The Holy Bible · Genesis

Genesis 41

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1After two full years, Pharaoh saw a dream. He seemed to be standing beside the river.

2And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, beautiful in appearance and fat of flesh, and they grazed in the reed grass.

3Seven other cows came up after them from the river, ugly in appearance and thin in flesh, and they grazed beside the cows along the riverbank.

4And the seven ugly, thin cows ate up the seven beautiful, fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5He dreamed a second time: seven ears of grain came up on one stalk, choice and good.

6And behold, seven other ears sprouted after them, thin and blighted by the wind.

7The seven thin, wind-blighted ears swallowed the seven choice, full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and it was a dream.

8In the morning his soul was troubled. He sent for all Egypt’s interpreters and wise men and told them the dream, but no one explained it to Pharaoh.

9The chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I remember my offense.”

10“Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put us in custody in the chief cook’s house, me and the chief baker.”

11“We saw a dream on the same night, he and I; each saw his own dream.”

12“A young Hebrew servant of the chief cook was there with us. We told him, and he interpreted for us.”

13“As he interpreted for us, so it happened: I was restored to my office, and the other man was hanged.”

14Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they brought him out of the fortress, shaved him, and changed his robe. He came to Pharaoh.

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and no one can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear dreams, you can interpret them.”

16Joseph answered Pharaoh, “Without God, no answer bringing deliverance will be given to Pharaoh.”

17And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “In my dream, it seemed to me that I stood upon the bank of the river.”

18“and behold, there came up as it were out of the river seven cows, fat of flesh and beautiful in appearance, and they fed on the sedge.”

19“Seven other cows came up after them from the river, wretched, ugly in appearance, and thin in flesh. I have never seen such ugly cows in all Egypt.”

20“And the seven ugly, thin cows ate up the first seven good, fat cows.”

21“They went into their bellies, yet no one could tell that they had gone in: their appearance was as ugly as before. I awoke and went back to sleep.”

22“And I saw again in my sleep, and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, full and good.”

23“And behold, seven other ears, thin and blasted by the wind, sprouted right next to them.”

24“The seven thin, wind-blighted ears swallowed the seven good, full ears. I told the interpreters, but no one explained it to me.”

25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dream is one. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.”

26“The seven beautiful cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. Pharaoh’s dream is one.”

27“The seven thin cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven thin, wind-blighted ears. They will be seven years of famine.”

28“This is the very thing that I have spoken to Pharaoh: what God is about to perform, He has shown to Pharaoh.”

29“Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout all the land of Egypt.”

30“And seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will consume the land.”

31“And the abundance will not be known in the land by reason of that famine following it, for it will be exceedingly severe.”

32“And as for the dream being repeated to Pharaoh twice, it is because the word from God will be true, and God will hasten to perform it.”

33“Now look for a prudent, discerning man and set him over the land of Egypt.”

34“Let Pharaoh act, and let him appoint local governors over the land, and let them collect a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.”

35“And let them gather all the food of these seven good years that are coming, and let the grain be gathered under the hand of Pharaoh, and let food be kept in the cities.”

36“And that food shall be held in reserve for the land against the seven years of famine which are about to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not be utterly destroyed by the famine.”

37And the words were well-pleasing in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of all his servants.

38And Pharaoh said to all his servants, “Shall we find such a man as this, who has the Spirit of God in him?”

39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all these things, there is no man more prudent and discerning than you.”

40“You shall be over my house, and all my people shall obey your word; only in respect to the throne will I exceed you.”

41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I appoint you today over all the land of Egypt.”

42Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and placed it upon Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in a robe of fine linen, and put a golden collar around his neck.

43And he caused him to mount upon his second chariot, and a herald made a proclamation before him; and he appointed him over all the land of Egypt.

44And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; without you no one shall lift up his hand in all the land of Egypt.”

45Pharaoh named Joseph Psonthomphanech and gave him Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, as his wife.

46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and journeyed through all the land of Egypt.

47And in the seven years of abundance, the earth produced sheaves.

48And he gathered all the food of the seven years in which there was abundance in the land of Egypt, and stored the food in the cities; the food from the plains surrounding each city he stored within it.

49Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, so much that they could no longer count it, for it was beyond counting.

50Two sons were born to Joseph before the seven years of famine came. Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, bore them to him.

51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “Because God has made me forget all my labors and all the affairs of my father.”

52He named the second Ephraim, “For God has increased me in the land of my humiliation.”

53Then the seven years of abundance that were in the land of Egypt passed away.

54The seven years of famine began, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the land, but throughout Egypt there was bread.

55So when all the land of Egypt hungered, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”

56The famine was over the face of all the earth. Joseph opened all the granaries and sold to all the Egyptians.

57And all the countries came to Egypt to buy from Joseph, because the famine prevailed in all the earth.

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Read this chapter with the Hebrew and Greek compared →

Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.