Genesis 41
The Voice
Although the text is not clear, the chief baker dies a particularly gruesome death. The way the story is told, Pharaoh lifts up the baker’s head—a gesture which would seem to signal royal favor—but in the next treacherous instant, his head is removed. Then his lifeless corpse is impaled on a tree, exposed to the elements. Because the body is left to rot outside and be eaten by birds—instead of being carefully embalmed and entombed—the Egyptians believe the victim’s soul can never enter the afterlife. This is the worst form of capital punishment, leaving the cupbearer to fear not only death but also eternal oblivion.
41 Two years later, Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River, 2 and out of the Nile came seven healthy, fat cows. They all grazed in the grassy reeds at the river’s edge. 3 Then, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile and stood by them on the bank of the river. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows. And then Pharaoh woke up, startled.
5 Again he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. This time, seven ears of grain, all plump and fine, were growing on one stalk. 6 Then seven other ears that were shriveled and burnt by the east wind sprouted up after them. 7 The shriveled ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh woke up again, realizing it was only a dream.
8 In the morning he felt uneasy, so he sent for all of the magicians and all of the wise men of Egypt to come and consult with him. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. They had no idea what they could mean.
9 The chief cupbearer remembered Joseph, so he went to Pharaoh.
Cupbearer: I am reminded today of something I did wrong. 10 Once when Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 One night we both had a dream. The dreams were unique, and their interpretations were also unique. 12 There was a young Hebrew there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him our dreams, he interpreted them for us. 13 Things turned out exactly as he had interpreted them: I was restored to my office, and the baker was impaled.
14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph, hoping he could also interpret Pharaoh’s dream. His officers rushed to the dungeon to get Joseph ready to meet the king. After he had been allowed to shave and change his clothes, he was brought before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh (to Joseph): 15 I’ve had a dream, and I can’t find anyone who can tell me what it means. But I’ve heard that when someone tells you a dream, you are able to interpret it.
Joseph: 16 I cannot do this, but God will answer Pharaoh’s request and relieve your concerns.
Pharaoh: 17 In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile River, 18 and seven healthy, fat cows came up out of the Nile River and grazed in the grassy reeds at the river’s edge. 19 Then seven other cows came up after them. They were miserable, very ugly and thin. Never had I seen such horrible-looking cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 Anyway, the thin, ugly cows ate the first seven fat cows. 21 But after they had eaten them, no one would have known they had done so because they were still as ugly as before. Then I woke up. 22 I fell asleep and dreamed a second time. I saw in this dream seven ears of grain, all plump and fine, growing on one stalk. 23 And then seven ears that were withered, shriveled up, and burnt by the east wind sprouted after them. 24 The thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. When I told the magicians about these dreams, there was no one who could explain them to me.
Joseph (to Pharaoh): 25 Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same. God is revealing to Pharaoh what He is going to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years and the seven good ears are the same seven years—years of plenty. Both dreams tell one story. 27 The seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are also seven years, as are the seven thin ears burnt by the east wind. These are seven years of famine. 28 As I told Pharaoh, God is showing Pharaoh what He means to do and what will come. 29 There will be seven years of great abundance throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 But after that, there will be seven years of famine. Whatever abundance was once enjoyed will be totally forgotten, because the famine will consume the land. 31 The famine will be so severe that no one will know what it is like to have enough of anything. 32 The doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means this future is fixed by God, and He will make it happen very soon.
33 My advice is that Pharaoh should select someone who is wise and discerning and put him in charge of the land of Egypt during this time. 34 Pharaoh should appoint officers over the land and direct them to take one-fifth of all that the land of Egypt produces during the seven abundant years, 35 gather it together, store it up, and guard it under Pharaoh’s authority. That way each city will have a supply of food. 36 The food would then be held in reserve for the people during the seven years of famine that are sure to come to Egypt. In this way, the people of Egypt will not starve to death during the famine.
37 Pharaoh and all his advisors liked Joseph’s suggestion.
Pharaoh (to his advisors): 38 Is there anyone else you know like Joseph who has the Spirit of God within him?
39 (to Joseph) Since God has shown all of this to you, I can’t imagine anyone wiser and more discerning than you. 40 Therefore you will be in charge of my household. All of my people will report to you and do as you say. Only I, because I sit on the throne, will be greater than you. 41 I hereby appoint you head over all of the land of Egypt.
42 As a symbol of his power, Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s. Then he dressed him in fine linens and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command, and servants ordered everyone, “Kneel!” as he rode by. So this was how Pharaoh appointed Joseph head over all of the land of Egypt. 44 But Pharaoh had one more declaration.
Pharaoh (to Joseph): I am Pharaoh, and I decree that no one may do anything in the land of Egypt without your consent.
