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Genesis 40-42
New American Standard Bible

Joseph Interprets Dreams

40 Then it came about after these things, that (A)the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was (B)furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3 So he put them in confinement in the house of the (C)captain of the bodyguard, in the prison, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned. 4 And the captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he [a]took care of them; and they were in confinement for [b]some time. 5 Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 [c]When Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, [d]behold, they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “[e](D)Why are your faces so sad today?” 8 And they said to him, “(E)We have [f]had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “(F)Do interpretations not belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, [g]saying to him, “In my dream, [h]behold, there was a vine in front of me; 10 and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s [i]hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is the (G)interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 13 within three more days Pharaoh will [j]lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand as in your former practice when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only [k]keep me in mind when it goes well for you, and please (H)do me a kindness [l]by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this [m]prison. 15 For (I)I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the [n]dungeon.”

16 When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; 17 and in the top basket there were some of all [o]kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18 Then Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19 within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a wooden post, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

20 So it came about on the third day, which was (J)Pharaoh’s birthday, that he held a feast for all his servants; (K)and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his [p]office, and (L)he put the cup into Pharaoh’s [q]hand; 22 but (M)he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but (N)forgot him.

Pharaoh’s Dream

41 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. 2 And behold, from the Nile seven cows came up, fine-looking and [r]fat; and they grazed in the (O)marsh grass. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and [s]thin, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 Then the ugly and [t]thin cows ate the seven fine-looking and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. 5 But he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. 6 Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. 7 And the thin ears swallowed the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 Now in the morning (P)his spirit was troubled, so he sent messengers and called for all the (Q)soothsayer priests of Egypt, and all its (R)wise men. And Pharaoh told them his [u]dreams, but (S)there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of (T)my own [v]offenses. 10 Pharaoh was (U)furious with his servants, and (V)he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. 11 Then (W)we had a dream one night, [w]he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12 Now a Hebrew youth was there with us, a (X)servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we told him the dreams, and (Y)he interpreted our dreams for us. For each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13 And just (Z)as he interpreted for us, so it happened; Pharaoh restored me in my office, but he hanged [x]the chief baker.”

Joseph Interprets

14 Then Pharaoh sent word and (AA)called for Joseph, and they (AB)hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, (AC)but no one can interpret it; and (AD)I have heard [y]it said about you, that [z]when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “[aa](AE)It has nothing to do with me; (AF)God will [ab]give Pharaoh an answer for his own good.” 17 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, there I was, standing on the bank of the Nile; 18 and behold, seven cows, [ac]fat and fine-looking came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass. 19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very [ad]ugly and [ae]thin, such as I had never seen for [af]ugliness in all the land of Egypt; 20 and the thin and ugly cows ate the first seven fat cows. 21 Yet when they had [ag]devoured them, it could not be [ah]detected that they had [ai]devoured them, [aj]for they were just as ugly as [ak]before. Then I awoke. 22 I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears of grain, full and good, came up on a single stalk; 23 and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind sprouted up after them; 24 and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then (AG)I told it to the soothsayer priests, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 And Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s [al]dreams are one and the same; (AH)God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the [am]dreams are one and the same. 27 The seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind (AI)will be seven years of famine. 28 [an]It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: (AJ)God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Behold, (AK)seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30 and after them (AL)seven years of famine will [ao]come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will [ap]ravage the land. 31 So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. 32 Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that (AM)the matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about. 33 So now let Pharaoh look for a man (AN)discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers [aq]in charge of the land, and let him take a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt as a tax in the seven years of abundance. 35 Then have them (AO)collect all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and have them guard it. 36 Let the food be used as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”

37 Now the [ar]proposal seemed good [as]to Pharaoh and [at]to all his servants.

Joseph Is Made a Ruler of Egypt

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, (AP)in whom there is a divine spirit?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as (AQ)discerning and wise as you are. 40 (AR)You shall be [au]in charge of my house, and all my people shall [av]be obedient to you; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I have placed you (AS)over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh (AT)took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and (AU)put the gold necklace around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in [aw]his second chariot; and they proclaimed ahead of him, “[ax]Bow the knee!” And he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet (AV)without [ay]your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Then Pharaoh named Joseph [az]Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of [ba](AW)On, to be his wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Now Joseph was (AX)thirty years old when he [bb]stood in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of plenty the land produced [bc]abundantly. 48 So he collected 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 its own surrounding fields. 49 Joseph stored up grain [bd]in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped [be]measuring it, for it was [bf]beyond measure.

