Berĕshith (Genesis) 41

1And it came to be, at the end of two years’ time, that Pharaoh had a dream, and saw him standing by the river,

2and saw seven cows coming up out of the river, beautiful looking and fat, and they fed amongst the reeds,

3then saw seven other cows coming up after them out of the river, ugly and lean of flesh, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.

4And the ugly and lean of flesh cows ate up the seven beautiful looking and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5And he slept and dreamed a second time and saw seven heads of grain coming up on one stalk, plump and good,

6and saw seven lean heads, scorched by the east wind, coming up after them.

7And the seven lean heads swallowed the seven plump and complete heads. Then Pharaoh awoke and saw it was a dream.

8And it came to be in the morning that his spirit was moved, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Mitsrayim and all its wise men. And Pharaoh related to them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my crimes this day.

10“When Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,

11each one of us dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

12“And there was with us a Hebrew youth, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we related to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

13And it came to be, as he interpreted for us, so it came to be. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.

14Then Pharaoh sent and called Yosĕph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon. And he shaved and changed his garments, and came to Pharaoh.

15And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. Now I myself have heard it said of you that you understand a dream, to interpret it.”

16And Yosĕph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me, let Elohim answer Pharaoh with peace.”

17And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “See, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river

18and saw seven cows coming up out of the river, beautiful looking and fat, and they fed amongst the reeds,

19then saw seven other cows coming up after them, poor and very ugly and lean of flesh, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Mitsrayim.

20“And the lean of flesh and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

21“Yet when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.

22“Also, I looked in my dream and saw seven heads coming up on one stalk, complete and good,

23then saw seven heads, withered, lean, scorched by the east wind, coming up after them.

24“And the lean heads swallowed the seven good heads. And I spoke to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25And Yosĕph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. Elohim has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

26“The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years – it is one dream.

27“And the seven lean and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads scorched by the east wind are seven years of scarcity of food.

28“This is the word which I spoke to Pharaoh: Elohim has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29See, seven years of great plenty are coming in all the land of Mitsrayim,”

30but after them seven years of scarcity of food shall arise and all the plenty be forgotten in the land of Mitsrayim. And the scarcity of food shall destroy the land,

31and the plenty shall not be remembered in the land, because of the scarcity of food following, for it is very severe.

32“And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the word is established by Elohim, and Elohim is hastening to do it.

33“And now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Mitsrayim.

34“Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, to take up one-fifth of the land of Mitsrayim in the seven years of plenty.

35“And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36And the food shall be for a store for the land for the seven years of scarcity of food which shall be in the land of Mitsrayim, and do not let the land be cut off by the scarcity of food.

37And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the Spirit of Elohim?”

39Then Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Since Elohim has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

40Be over my house, you yourself, and at your mouth all my people shall kiss – only in the throne I am greater than you.

41And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Mitsrayim.”

42And Pharaoh took his seal-ring off his hand and put it on Yosĕph’s hand. And he dressed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.

43And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had. And they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Mitsrayim.

44And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “I am Pharaoh, and without a word from you let no man lift his hand or foot in all the land of Mitsrayim.”

45And Pharaoh called Yosĕph’s name Zaphnath-Pa‛nĕaḥ. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. And Yosĕph went out over all the land of Mitsrayim.

46Now Yosĕph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim. And Yosĕph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Mitsrayim.

47And in the seven years of plenty the ground brought forth generously.

48And he gathered all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Mitsrayim, and laid up the food in the cities. He laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.

49Thus Yosĕph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he ceased counting, for it was without number.

50And to Yosĕph were born two sons before the years of scarcity of food came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.

51And Yosĕph called the name of the first-born Menashsheh, “For Elohim has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

52And the name of the second he called Ephrayim, “For Elohim has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53And the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Mitsrayim came to an end,

54and the seven years of scarcity of food began to come, as Yosĕph had said. And the scarcity of food was in all lands, but in all the land of Mitsrayim there was bread.

55But when all the land of Mitsrayim hungered, and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh said to all the Mitsrites, “Go to Yosĕph, do whatever he says to you.”

56And the scarcity of food was over all the face of the earth, and Yosĕph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Mitsrites. And the scarcity of food was severe in the land of Mitsrayim.

57And all the earth came to Yosĕph in Mitsrayim to buy grain, because the scarcity of food was severe in all the earth.

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Genesis 41

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

1After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. 5And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and #[Ezek. 17:10; 19:12]; Hos. 13:15blighted by the east wind. 7And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8So in the morning #Ps. 77:4; Dan. 2:1, 3 his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the #ver. 24; Ex. 7:11, 22; [Dan. 1:20; 2:2; 4:7; Matt. 2:1]magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10When Pharaoh was #ch. 40:2, 3 angry with his servants #[ch. 39:20]and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11#ch. 40:5we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, #See ch. 40:12-19he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13And #ch. 40:21, 22as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

14 # Ps. 105:20 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they #[Dan. 2:25] quickly brought him #[1 Sam. 2:8; Ps. 113:7, 8]out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. #ver. 12; Dan. 5:16I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16Joseph answered Pharaoh, #Dan. 2:30 “It is not in me; #ch. 40:8; Dan. 2:22, 28, 47God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”#41:16 Or (compare Samaritan, Septuagint) Without God it is not possible to give Pharaoh an answer about his welfare 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, #See ver. 1-7in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And #ver. 8; [Dan. 4:7]I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; #[Dan. 2:28, 29, 45; Rev. 4:1]God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also #[2 Kgs. 8:1]seven years of famine. 28It is as I told Pharaoh; #ver. 25God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29There will come #ver. 47seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30but after them there will arise #ver. 54; ch. 45:6 seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. #ch. 47:13The famine will consume the land, 31and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the #Num. 23:19; Isa. 14:24; 46:10, 11thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land#41:34 Or over the land and organize the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35And #ver. 48let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph Rises to Power

37This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, #Num. 27:18; Dan. 4:8, 18; 5:11, 14in whom is the Spirit of God?”#41:38 Or of the gods 39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40#Ps. 105:21; Acts 7:10You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.#41:40 Hebrew and according to your command all my people shall kiss the ground Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, #ch. 42:6I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh #Esth. 3:10; 8:2, 8, 10 took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and #[Esth. 8:15] clothed him in garments of fine linen #Ezek. 16:11; [Dan. 5:7, 29]and put a gold chain about his neck. 43And he made him ride in his second chariot. #[Esth. 6:9] And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!”#41:43 Abrek, probably an Egyptian word, similar in sound to the Hebrew word meaning to kneel Thus he set him #ver. 40; ch. 42:6; 45:8, 9, 26over all the land of Egypt. 44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and #[Ps. 105:21, 22]without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46Joseph was thirty years old when he #1 Sam. 16:21; 1 Kgs. 12:6, 8; Dan. 1:19entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, #ch. 22:17; Judg. 7:12; 1 Sam. 13:5; Ps. 78:27like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50Before the year of famine came, #ch. 46:20; 48:5two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.”#41:51 Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew for making to forget 52The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has #[ch. 49:22; Hos. 13:15]made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”#41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for making fruitful

53The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54and #Ps. 105:16; Acts 7:11 the seven years of famine began to come, #ver. 30as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

56So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses#41:56 Hebrew all that was in them and #ch. 42:6; [ch. 47:14, 20, 24]sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe #ver. 54, 56over all the earth.

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