45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah, and arranged for him to marry an Egyptian woman, Asenath (daughter of Potiphera, priest of On). So this was how Joseph gained authority over all the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh wants there to be no doubt that Joseph is his second-in-command. So he holds a formal ceremony and presents Joseph with special gifts, symbols of high office and power. He gives Joseph his signet ring, mounted with Pharaoh’s personal seal. He dresses him in royal garb and provides him with the finest chariot available. He issues decrees that put Joseph in charge of all affairs in Egypt. Finally, to top it off and to make sure this son of Israel would be fully accepted into Egyptian society, he gives him an Egyptian name and arranges a marriage with a high-profile priestly family. Just a few hours before, Joseph was a prisoner. Now he is in charge of all the land.
46 Now Joseph was 30 years old when he entered into Pharaoh’s service. He left the king of Egypt’s presence to travel throughout the land. 47 For seven years—the years of plenty—the land produced abundantly. 48 Joseph gathered up all of the food he could during those seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt and stored the grain in the cities. He arranged for every city to store the food grown in local fields. 49 And he stored up so much grain—as much as the grains of sand on the seashore—that he stopped measuring it. It was more than anyone could measure!
50 Now before the famine began, Joseph had two sons by his wife Asenath (daughter of Potiphera, priest of On). 51 Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because he said, “God has made me forget all about my hardship and all of my father’s family.” 52 He named the second son Ephraim, because as he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune.”
53 Eventually, the seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine settled in, just as Joseph had predicted. Although the famine extended to all the surrounding lands, in Egypt there was still food stored away in the cities. 55 When the people in Egypt became famished, they appealed to Pharaoh for food; and Pharaoh directed them all to Joseph.
Pharaoh: Go to Joseph, and do what he tells you to do.
56 So when the famine had spread across the land of Egypt, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. But he waited until the famine had become severe in the land. 57 When the surrounding peoples heard Egypt still had food, they journeyed to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because by this time the entire world was in the grip of a severe famine.
Génesis 41
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)
Los sueños del faraón
41 Dos años más tarde, el faraón tuvo un sueño: Estaba de pie junto al río Nilo 2 cuando, de pronto, del río salieron siete vacas hermosas y gordas que se pusieron a pastar entre los juncos. 3 Detrás de ellas salieron otras siete vacas, feas y flacas, que se pararon a orillas del Nilo, junto a las primeras. 4 ¡Y las vacas feas y flacas se comieron a las vacas hermosas y gordas!
En ese momento el faraón se despertó. 5 Pero volvió a dormirse, y tuvo otro sueño: Siete espigas de trigo, grandes y hermosas, crecían de un solo tallo. 6 Tras ellas brotaban otras siete espigas, delgadas y quemadas por el viento solano. 7 ¡Y las siete espigas delgadas se comían a las espigas grandes y hermosas!
En eso el faraón se despertó y se dio cuenta de que solo era un sueño. 8 Sin embargo, a la mañana siguiente se levantó muy preocupado, mandó llamar a todos los magos y sabios de Egipto, y les contó los dos sueños. Pero nadie se los pudo interpretar. 9 Entonces el jefe de los coperos le dijo al faraón: «Ahora me doy cuenta del grave error que he cometido. 10 Cuando el faraón se enojó con sus servidores, es decir, conmigo y con el jefe de los panaderos, nos mandó a la cárcel, bajo la custodia del capitán de la guardia. 11 Una misma noche, los dos tuvimos un sueño, cada sueño con su propio significado. 12 Allí, con nosotros, había un joven hebreo, esclavo del capitán de la guardia. Le contamos nuestros sueños, y a cada uno nos interpretó el sueño. 13 ¡Y todo sucedió tal como él lo había interpretado! A mí me restituyeron mi cargo, y al jefe de los panaderos lo ahorcaron».
14 El faraón mandó llamar a José, y en seguida lo sacaron de la cárcel. Después de afeitarse y cambiarse de ropa, José se presentó ante el faraón, 15 quien le dijo:
―Tuve un sueño que nadie ha podido interpretar. Pero me he enterado de que, cuando tú oyes un sueño, eres capaz de interpretarlo.
16 ―No soy yo quien puede hacerlo —respondió José—, sino que es Dios quien le dará al faraón una respuesta favorable.
17 El faraón le contó a José lo siguiente:
―En mi sueño, estaba yo de pie a orillas del río Nilo. 18 De pronto, salieron del río siete vacas gordas y hermosas, y se pusieron a pastar entre los juncos. 19 Detrás de ellas salieron otras siete vacas, feas y flacas. ¡Jamás se habían visto vacas tan raquíticas en toda la tierra de Egipto! 20 Y las siete vacas feas y flacas se comieron a las siete vacas gordas. 21 Pero, después de habérselas comido, no se les notaba en lo más mínimo, porque seguían tan feas como antes. Entonces me desperté.
22 »Después tuve otro sueño: Siete espigas de trigo, grandes y hermosas, crecían de un solo tallo. 23 Tras ellas brotaron otras siete espigas marchitas, delgadas y quemadas por el viento solano. 24 Las siete espigas delgadas se comieron a las espigas grandes y hermosas. Todo esto se lo conté a los magos, pero ninguno de ellos me lo pudo interpretar».