The Sons of Joseph

50 Now before the year of famine came, (AY)two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of [bg]On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn [bh]Manasseh; “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all of my father’s household.” 52 And he named the second [bi]Ephraim; “For,” he said, “(AZ)God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53 When the seven years of plenty which had taken place in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and (BA)the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt suffered famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; (BB)whatever he says to you, you shall do.” 56 When the famine was spread over the entire face of the earth, then Joseph opened all [bj]the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Then the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because (BC)the famine was severe in all the earth.

Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt

42 Now (BD)Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2 Then he said, “Look, (BE)I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from [bk]that place, (BF)so that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother (BG)Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “(BH)I am afraid that harm may happen to him.” 5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, (BI)because the famine was also in the land of Canaan.

6 Now (BJ)Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and (BK)bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and (BL)spoke to them harshly. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although (BM)they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph (BN)remembered the dreams which he [bl]had about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the [bm]undefended parts of our land.” 10 And they said to him, “No, (BO)my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man; we are (BP)honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12 Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the [bn]undefended parts of our land!” 13 But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with (BQ)our father today, and (BR)one is no longer alive.” 14 Yet Joseph said to them, “It is as I said [bo]to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be tested: (BS)by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 Send one of you and have him get your brother, while you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, whether there is (BT)truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, you are certainly spies!” 17 So he put them all together in (BU)prison for three days.

18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for (BV)I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in [bp]your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and (BW)bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “(BX)Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; for that reason this distress has happened to us.” 22 Reuben answered them, saying, “(BY)Did I not tell [bq]you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? [br](BZ)Now justice for his blood is required.” 23 They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and (CA)wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he (CB)took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 (CC)Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, but also to return every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And that is what was done for them.

26 So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there. 27 But when one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the overnight campsite, he saw his (CD)money; and behold, it was in the opening of his sack! 28 So he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and look, it is right in my sack!” Then their hearts [bs]sank, and they turned [bt]trembling to one another, saying, “(CE)What is this that God has done to us?”

Simeon Is Held Hostage

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, (CF)spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are (CG)honest men; we are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ 33 But the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘(CH)By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so that I may know that you are not spies, but [bu]honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may (CI)trade in the land.’”

