< Genesis 41 >

1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and look, he was standing by the Nile.
After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
2 And look, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.
when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
3 And look, seven other cows came up after them out of the Nile, miserable-looking and thin, and stood by the other cows at the edge of the Nile.
After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river.
4 The miserable-looking and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,
5 And he slept and dreamed a second time. And look, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.
6 Then look, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprouted up after them.
After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.
7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up, and look, it was a dream.
And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
8 It happened in the morning that his mind was troubled, so he summoned all of Egypt's magicians and wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I remember my faults today.
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.
10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker.
Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.
11 We had a dream on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning.
One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.
12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guards, and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams to us, to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.
Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually.
13 And it happened just the way he interpreted them to us, so it was: I was restored to my office, and he was hanged."
And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”
14 Then Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the pit. And he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, but there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "Apart from God, the welfare of Pharaoh will receive no answer. "
“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, look, I stood on the edge of the Nile.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
18 And look, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.
when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
19 And look, seven other cows came up after them, scrawny and very miserable-looking and thin. I had never seen such bad-looking cows in all the land of Egypt.
After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!
20 The thin and miserable-looking cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.
21 But when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as miserable-looking as at the beginning. Then I woke up.
When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.
22 And I fell asleep, and I saw in my dream, and look, seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good.
In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.
23 And look, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprouted up after them.
After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind.
24 And the seven thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. And I told it to the magicians, but no one could tell me its meaning."
And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has told Pharaoh what he is about to do.
At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. The dreams are the same.
The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.
27 And the seven thin and miserable-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind. They are seven years of famine.
Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.
28 It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 Look, seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt.
Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
30 But after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate the land,
but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land.
31 and the abundance will not be remembered in the land because of the famine that follows it, for it will be very severe.
The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.
32 Now the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the matter has been fixed by God, and God will carry it out soon.
Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.
33 Now therefore Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man, and give him authority over the land of Egypt.
Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Pharaoh should do this, and should appoint overseers over the land, and they should take a fifth of all the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
35 They should gather all the food during these good years that are coming and store the grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and they should preserve it.
Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities.
36 That food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will come on the land of Egypt, so that the land will survive the famine."
This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”
37 The proposal was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.
38 Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40 You will be in charge of my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you."
You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Look, I have put you in charge over all the land of Egypt."
Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck.
Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had, and they called out before him, "Bow the knee. " So he put him in charge over the entire land of Egypt.
He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will do anything or go anywhere in all the land of Egypt."
And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”
45 Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-Paneah. And he gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as a wife. So Joseph went out through the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he began to serve Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large harvests.
During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.
48 And he collected all the food during the seven years when there was abundance in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from the fields surrounding it.
During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.
49 Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, because it could not be measured.
So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.
50 To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.
Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”
52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53 And the seven years of abundance that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end.
When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54 Then the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was food.
the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.
55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh said to all Egypt, "Go to Joseph. Whatever he says to you, do."
When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
56 So the famine was over all the surface of the land. Then Joseph opened all the storehouses of grain and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
57 And all the countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

< Genesis 41 >