Genesis 41:1-16

New King James Version

Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that ^(A)Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. ² Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. ³ Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. ⁴ And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. ⁵ He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. ⁶ Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the ^(B)east wind, sprang up after them. ⁷ And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. ⁸ Now it came to pass in the morning ^(C)that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all ^(D)the magicians of Egypt and all its ^(E)wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

⁹ Then the ^(F)chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day. ¹⁰ When Pharaoh was ^(G)angry with his servants, ^(H)and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker, ^11 (I)we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. ¹² Now there was a young ^(J)Hebrew man with us there, a ^(K)servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he ^(L)interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. ¹³ And it came to pass, just ^(M)as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

^14 (N)Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they ^(O)brought him quickly ^(P)out of the dungeon; and he shaved, ^(Q)changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. ^(R)But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

¹⁶ So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ^(S)“It is not in me; ^(T)God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”