Genesis 41
Revised Geneva Translation
41 And two years later, Pharaoh also dreamed. And behold, he stood by a river.
2 And lo, seven cows came up out of the river, good-looking and fat-fleshed. And they fed in a meadow.
3 And lo, seven other cows came up out of the river after them, sickly and lean-fleshed, and stood by the cows upon the edge of the river.
4 And the sickly and lean-fleshed cows ate up the seven good-looking and fat cows. So, Pharaoh awoke.
5 Again he slept and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk, plump and good.
6 And lo, seven thin ears, blasted with the east wind, sprang up after them.
7 And the thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke; and lo, it was a dream.
8 Now, when the morning came, his spirit was troubled. Therefore, he sent and called all the soothsayers of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof. And Pharaoh told them his dreams. But no one could interpret them for Pharaoh.
9 Then, the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I call to mind my faults this day.
10 “Pharaoh, being angry with his servants, put me in ward in the chief steward’s house (me and the chief baker).
11 “Then, one night, we both dreamed a dream. We each dreamed a dream with its own interpretation.
12 “And there was a young man with us, a Hebrew, servant to the chief steward; whom, when we told them, he interpreted our dreams for us. He interpreted both of our dreams.
13 “And as he interpreted, so it happened; for he restored me to my office and hanged him.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. And they quickly brought him out of prison; and he shaved him and changed his clothing 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 tell of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “God shall answer for the wealth of Pharaoh without me.”
17 And Pharaoh said to 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 good-looking cows. And they fed in the meadow.
19 “Also, lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very sickly cows, and lean-fleshed. I never saw such sickliness in all the land of Egypt.
20 “And the lean and the sickly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
21 “And after they had eaten them up, one could not tell that they had eaten them, because they were still as sickly as they were at the beginning. So, I awoke.
22 “Moreover, I saw in my dream; and behold, seven ears sprang out of one stalk, full and fair.
23 “And lo, seven withered ears, thin, 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 of them can interpret it for me.”
25 Then, Joseph answered Pharaoh, “Both Pharaoh’s dreams are one. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 “The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years. This is one dream.
27 “Likewise, the seven thin and sickly cows 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 to Pharaoh: that God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 “Behold, there comes seven years of great plenty in all the land of Egypt.
30 “Then, 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 “Nor shall the plenty be remembered in the land, because of this famine that shall come after; for it shall be exceedingly great.
32 “And therefore, the dream was doubled to Pharaoh a second time, because the thing is established by God; and God hurries to perform it.
33 “Now, therefore, let Pharaoh 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 collect a fifth 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 store corn for food in the cities, under the hand of Pharaoh; 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, so that the land does not perish by famine.”
37 And the saying pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all this, there is no man of understanding or wisdom like you.
40 “You shall be over my house. And at your word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the king’s throne will I be above you.”
41 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a golden chain around his neck.
43 So, he sat him upon the best chariot that he had, except one. And they cried before him, “Abrech,” and placed him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Again, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. And no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in the land of Egypt without you.”
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name “Zaphnath-Paaneah”. And he gave him Asenath as wife, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, Prince of On. Then Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, King of Egypt. And Joseph, leaving the presence of Pharaoh, went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 And in the seven plenteous years, the earth brought forth abundantly.
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, which was outside the cities, he laid up in the same.
49 So Joseph gathered wheat like the sand of the sea in multitude, out of measure, until he stopped counting (for it was without number).
50 Now, two sons were born to Joseph before the year of famine came. Which Asenath (the daughter of Poti-Pherah, prince of On) bore to him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn “Manasseh”. “For God,” said he, “has made me forget all my labor and all my father’s household.”
52 Also, he called the name of the second, “Ephraim”. “For God,” said he, “has 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 Then, the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. And the famine was in all lands. But bread was in all the land of Egypt.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph! And do whatever he says!”
56 When the famine was upon all the land, Joseph opened all the storage places and sold to the Egyptians; for the famine grew severe in the land of Egypt.
57 And all the countries came to Egypt to buy corn from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Genesis 41
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.”
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, (U)in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. 18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven [a]heads came up on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24 And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So (V)I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; (W)God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good [b]heads are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are (X)seven years of famine. 28 (Y)This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Indeed (Z)seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; 30 but after them seven years of famine will (AA)arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine (AB)will deplete the land. 31 So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. 32 And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the (AC)thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint [c]officers over the land, (AD)to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 And (AE)let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the [d]authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then that food shall be as a [e]reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land (AF)may not [f]perish during the famine.”
