Genesis 41:1-36
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream
41Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. 2And behold, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and 1fat; and they grazed in the areeds. 3Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, 1ugly and 2thin, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4And the ugly and 1thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. 5He again fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. 6And behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. 7And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8Now it happened that in the morning ahis spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the 1,bmagicians of Egypt and all its cwise men. And Pharaoh recounted to them his dream, but dthere was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would bring to remembrance today amy own 1offenses. 10“Pharaoh was afurious with his servants, and bhe put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. 11“aAnd we had a dream 1on the same night, 2he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12“Now there was with us a Hebrew youth, a aslave of the captain of the bodyguard, and we recounted them to him, and bhe interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. 13“And just aas he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my 1office, but he hanged him.”
14Then Pharaoh sent and acalled for Joseph, and they brushed him out of the pit; and he shaved himself and changed his clothes, and he came to Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, abut no one can interpret it; yet bI have heard 1it said about you, that 2you hear a dream and that you can interpret it.” 16Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “1,aIt is not in me; bGod will 2answer concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.” 17So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; 18and behold, seven cows, 1fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 19“And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and lean, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt, in regard to 1ugliness; 20and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21“But they 1devoured them, and yet it could not be known that they had 2devoured them. 3For they were just as ugly as 4before. Then I awoke. 22“Then I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk; 23and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them; 24and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So aI told it to the 1magicians, but there was no one who could declare it to me.”
25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s 1dreams are one and the same; aGod has declared to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26“The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the 1dreams are one and the same. 27“And the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven lean ears scorched by the east wind awill be seven years of famine. 28“1It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: aGod has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29“Behold, aseven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30and after them aseven years of famine will arise, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will 1ravage the land, 31so that the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very heavy. 32“Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that athe matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about. 33“So now let Pharaoh look for a man aunderstanding and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34“Let Pharaoh take action and appoint overseers over the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35“Then let them agather all the food of these good years that are coming, and let them store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them keep watch over it. 36“And let the food be appointed for the land for the seven years of famine which will happen in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be cut off during the famine.”