The dreams of Pharaoh
1 ① After two whole years Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile 2when seven cows, sleek and fat, were coming up from the Nile and beginning to feed among the rushes. 3Behind them came seven other cows, lean and scraggy that stood beside the cows already there. 4These devoured the sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5He fell asleep again and had a second dream. He saw growing on one stalk seven ears of corn that were full and ripe. 6And after these, there sprouted seven more ears of corn that were small and scorched by the east wind. 7Now the small ears of corn swallowed the plump and ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke.
8In the morning he was uneasy and called all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. He told his dreams to them but not one among them was able to interpret his dreams. 9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, “This reminds me of my wrongs. 10Pharaoh was angry with his servants and had me put in custody in the house of the captain of the guard and with me the chief baker. 11Once on the same night we both had a dream, each with its own meaning. 12With us was a young Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him our dreams he interpreted them giving to each one its own meaning. 13What he interpreted for us happened. I was restored to my office and the chief baker was hanged.”
14Pharaoh then had Joseph summoned. They took him quickly from the prison, shaved him, changed his clothes and he presented himself to Pharaoh. 15Then Pharaoh addressed him, “I have had a dream which no one can explain; now I have heard that when you hear a dream you are able to interpret it.” 16Joseph replied, “It’s not I but God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17Pharaoh then began telling his dream.
“I was beside the Nile 18when seven fine cows, sleek and fat, came up from the river and began to feed in the rushes. 19Then seven other cows came up behind them. These were poor, scraggy and lean. I had never seen any so ugly in all the land of Egypt. 20The thin, gaunt cows ate up the seven fat cows, 21but after eating them, it was as if they had not eaten them at all because they remained as lean and scraggy as they were before. And then I woke. 22I also saw in my dream seven ears of corn growing on one stalk, full and ripe. 23Then, after them, there sprouted seven ears of corn that were hard and small and withered by the east wind. 24The withered ears of corn swallowed the good ears. I told this to the magicians but none of them could explain its meaning.”
25Then Joseph said, “Pharaoh’s dream is one and the same. Yahweh has just revealed to Pharaoh what he will do. 26The seven fat cows are seven years and the seven good ears as well. It’s one dream! 27The seven lean cows coming after them are seven years as are the seven withered ears of corn scorched by the east wind, and they are seven years of famine. 28As I said to Pharaoh, God is revealing to him what he is about to do. 29There will be seven years of plenty throughout the land of Egypt, 30but they will be followed by seven years of famine. Then the time of abundance will be forgotten and famine will exhaust the land. 31So severe will the famine be that no one will remember the time of plenty.
32If the dream has been repeated twice for Pharaoh it is because God has so determined and will soon make it happen. 33Now it is for Pharaoh to choose an intelligent and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Pharaoh could have supervisors in the land and could levy a tax of one fifth of the produce of the land during the seven years of plenty. 35They must gather all the food of these productive years that are coming and, by the authority of Pharaoh, store grain for food in the towns and keep it. 36This food will be a reserve for the seven years of famine coming to the land of Egypt so that the people will not die of hunger.”
Joseph, the head minister
37The proposal of Joseph pleased Pharaoh and his ministers, and Pharaoh asked them, 38“Where shall we find such a man possessed with the spirit of God?” 39And to Joseph he said, “Since it is to you that God has made knownn all this, there can be no one as intelligent and wise as you. 40You shall be over my house, and all my people will obey your orders. Only I myself will be greater than you.”
41So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42He then took the signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He clothed him in fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43He had him ride in the chariot that was second only to his and they cried out before him, “Make way.” Thus he was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh! Without your consent no one is to raise hand or foot in the whole land of Egypt.” 45Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. After that Joseph traveled throughout the land of Egypt. 46Joseph was thirty years old when he was summoned to the presence of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. After taking his leave of Pharaoh he journeyed through the entire land of Egypt.
47During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly. 48So Joseph gathered up all the food that was produced during these years, storing in each town the food from the fields around it. 49Joseph stored huge quantities of wheat, like the sand from the sea, so much that they lost count of the amount.
50Before the years of famine came, Asenath, Joseph’s wife, had two sons. 51Joseph called the first Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52He called the second by the name of Ephraim, for he said, “God has given me children in the land of my sorrow.”
53When the seven years of plenty throughout the land of Egypt came to an end, 54the seven years of famine began as Joseph had foretold. There was famine in all the countries but bread was to be had in every part of Egypt. 55When the land of Egypt began to suffer from the famine, the people came to Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do as he tells you.” 56When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians for the famine was indeed severe over the land. 57As the famine had worsened throughout the whole world, people came from other countries to buy grain from Joseph.
- Gen 41,1 These dreams and the events accompanying them give us a vivid picture of the situation in Egypt with rains, irrigation and droughts. Hebrew tradition credits Joseph with organizing the storage of surplus grain in Egypt in anticipation of the drought. Joseph's faithfulness and the fact that God never failed him are emphasized. In those days, believers knew little of the beyond which is why it was important for them to show how the just Joseph was rewarded for his perseverance in this life.