Joseph’s Rise to Power
37 So (AG)the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man (AH)in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 (AI)You shall be [g]over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have (AJ)set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh (AK)took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he (AL)clothed him in garments of fine linen (AM)and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second (AN)chariot which he had; (AO)and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him (AP)over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name [h]Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife (AQ)Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he (AR)stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth [i]abundantly. 48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. 49 Joseph gathered very much grain, (AS)as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.
50 (AT)And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn [j]Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my (AU)father’s house.” 52 And the name of the second he called [k]Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be (AV)fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, 54 (AW)and the seven years of famine began to come, (AX)as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; (AY)whatever he says to you, do.” 56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened [l]all the storehouses and (AZ)sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. 57 (BA)So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to (BB)buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:22 Heads of grain
- Genesis 41:26 Heads of grain
- Genesis 41:34 overseers
- Genesis 41:35 Lit. hand
- Genesis 41:36 Lit. supply
- Genesis 41:36 be cut off
- Genesis 41:40 In charge of
- Genesis 41:45 Probably Egyptian for God Speaks and He Lives
- Genesis 41:47 Lit. by handfuls
- Genesis 41:51 Lit. Making Forgetful
- Genesis 41:52 Lit. Fruitfulness
- Genesis 41:56 Lit. all that was in them
Génesis 41
Palabra de Dios para Todos
Los sueños del faraón
41 Dos años más tarde, el faraón soñó que estaba de pie al lado del río Nilo. 2 Del río salieron siete vacas hermosas y gordas que se pararon a comer pasto. 3 Después salieron del río otras siete vacas, feas y flacas, que se pararon al lado de las otras vacas en la orilla del Nilo. 4 Entonces las vacas feas y flacas se comieron a las vacas hermosas y sanas. Luego el faraón se despertó.
5 Después el faraón se volvió a quedar dormido y tuvo un segundo sueño: había siete espigas de trigo, gordas y buenas, creciendo en un mismo tallo. 6 Después crecieron siete espigas más, flacas y quemadas por los vientos del oriente. 7 Luego las espigas flacas se tragaron a las espigas gordas y llenas. Entonces, el rey se volvió a despertar y se dio cuenta de que todo había sido un sueño. 8 A la mañana siguiente estaba preocupado, así que mandó llamar a los magos y a los sabios de Egipto, y les contó su sueño, pero ninguno de ellos se lo pudo interpretar.
9 Entonces el jefe de los coperos le dijo al faraón:
—Hoy me acuerdo de lo mal que me he portado. 10 Una vez el faraón estaba enojado conmigo, su siervo, y me mandó a prisión junto con el jefe de los panaderos. 11 Él y yo, tuvimos cada uno un sueño la misma noche, cada uno con su propio significado. 12 Había un joven hebreo ahí con nosotros, siervo del capitán de la guardia. Le contamos nuestros sueños y él nos explicó el significado del sueño de cada uno. 13 Todo resultó tal como él nos lo había dicho. Yo recuperé mi antiguo empleo, pero al otro lo colgaron.
14 Entonces el faraón mandó a llamar a José y rápidamente lo sacaron del hueco. José se afeitó, se cambió la ropa y se presentó ante el rey. 15 El faraón le dijo:
—Tuve un sueño y no hay quién me lo pueda interpretar, pero he oído que cuando tú escuchas un sueño, lo puedes explicar.
16 José le respondió al faraón:
—¡Yo no puedo! Pero tal vez Dios se lo pueda explicar.
17 Entonces el faraón le contó:
—En mi sueño estaba yo parado al lado del río Nilo. 18 De repente, del río salieron siete vacas gordas y hermosas que se pararon a pastar. 19 Después salieron del río otras vacas que se veían muy mal, feas y flacas. Nunca he visto vacas tan feas en todo Egipto. 20 Luego las vacas flacas y feas se comieron a las primeras siete vacas, las gordas. 21 Pero no se les notaba que se habían comido a las otras vacas ya que seguían estando igual de flacas y feas. En ese momento me desperté.
22 »Después vi en mi sueño que había siete espigas de trigo, llenas y hermosas, que crecían en un mismo tallo. 23 Después crecieron siete espigas secas y quemadas por los vientos del este. 24 Luego las espigas secas se tragaron a las espigas llenas y hermosas. Les conté esto a mis magos y nadie me pudo decir su significado.
