²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has revealed 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 dreams are one. ²⁷ The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind. They are seven years of famine.^{(A) 28} It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.^{(B) 29} There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.^{(C) 30} After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land.^{(D) 31} The plenty will no longer be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very grievous. ³² And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.^{(E) 33} Now therefore let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt.

Joseph’s Rise to Power

³⁷ The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. ³⁸ Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone else like this, one in whom is the spirit of God?”^{(A) 39} So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰ You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”^(B)

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.^{(A) 51} Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,^[a] “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” ⁵² The second he named Ephraim,^[b] “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.”^(B)