Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:^(A) He was standing by the Nile,^{(B) 2} when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,^(C) and they grazed among the reeds.^{(D) 3} After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. ⁴ And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.^(E)

⁵ He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,^(F) healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. ⁶ After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.^{(G) 7} The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;^(H) it had been a dream.

⁸ In the morning his mind was troubled,^(I) so he sent for all the magicians^(J) and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.^(K)

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.^{(L) 10} Pharaoh was once angry with his servants,^(M) and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.^{(N) 11} Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.^{(O) 12} Now a young Hebrew^(P) was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.^(Q) We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.^{(R) 13} And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.^(S)”

¹⁴ So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.^(T) When he had shaved^(U) and changed his clothes,^(V) he came before Pharaoh.

¹⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.^(W) But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”^(X)

¹⁶ “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”^(Y)

¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,^{(Z) 18} when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.^{(AA) 19} After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰ The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. ²¹ But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

²² “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. ²³ After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. ²⁴ The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.^(AB)”

John the Baptist Beheaded^(A)

14 At that time Herod^(B) the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,^{(C) 2} and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist;^(D) he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison^(E) because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{(F) 4} for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”^{(G) 5} Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.^(H)

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded^(I) in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it.^(J) Then they went and told Jesus.