35 Now it came about, as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, (CJ)every man’s bag of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bags of money, they were afraid. 36 And their father Jacob said to them, “You have (CK)deprived me of my sons: Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone, and now you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.” 37 Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my [bv]care, and I will return him to you.” 38 But [bw]Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his (CL)brother is dead, and he alone is left. (CM)If harm should happen to him on the journey [bx]you are taking, then you will (CN)bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 40:4 Lit ministered to
  2. Genesis 40:4 Lit days
  3. Genesis 40:6 Or And
  4. Genesis 40:6 Lit and behold
  5. Genesis 40:7 Lit saying, Why
  6. Genesis 40:8 Lit dreamed
  7. Genesis 40:9 Lit and said
  8. Genesis 40:9 Lit and behold
  9. Genesis 40:11 Lit palm
  10. Genesis 40:13 I.e., a royal gesture of forgiveness
  11. Genesis 40:14 Lit remember me with yourself
  12. Genesis 40:14 Lit and mention
  13. Genesis 40:14 Lit house
  14. Genesis 40:15 Or pit
  15. Genesis 40:17 Lit food for Pharaoh made by a baker
  16. Genesis 40:21 Lit wine-pouring
  17. Genesis 40:21 Lit palm
  18. Genesis 41:2 Lit fat of flesh
  19. Genesis 41:3 Lit thin of flesh
  20. Genesis 41:4 Lit thin of flesh
  21. Genesis 41:8 Lit dream
  22. Genesis 41:9 Or sins
  23. Genesis 41:11 Lit I and he
  24. Genesis 41:13 Lit him
  25. Genesis 41:15 Lit about you, saying
  26. Genesis 41:15 Lit you hear a dream to interpret it
  27. Genesis 41:16 Lit Apart from me
  28. Genesis 41:16 Lit answer the peace of Pharaoh
  29. Genesis 41:18 Lit fat of flesh
  30. Genesis 41:19 Lit bad
  31. Genesis 41:19 Lit thin of flesh
  32. Genesis 41:19 Lit badness
  33. Genesis 41:21 Lit entered their inward parts
  34. Genesis 41:21 Or known
  35. Genesis 41:21 Lit entered their inward parts
  36. Genesis 41:21 Lit and
  37. Genesis 41:21 Lit in the beginning
  38. Genesis 41:25 Lit dream is
  39. Genesis 41:26 Lit dream is
  40. Genesis 41:28 Lit That is the thing which I spoke
  41. Genesis 41:30 Lit arise
  42. Genesis 41:30 Lit destroy
  43. Genesis 41:34 Lit over
  44. Genesis 41:37 Lit word
  45. Genesis 41:37 Lit in the sight of
  46. Genesis 41:37 Lit in the sight of
  47. Genesis 41:40 Lit over
  48. Genesis 41:40 Lit kiss your mouth; LXX obey at your command
  49. Genesis 41:43 Lit the second...which was his
  50. Genesis 41:43 Or Make way
  51. Genesis 41:44 Lit you no one
  52. Genesis 41:45 Prob. Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives”
  53. Genesis 41:45 Or Heliopolis
  54. Genesis 41:46 Or entered the service of
  55. Genesis 41:47 Lit by handfuls
  56. Genesis 41:49 Lit very much
  57. Genesis 41:49 Lit numbering
  58. Genesis 41:49 Or without number
  59. Genesis 41:50 Or Heliopolis
  60. Genesis 41:51 I.e., making to forget
  61. Genesis 41:52 I.e., fruitfulness
  62. Genesis 41:56 Lit that which was in them
  63. Genesis 42:2 Lit there
  64. Genesis 42:9 Lit had dreamed
  65. Genesis 42:9 Lit nakedness of the land
  66. Genesis 42:12 Lit nakedness of the land
  67. Genesis 42:14 Lit to you, saying
  68. Genesis 42:19 Lit the house of your prison
  69. Genesis 42:22 Lit you, saying,
  70. Genesis 42:22 Lit And behold, his blood also is required
  71. Genesis 42:28 Lit went out
  72. Genesis 42:28 Lit trembled
  73. Genesis 42:34 Lit you are honest
  74. Genesis 42:37 Lit hand
  75. Genesis 42:38 Lit he
  76. Genesis 42:38 Lit on which you are going
Listen to Genesis 40-42
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Genesis 40-42
New International Version

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40 Some time later, the cupbearer(A) and the baker(B) of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry(C) with his two officials,(D) the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,(E) in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard(F) assigned them to Joseph,(G) and he attended them.

After they had been in custody(H) for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream(I) the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(J)

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody(K) with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”(L)

8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”(M)

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?(N) Tell me your dreams.”

9 So the chief cupbearer(O) told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed,(P) and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

12 “This is what it means,(Q)” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days.(R) 13 Within three days(S) Pharaoh will lift up your head(T) and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.(U) 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me(V) and show me kindness;(W) mention me to Pharaoh(X) and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews,(Y) and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”(Z)

16 When the chief baker(AA) saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation,(AB) he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets(AC) of bread.[a] 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days.(AD) 19 Within three days(AE) Pharaoh will lift off your head(AF) and impale your body on a pole.(AG) And the birds will eat away your flesh.”(AH)

20 Now the third day(AI) was Pharaoh’s birthday,(AJ) and he gave a feast for all his officials.(AK) He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker(AL) in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer(AM) to his position,(AN) so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand(AO)— 22 but he impaled the chief baker,(AP) just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.(AQ)

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.(AR)

Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:(AS) He was standing by the Nile,(AT) 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,(AU) and they grazed among the reeds.(AV) 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.(AW)

5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,(AX) 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.(AY) 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;(AZ) it had been a dream.