25 Entonces José le dijo al rey:
—Estos dos sueños son sobre lo mismo. Dios está tratando de decirle lo que él va a hacer pronto. 26 Las siete vacas hermosas y las siete espigas hermosas son siete años. Es el mismo sueño. 27 Las siete vacas flacas y feas que salieron después son siete años, igual que las siete espigas quemadas y secas. Esos son siete años de escasez. 28 Dios le está mostrando lo que él va a hacer pronto. 29 Durante siete años habrá abundancia de comida en toda la tierra de Egipto. 30 Después de esos siete años vendrán otros siete años de escasez. La gente de Egipto se olvidará de toda la gran cantidad de comida que había antes. La escasez destruirá al país. 31 La abundancia quedará en el olvido porque la escasez que vendrá después va a ser muy fuerte.
32 »Y el significado de haber tenido dos sueños repetidos es este: Dios ya decidió que va a hacer esto y todo va a comenzar a suceder muy pronto. 33 Entonces el faraón debe buscar un hombre sabio e inteligente para ponerlo a cargo de Egipto. 34 Después el faraón debe asignar gente que recoja una quinta parte de lo que produzca Egipto en los siete años de abundancia. 35 Deben recolectar toda la comida de estos años buenos que vienen, almacenar el grano bajo el control del faraón en ciudades determinadas y cuidarlo. 36 Esta comida va a ser una reserva para el país para los siete años de escasez que caerán sobre Egipto. De esta manera no se destruirá el país.
37 El faraón y todos sus ministros aprobaron la propuesta. 38 Luego el faraón les dijo a sus ministros:
—¿Podríamos encontrar a otro hombre como este, que tenga el espíritu de Dios en él?
39 Entonces el faraón le dijo a José:
—Como Dios te ha mostrado todo esto a ti, no existe nadie más sabio e inteligente que tú. 40 Tú estarás a cargo de mi palacio y toda mi gente obedecerá tus órdenes. El faraón será el único con más poder que tú.
41 Después el faraón le dijo a José:
—Mira, te he puesto a cargo de toda la tierra de Egipto.
42 Luego el faraón se quitó el anillo real de su mano y se lo colocó en la mano a José. Lo vistió con ropa muy fina y le colgó una cadena de oro en el cuello. 43 Lo hizo montar en la segunda carroza real y la gente gritaba frente a él: «¡Abran paso!»
Entonces así, el rey lo puso a cargo de toda la tierra de Egipto. 44 El faraón le dijo a José:
—Yo soy el faraón, pero sin tu autorización nadie levantará una mano ni un pie en toda la tierra de Egipto.
45 Después el faraón le puso el nombre de Zafenat Panea[a] a José. También le dio como esposa a Asenat, la hija de Potifera, sacerdote de la ciudad de On. Entonces José quedó al frente de Egipto. 46 José tenía 30 años cuando empezó a servir al faraón, el rey de Egipto. Se fue de la presencia del faraón y viajó por toda la tierra de Egipto. 47 Durante los siete años de abundancia, la tierra produjo bastante. 48 Él juntó todo el alimento de los siete años en que hubo abundancia en la tierra de Egipto, y lo almacenó en las ciudades. En cada ciudad almacenó el alimento de los campos que la rodeaban. 49 Entonces José almacenó mucho trigo, tanto como la arena del mar. Había tanto que dejó de medirlo, porque no se podía medir.
50 Antes de los años de escasez, José tuvo dos hijos con Asenat, hija de Potifera el sacerdote de la ciudad de On. 51 José llamó a su primer hijo Manasés[b] porque dijo: «Dios me hizo olvidar todos mis sufrimientos y a la familia de mi papá». 52 A su segundo hijo lo llamó Efraín[c] pues dijo: «Dios me ha dado hijos en la tierra en que he sufrido».
53 Los siete años de abundancia en la tierra de Egipto terminaron. 54 Y los siete años de escasez comenzaron a llegar tal como José lo había dicho. En todos los países había escasez, pero en toda la tierra de Egipto había pan. 55 Cuando la comida empezó a escasear en toda la tierra de Egipto, la gente comenzó a implorar pan al faraón. El faraón les dijo: «Vayan a ver a José, hagan lo que él les diga».
56 Cuando la escasez se esparció por todo el país, José abrió sus bodegas y comenzó a venderles trigo a los egipcios. La escasez era muy grande en todo Egipto. 57 Gente de todo el mundo fue a Egipto a comprarle trigo a José, ya que era muy grande la escasez en todo el mundo.
Footnotes
- 41:45 Zafenat Panea Este nombre egipcio probablemente significa conservador de vida, pero es similar a la palabra hebrea que significa el que explica cosas secretas.
- 41:51 Manasés Este nombre es similar a la palabra hebrea que significa olvidar.
- 41:52 Efraín Este nombre es similar a la palabra hebrea que significa doblemente fructífero.
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