Genesis 41:1-36

Modern English Version

Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 After two whole years, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the Nile. ² Seven fine-looking and fattened cows suddenly came up out of the river, and they grazed in the meadow. ³ Then seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the riverbank. ⁴ The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine-looking and fattened cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

⁵ He slept and dreamed a second time. Seven ears of grain suddenly came up on one stalk, plump and good. ⁶ Then seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. ⁷ The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

⁸ In the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “Today I remember my offenses. ¹⁰ Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in confinement in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker. ¹¹ And we had a dream in the same night, he and I. We, each of us, dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. ¹² A young Hebrew man was with us there, a servant to the captain of the guard. We told him and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he interpreted according to his own dream. ¹³ It happened just as he interpreted. He restored me to my position, and the baker was hanged.”

¹⁴ So Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh.

¹⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it.”

¹⁶ Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I stood on the bank of the Nile. ¹⁸ And suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fattened and fine-looking, and they grazed in the reeds. ¹⁹ Then seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt. I have never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰ And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. ²¹ And when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke.

²² “I also saw in my dreams seven ears of grain, full and good, suddenly come up on one stalk. ²³ Then seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. ²⁴ And the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So 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 and the same. 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. The dreams are one. ²⁷ The seven gaunt and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.

²⁸ “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁹ Seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt. ³⁰ However, there will arise after them seven years of famine. All the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will consume the land. ³¹ The abundance will be unknown in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. ³² The reason the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice is because the matter is established by God, and God will soon bring it to pass.

³³ “Now, therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a man who is discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officials over the land and collect the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven abundant years. ³⁵ Let them gather all the food from those good years that come and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. ³⁶ This food will be for a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish during the famine.”