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

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

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.(BL) When he had shaved(BM) and changed his clothes,(BN) he came before Pharaoh.

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

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

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,(BR) 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.(BS) 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.(BT)”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same.(BU) God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.(BV) 26 The seven good cows(BW) are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.(BX)

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.(BY) 29 Seven years of great abundance(BZ) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine(CA) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.(CB) 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided(CC) by God, and God will do it soon.(CD)

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man(CE) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.(CF) 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners(CG) over the land to take a fifth(CH) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.(CI) 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.(CJ) 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt,(CK) so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.(CL) 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[b]?”(CM)

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,(CN) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.(CO) 40 You shall be in charge of my palace,(CP) and all my people are to submit to your orders.(CQ) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.(CR)”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(CS) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(CT) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(CU) of fine linen(CV) and put a gold chain around his neck.(CW) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(CX) as his second-in-command,[c](CY) and people shouted before him, “Make way[d]!”(CZ) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(DA)

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(DB) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(DC) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(DD) of On,[e](DE) to be his wife.(DF) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old(DG) when he entered the service(DH) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(DI) the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.(DJ) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;(DK) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.(DL) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(DM) Manasseh[f](DN) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[g](DO) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(DP) in the land of my suffering.”

53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine(DQ) began,(DR) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine,(DS) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(DT)

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(DU) for the famine(DV) was severe throughout Egypt.(DW) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(DX) because the famine was severe everywhere.(DY)

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(DZ) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,(EA) so that we may live and not die.”(EB)

3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(EC) from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(ED) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(EE) 5 So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,(EF) for there was famine in the land of Canaan(EG) also.(EH)

6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land,(EI) the person who sold grain to all its people.(EJ) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.(EK) 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.(EL) “Where do you come from?”(EM) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(EN) 9 Then he remembered his dreams(EO) about them and said to them, “You are spies!(EP) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(EQ)

10 “No, my lord,(ER)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.(ES) 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants(ET) are honest men,(EU) not spies.(EV)”

12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(EW)

13 But they replied, “Your servants(EX) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.(EY) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”(EZ)

14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!(FA) 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,(FB) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.(FC) 16 Send one of your number to get your brother;(FD) the rest of you will be kept in prison,(FE) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.(FF) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!(FG)” 17 And he put them all in custody(FH) for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(FI) 19 If you are honest men,(FJ) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(FK) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(FL) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(FM) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.(FN) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(FO) has come on us.”

22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?(FP) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting(FQ) for his blood.”(FR) 23 They did not realize(FS) that Joseph could understand them,(FT) since he was using an interpreter.

24 He turned away from them and began to weep,(FU) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.(FV)

25 Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,(FW) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,(FX) and to give them provisions(FY) for their journey.(FZ) After this was done for them, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys(GA) and left.

27 At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,(GB) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.(GC) 28 “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank(GD) and they turned to each other trembling(GE) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”(GF)

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,(GG) they told him all that had happened to them.(GH) They said, 30 “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us(GI) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.(GJ) 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.(GK) 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’(GL)

33 “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.(GM) 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.(GN) Then I will give your brother back to you,(GO) and you can trade[h] in the land.(GP)’”

35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!(GQ) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.(GR) 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,(GS) and now you want to take Benjamin.(GT) Everything is against me!(GU)”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,(GV) and I will bring him back.”(GW)

38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead(GX) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him(GY) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(GZ) in sorrow.(HA)”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 40:16 Or three wicker baskets
  2. Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
  3. Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
  4. Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
  5. Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
  6. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
  7. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.
  8. Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely
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Genesis 39
Genesis 43
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