41 26 Pharaoh’s dreams are expounded by Joseph. 40 He is made ruler over all Egypt. 45 Joseph’s name is changed. 50 He hath two sons Manasseh and Ephraim.
1 And [a]two years after, Pharaoh also [b]dreamed, and behold, he stood by a river.
2 And lo, there came out of the river seven [c]goodly kine and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a [d]meadow.
3 And lo, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, evil favored and lean fleshed, and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4 And the evil favored and lean fleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine: so Pharaoh awoke.
5 Again he slept, and dreamed the [e]second time: and behold, seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk, rank and goodly.
6 And lo, seven thin ears, and blasted with the East wind, sprang up after them.
7 And the thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears, then Pharaoh awaked, and lo it was a dream.
8 Now when the morning came, his spirit was [f]troubled: therefore he sent and called all the soothsayers of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof, and Pharaoh told them his dreams: but [g]none could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I [h]call to mind my faults this day.
10 Pharaoh being angry with his servants, put me in ward in the chief steward’s house, both me, and the chief baker.
11 Then we dreamed a dream in one night both I, and he: we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant unto the chief steward, whom when we told, he declared our dreams to [i]us, to everyone he declared according to his dream.
13 And as he declared unto us, so it came to pass: for he restored me to mine office, and hanged him.
14 (A)Then sent Pharaoh, and called [j]Joseph and they brought him hastily out of prison, and he shaved him, and changed his raiment, and came to Pharaoh.
15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and no man can interpret it, and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [k]Without me God shall [l]answer for the wealth of Pharaoh.
17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: In my dream, behold, I stood by the bank of the river:
18 And lo, there came up out of the river seven fat fleshed, and well favored kine. and they fed in the meadow.
19 Also lo, seven other kine came up after them poor and very [m]evil favored kine, and lean fleshed: I never saw the like in all the land of Egypt, for evil favored.
20 And the lean and the evil favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine.
21 And when they [n]had eaten them up: it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still as evil favored, as they were at the beginning: so did I awake.
22 Moreover I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears sprang out of one stalk, full and fair.
23 And lo, seven ears withered, thin, and blasted with the East wind, sprang up after them.
24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. Now I have told the soothsayers, and none can declare it unto me.
25 ¶ Then Joseph answered Pharaoh, [o]Both Pharaoh’s dreams are one. God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 The seven good Kine are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: this is one dream.
27 Likewise the seven thin and evil favored kine, that came out after them, are seven years: and the seven empty ears blasted with the East wind, are seven years of famine.
28 This is the thing which I have said unto Pharaoh, that God hath showed unto Pharaoh, what he is about to do.
29 Behold, there come seven years of great [p]plenty in all the land of Egypt.
30 Again, there shall arise after them seven years of famine, so that all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land:
31 Neither shall the plenty [q]be known in the land, by reason of this famine that shall come after, for it shall be exceeding great.
32 And therefore the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh the second time, because the thing is established by God, and God hasteth to perform it.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh [r]provide for a man of understanding and wisdom, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh make and appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35 Also let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food, in the cities, and let them keep it.
36 So the food shall be for the provision of the land, against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not by famine.
37 ¶ And the saying pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
38 Then said Pharaoh unto his servants, Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the [s]Spirit of God?
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is no man of understanding, or wisdom like unto thee.
40 (B)Thou shalt be over mine house, and at thy [t][u]word shall all my people be armed, only in the king’s throne will I be above thee.
41 Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42 And Pharaoh took off his [v]ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a golden chain about his neck.
43 So he sat him upon the [w]best chariot that he had, save one: and they cried before him, [x]Abrech, and placed him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Again Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in the land of Egypt.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name [y]Zaphnath-Paaneah: and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-Pherah [z]Prince of On: then went Joseph abroad in the land of Egypt.
46 ¶ And Joseph was [aa]thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt: and Joseph departing from the presence of Pharaoh, went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth [ab]brought forth store.
48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven plenteous years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, that was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 So Joseph gathered wheat, like unto the sand of the sea in multitude out of measure, until he left numbering: for it was without number.
50 Now unto Joseph were born (C)two sons (before the year of famine came) which Asenath the daughter of Poti-Pherah prince of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my labor and all my [ac]father’s household.
52 Also he called the name of the second, Ephraim: For God, said he, hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53 ¶ So the seven years of the plenty that was in the land of Egypt were ended.
54 (D)Then began the seven years of famine to come, according as Joseph had said: and the famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt was [ad]bread.
55 At the length all the land of Egypt was famished, and the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph: what he saith to you, do ye.
56 When the famine was upon all the land, Joseph opened all places, wherein the store was, and sold unto the Egyptians: for the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all the countries [ae]came to Egypt to buy corn of Joseph, because the famine was sore in all lands.
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:1 Hebrew, at the end of two years of days.
- Genesis 41:1 This dream was not so much for Pharaoh, as to be a means to deliver Joseph, and to provide for God’s Church.
- Genesis 41:2 Or, fair to behold.
- Genesis 41:2 Or, staggie place.
- Genesis 41:5 All these means God used to deliver his servant, and to bring him into favor and authority.
- Genesis 41:8 This fear was enough to teach him that this vision was sent of God.
- Genesis 41:8 The wise of the world understand not God’s secrets, but to his servants his will is revealed.
- Genesis 41:9 He confesseth his fault against the king before he speak of Joseph.
- Genesis 41:12 Read Gen. 40:5.
- Genesis 41:14 The wicked seek to the Prophets of God in their necessity, whom in their prosperity they abhor.
- Genesis 41:16 As though he would say, if I interpret thy dream it cometh of God, and not of me.
- Genesis 41:16 Hebrew, answer peace.
- Genesis 41:19 Hebrew, naught.
- Genesis 41:21 Hebrew, were gone into their inward parts.
- Genesis 41:25 Both his dreams tend to one end.
- Genesis 41:29 Or, abundance and saturity.
- Genesis 41:31 Or, they shall remember no more the plenty.
- Genesis 41:33 The office of a true Prophet is not only to show the evils to come, but also the remedies for the same.
- Genesis 41:38 None should be preferred to honor that have not gifts of God meet for the same.
- Genesis 41:40 Hebrew, mouth.
- Genesis 41:40 Some read, the people shall kiss thy mouth, that is shall obey thee in all things.
- Genesis 41:42 Or, his signet.
- Genesis 41:43 Hebrew, second chariot.
- Genesis 41:43 In sign of honor: which word some expound, tender father, or father of the king, or kneel down.
- Genesis 41:45 Or, the expounder of secrets.
- Genesis 41:45 Or, priest.
- Genesis 41:46 His age is mentioned both to show that his authority came of God, and also that he suffered imprisonment and exile twelve years and more.
- Genesis 41:47 Hebrew, made for gatherings.
- Genesis 41:51 Notwithstanding that his father’s house was the true Church of God: yet the company of the wicked and prosperity caused him to forget it.
- Genesis 41:54 Or, food.
- Genesis 41:57 Or, came to Egypt to Joseph.