41:1 Two entire years later
Pharaoh had a dream
that he stood by the
41:2 He saw out of the river
came seven fattened cows
grazing in the reeds.
41:3 After them seven other cows
which were skinny and gaunt
emerged from the
and stood beside them
on the river bank.
41:4 Then the gaunt and skinny cows
consumed the seven fattened cows.
Then Pharaoh woke up.
41:5 Then he fell asleep again
and dreamed a second time.
This time seven clusters of grain
healthy and plump
sprouted on a single stalk.
41:6 Then seven other clusters of grain
thin and withered by the east wind
sprouted up after them.
41:7 The thin grain clusters
consumed the seven
healthy and plump clusters.
Then Pharaoh awoke
realizing it was a dream.
41:8 Throughout the morning
his spirit was troubled
so he summoned the priests
and wise men of
Pharaoh told them
all about his dreams
but none of them could
interpret them for him.
41:9 Suddenly the chief waiter
spoke to Pharaoh:
Today I remember my faults.
41:10 When Pharaoh became angry
with his servants
he imprisoned me
and the chief baker
in the prison of the chief warden.
41:11 We each had a dream
on the same night
and our dreams each
had a unique meaning.
41:12 With us was a young Hebrew
who served the chief prison warden.
We told our dreams to him
and he interpreted each of them
according to each man’s dream.
41:13 Those things he told us happened
exactly as he had interpreted.
I was restored to my previous role
and the other man was hanged.
41:14 So Pharaoh sent for
and summoned Joseph
and they quickly brought him
out of the dungeon.
After shaving and changing clothes
he came before Pharaoh.
41:15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
I had a dream and no one
can tell me its meaning.
I heard it said of you
that you can interpret dreams.
41:16 Joseph responded to Pharaoh:
I do not have the ability.
but God shall give Pharaoh
the complete answer needed.
41:17 So Pharaoh said to Joseph:
In my dream I stood
on the bank of the
41:18 I saw out of the river
came seven fattened cows
grazing in the reeds.
41:19 After them emerged
seven other cows
skinny, gaunt and ugly.
As ugly I have never seen
throughout the
41:20 The gaunt and ugly cows
consumed the seven fattened cows
that had first emerged.
41:21 After they consumed them
there was no indication
they had eaten them.
They were gaunt and ugly
as they were before.
Then I woke up.
41:22 Then in my dream I saw
seven clusters of grain
plump and healthy
sprouted in one stalk.
41:23 After them sprouted up
seven thin and withered grains
blasted by the east wind.
41:24 The thin clusters of grain
consumed the seven good clusters.
I told this to the priests
but none could tell me the meaning.
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh:
The dreams of Pharaoh are the same.
God has revealed to Pharaoh
something he is about to do.
41:26 The seven good cows
are seven years.
And seven clusters of grain
are seven years.
This is the same dream.
41:27 The seven gaunt and ugly cows
that emerged after
are seven years.
So are the seven empty grains
scorched by the east wind.
They are seven years of famine.
41:28 This is spoken to Pharaoh:
Pharaoh has been shown
what God is about to do.
41:29 Seven years of great plenty
will prevail through the
41:30 But seven years of famine
will arise afterwards.
And the plenty in
will then be forgotten
as famine consumes the land.
41:31 Years of plenty
will not be remembered
after the extreme famine
that follows it.
41:32 Pharaoh’s dream was twice repeated
because this was firmly decided by God
and God will bring it to pass soon.
41:33 Therefore Pharaoh should seek
a prudent and wise man
and put him in charge
of the
41:34 Pharaoh should appoint governors
over the land who will take a fifth
of the harvests throughout
during the seven years of plenty.
41:35 They should collect the food
of those good years to come
and store up grain
under the authority of Pharaoh
and keep the food in the cities.
41:36 This food should be stored
in reserve for the nation
for use during the seven years of famine
coming upon the
so the country won’t perish by the famine.
41:37 The plan made sense
to Pharaoh and his officials.
41:38 Then Pharaoh asked them:
Can we find someone like this man
one in whom dwells the spirit of God?
41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
Since God has shown you all this
there is no one so prudent and wise as you.
41:40 You shall take charge of my palace
and my people shall follow your orders.
Only with regard to the throne
will I be your superior.
41:41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
I am putting you in charge
of the whole nation of
41:42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring
from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger.
He dressed him in fine linen garments
and put a gold chain around his neck.
41:43 He had him ride in the second chariot
and people proclaimed him
and bowed before him.
He put him in charge
of the people of
41:44 So Pharaoh said to Joseph:
I am Pharaoh, but without you
no one will lift a hand
or foot throughout the
41:45 Pharaoh named Josheph Zaphenath-Paneah
and gave him Asenath to marry
the daughter of Potiphera
the priest of
Then Joseph traveled throughout
41:46 Joseph was thirty years old
when he began serving Pharaoh
the king of
Then Joseph left Pharaoh
and traveled throughout
41:47 Through the seven abundant years
the land brought forth plenty.
41:48 And he collected food produced
during seven years of plenty in
and stored it in the cities.
Each city stockpiled the food
grown in surrounding fields.
41:49 Joseph collected large amounts of grain
as much as the sand of the sea.
It was more than he could count
so he stopped recording amounts.
41:50 Prior to the years of famine
Joseph had two sons with Asenath
who was the daughter of Potipherah
the priest of
41:51 Joseph named the firstborn
Manasseh (“cause to forget”) and said:
For God made me forget my troubles
and about my father's household.
41:52 He named the second Ephraim saying:
For God has made me fruitful
in the land of my suffering.
41:53 Then the seven years of plenty
in the
41:54 The seven years of famine began
just as Joseph had predicted.
There was famine throughout the region
except for the
where there was food.
41:55 When the famine spread
to the
the people cried to Pharaoh for food.
Pharaoh said to the Egyptians:
Go to Joseph and do what he says.
41:56 Once the famine spread
throughout the entire nation
Joseph opened the storehouses
and sold grain to the Egyptians
as the famine got worse in
41:57 Then everyone came to
to buy grain from Joseph.
Because the famine worsened everywhere.
