genesis 41:1–57
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
After
two full years Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile
River. Suddenly, seven nice-looking, well-fed cows came up from the river and
began to graze among the reeds. Seven other cows came up from the river behind
them. These cows were sickly and skinny. They stood behind the first seven cows
on the riverbank. The cows that were sickly and skinny ate the seven
nice-looking, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke
up.
He
fell asleep again and had a second dream. Seven good, healthy heads of grain were
growing on a single stalk. Seven other heads of grain, thin and scorched by the
east wind, sprouted behind them. The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven
full, healthy heads. Then Pharaoh woke up. It was only a dream.
In the morning he was so upset that he sent
for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but
no one could tell him what Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, “I
remember a promise I failed to keep. Some time ago when Pharaoh was angry with
his servants, he confined me and the chief baker to the captain of the guard’s
prison. We both had dreams the same night. Each dream had its own meaning. A
young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guard, was with us. We told him our
dreams, and he told each of us what they meant. What he told us happened:
Pharaoh restored me to my position, but he hung the baker on a pole.”
Then
Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and immediately he was brought from the dungeon. After
he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came in front of Pharaoh said to
Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can tell me what it means. I heard that when
you are told a dream, you can say what it means.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “I
can’t, but God can give Pharaoh the answer that he needs.”
Then
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile.
Suddenly, seven nice-looking, well-fed cows came up from the river and began to
graze among the reeds. Seven other cows came up behind them. These cows were
scrawny, very sick, and thin. I’ve never seen such sickly cows in all of Egypt!
The thin, sickly cows ate up the seven well-fed ones. Even though they had
eaten them, 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.”
Then
Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh had the same dream twice. God has told Pharaoh
what he’s going to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good
heads of grain are seven years. It’s 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’s
just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he’s going to do. Seven years
are coming when there will be plenty of food in Egypt. After them will come
seven years of famine. People will forget that there was plenty of food in
Egypt, and the famine will ruin the land. People won’t remember that there once
was 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, and he will do it very soon.
Joseph Advises Pharaoh
“Pharaoh
should look for a wise and intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt. Make
arrangements to appoint supervisors over the land to take a fifth of Egypt’s
harvest during the seven good years. Have them collect all the food during
these good years and store up grain under Pharaoh’s control, to be kept for
food in the cities. This food will be a reserve supply for our country during
the seven years of famine that will happen in Egypt. Then the land will not be
ruined by the famine.”
Pharaoh
and all his servants liked the idea. So Pharaoh asked his servants, “Can we
find anyone like this—a man who has God’s Spirit in him?”
Then
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has let you know all this, there is no one
as wise and intelligent as you. You will be in charge of my palace, and all my
people will do what you say. I will be more important than you, only because
I’m Pharaoh.”
Then
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I now put you in charge of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took
off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s finger. He had Joseph dressed in robes
of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in the
chariot of the second-in-command. Men ran ahead of him and shouted, “Make way!”
Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of Egypt.
He
also said to Joseph, “Even though I am Pharaoh, no one anywhere in Egypt will
do anything without your permission.” Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenathpaneah and
gave him Asenath as his wife. She was the daughter of Potiphera, priest from
the city of On. Joseph traveled around Egypt.
Joseph Serves Pharaoh
Joseph
was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He
left Pharaoh and traveled all around Egypt. During the seven good years the
land produced large harvests. Joseph collected all the food grown in Egypt
during those seven years and put this food in the cities. In each city he put
the food from the fields around it. Joseph stored up grain in huge quantities
like the sand on the seashore. He had so much that he finally gave up keeping
any records because he couldn’t measure it all.
Before
the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons by Asenath, daughter of
Potiphera, priest from the city of On. Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh
[He Helps Me Forget], because God helped him forget all his troubles and all
about his father’s family. He named the second son Ephraim [Blessed Twice With
Children], because God gave him children in the land where he had The
seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end.
Then
the seven years of famine began as Joseph had said they would. All the other
countries were experiencing famine. Yet, there was food in Egypt. When everyone
in Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh
for food. But Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph! Do what he
tells you!”
When
the famine had spread all over the country, Joseph opened all the storehouses
and sold grain to the Egyptians. He did this because the famine was severe in
Egypt. The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, since the famine
was so severe all over the world. (GWT)
This reading is taken from 30 Scripture
Readings with the Great Men of the Bible. The complete book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5H3C/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549
God’s
Word® Translation. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. Published by
Baker Book House. Used by permission.
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