25 José le explicó al faraón:
―En realidad, los dos sueños del faraón son uno solo. Dios le ha anunciado lo que él va a hacer. 26 Las siete vacas hermosas y las siete espigas hermosas son siete años. Se trata del mismo sueño. 27 Y las siete vacas flacas y feas, que salieron detrás de las otras, y las siete espigas delgadas y quemadas por el viento solano, son también siete años. Pero estos serán siete años de hambre.
28 »Tal como le he dicho al faraón, Dios le está mostrando lo que va a hacer. 29 Van a venir siete años de mucha abundancia en todo Egipto, 30 a los que les seguirán siete años de hambre, que harán olvidar toda la abundancia que antes hubo. ¡El hambre acabará con Egipto! 31 Tan terrible será el hambre que nadie se acordará de la abundancia que antes hubo en el país. 32 El faraón tuvo el mismo sueño dos veces porque Dios ha resuelto firmemente hacer esto, y lo llevará a cabo muy pronto.
33 »Por todo esto, el faraón debería buscar un hombre competente y sabio, para que se haga cargo de la tierra de Egipto. 34 Además, el faraón debería nombrar inspectores en todo Egipto, para que durante los siete años de abundancia recauden la quinta parte de la cosecha en todo el país. 35 Bajo el control del faraón, esos inspectores deberán juntar el grano de los años buenos que vienen y almacenarlo en las ciudades, para que haya una reserva de alimento. 36 Este alimento almacenado le servirá a Egipto para los siete años de hambre que sufrirá, y así la gente del país no morirá de hambre».
37 Al faraón y a sus servidores les pareció bueno el plan. 38 Entonces el faraón les preguntó a sus servidores:
―¿Podremos encontrar una persona así, en quien repose el espíritu de Dios?
39 Luego le dijo a José:
―Puesto que Dios te ha revelado todo esto, no hay nadie más competente y sabio que tú. 40 Quedarás a cargo de mi palacio, y todo mi pueblo cumplirá tus órdenes. Solo yo tendré más autoridad que tú, porque soy el rey.
José, gobernador de Egipto
41 Así que el faraón le informó a José:
―Mira, yo te pongo a cargo de todo el territorio de Egipto.
42 De inmediato, el faraón se quitó el anillo oficial y se lo puso a José. Hizo que lo vistieran con ropas de lino fino y que le pusieran un collar de oro en el cuello. 43 Después lo invitó a subirse al carro reservado para el segundo en autoridad, y ordenó que gritaran: «¡Inclinaos!» Fue así como el faraón puso a José al frente de todo el territorio de Egipto.
44 Entonces el faraón le dijo:
―Yo soy el faraón, pero nadie en todo Egipto podrá hacer nada sin tu permiso.
45 Y le cambió el nombre a José, y lo llamó Zafenat Panea; además, le dio por esposa a Asenat, hija de Potifera, sacerdote de la ciudad de On.[a] De este modo quedó José a cargo de Egipto. 46 Tenía treinta años cuando comenzó a trabajar al servicio del faraón, rey de Egipto.
Tan pronto como se retiró José de la presencia del faraón, se dedicó a recorrer todo el territorio de Egipto. 47 Durante los siete años de abundancia, la tierra produjo grandes cosechas, 48 así que José fue recogiendo todo el alimento que se produjo en Egipto durante esos siete años, y lo almacenó en las ciudades. 49 Juntó alimento como quien junta arena del mar, y fue tanto lo que recogió que dejó de contabilizarlo. ¡Ya no había forma de mantener el control!
50 Antes de comenzar el primer año de hambre, José tuvo dos hijos con su esposa Asenat, la hija de Potifera, sacerdote de On. 51 Al primero lo llamó Manasés, porque dijo: «Dios ha hecho que me olvide de todos mis problemas, y de mi casa paterna». 52 Al segundo lo llamó Efraín, porque dijo: «Dios me ha hecho fecundo en esta tierra donde he sufrido».
53 Los siete años de abundancia en Egipto llegaron a su fin 54 y, tal como José lo había anunciado, comenzaron los siete años de hambre, la cual se extendió por todos los países. Pero a lo largo y a lo ancho del territorio de Egipto había alimento. 55 Cuando también en Egipto comenzó a sentirse el hambre, el pueblo clamó al faraón pidiéndole comida. Entonces el faraón le dijo a todo el pueblo de Egipto: «Id a ver a José, y haced lo que él os diga».
56 Cuando ya el hambre se había extendido por todo el territorio, y había arreciado, José abrió los graneros para vender alimento a los egipcios. 57 Además, de todos los países llegaban a Egipto para comprarle alimento a José, porque el hambre cundía ya por todo el mundo.
Footnotes
- 41:45 On. Es decir, Heliópolis (Ciudad del Sol); también en v. 50.
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
Genesis 41
King James Version
41 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee 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 vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48 And 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: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
