Genesis 41

1After two full years had passed, Pharaoh dreamed, and there he stood by the river.

2And look, seven cows, beautiful in appearance and fat-fleshed, came up out of the river and grazed in the meadow.

3Behold, seven other ugly-looking, thin-fleshed cows came up after them from the river and stood beside the cows on the riverbank.

4The ugly, lean-fleshed cows devoured the seven beautiful, fat cows, and Pharaoh awoke.

5He slept and dreamed again, and look, seven ears of grain came up on one stalk, plump and beautiful.

6Behold, seven thin ears, blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them.

7The thin ears devoured the seven fat and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and look, it was a dream.

8That morning his spirit was disturbed, so he sent and called all Egypt's magicians and all its wise men; Pharaoh recounted his dream to them, but no one could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9The chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "Today I remember my sins."

10Pharaoh grew angry with his servants and placed me in custody in the captain of the guard's house, me and the chief baker.

11I and he dreamed a dream one night; we each dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream.

12A young Hebrew man, a servant to the captain of the guard, was with us there, and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them to us—to each man according to his dream.

13It came about just as he interpreted to us: he restored me to my position and hanged him.

14Pharaoh sent and summoned Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon, and he shaved, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh.

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who interprets it. I have heard about you that you hear a dream to interpret it."

16Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not from me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

17Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, there I stood on the edge of the river."

18And look, seven cows came up from the river, fat in flesh and beautiful in form, and they grazed in the reeds.

19And look, seven other cows came up after them, gaunt and very ugly in appearance and thin-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.

20The thin and ugly cows devoured the first seven fat cows.

21They entered their midst, but it was not known that they had entered it, and their appearance was ugly, as at the beginning. I awoke.

22I saw in my dream, and there were seven ears of grain rising on one stalk, full and good.

23And behold, seven ears sprouted after them—withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind.

24The thin ears devoured the seven good ears. I told the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.

25Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dream is one. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do."

26The seven fine cows—these—are seven years, and the seven fine ears of grain—these—are seven years; the dream is one.

27The seven lean 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.

28This is the matter that I told Pharaoh—what God is about to do, he has shown to Pharaoh.

29See, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt.

30Seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will consume the land.

31The abundance will not be known in the land because of that famine that follows it, for it will be very severe.

32The dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the matter stands firm by God, and God hastens to carry it out.

33Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man and appoint him over the land of Egypt.

34Let Pharaoh appoint overseers over the land and take one fifth of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.

35Let them gather all the food of these good coming years and heap up grain under Pharaoh's hand for food in the cities, and let them guard it.

36The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish in the famine.

37The matter was acceptable in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

38Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"

39Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, no one is as discerning and wise as you."

40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall obey your command; only on the throne will I be greater than you.

41Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

42Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain on his neck.

43He had him ride in his second chariot. They called out before him, "Bow the knee!" He appointed him over all the land of Egypt.

44Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without you no man will lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt."

45Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphnath-paaneah and gave him Asenath, daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On, as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from before Pharaoh and passed through all the land of Egypt.

47In the seven years of abundance, the earth produced handfuls.

48He gathered all the food of the seven years that were in the land of Egypt and put food in the cities: the food of the field around each city he put within it.

49Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, exceedingly abundantly, until he ceased counting, for there was no number.

50Two sons were born to Joseph before the year of famine came, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera priest of On bore to him.

51Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, for God has made me forget all my labor and all my father's house.

52He called the name of the second Ephraim, for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

53The seven years of abundance that were in the land of Egypt ended.

54The seven years of famine began arriving, as Joseph had said. Famine was in all the lands, but bread was in all the land of Egypt.

55All the land of Egypt grew famished, and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; do whatever he tells you."

56The famine was over the face of the whole earth. Joseph opened all that they contained and sold to the Egyptians, and the famine grew severe in the land of Egypt.

57All countries came to Egypt to buy from Joseph because the famine was severe in all the land.