Chapter 41
1 At the end of two full years , Pharaoh dreamt, and behold , he stood by the river .
2 Behold , seven cattle came up out of the river . They were sleek and fat , and they fed in the marsh grass.
3 Behold , seven other cattle came up after them out of the river , ugly and thin , and stood by the other cattle on the brink of the river .
4 The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke .
5 He slept and dreamt a second time ; and behold , seven heads of grain came up on one stalk , healthy and good .
6 Behold , seven heads of grain , thin and blasted with the east wind , sprung up after them.
7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears . Pharaoh awoke , and behold , it was a dream .
8 In the morning , his spirit was troubled , and he sent and called for all of Egypt ’s magicians and wise men . Pharaoh told them his dreams , but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh .
9 Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh , saying , " I remember my faults today .
10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants , and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard , with the chief baker.
11 We dreamt a dream in one night , he and I. Each man dreamt according to the interpretation of his dream .
12 There was with us there a young man , a Hebrew , servant to the captain of the guard , and we told him , and he interpreted to us our dreams . He interpreted to each man according to his dream .
13 As he interpreted to us , so it was . He restored me to my office , and he hanged him ."
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph , and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself , changed his clothing , and came in to Pharaoh .
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph , " I have dreamt a dream , and there is no one who can interpret it . I have heard it said of you , that when you hear a dream you can interpret it ."
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh , saying, " It isn’t in me . God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace ."
17 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph , " In my dream , behold , I stood on the brink of the river ;
18 and behold , seven fat and sleek cattle came up out of the river . They fed in the marsh grass;
19 and behold , seven other cattle came up after them , poor and very ugly and thin , such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness .
20 The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle;
21 and when they had eaten them up, it couldn’t be known that they had eaten them , but they were still ugly , as at the beginning . So I awoke .
22 I saw in my dream , and behold , seven heads of grain came up on one stalk , full and good ;
23 and behold , seven heads of grain , withered , thin , and blasted with the east wind , sprung up after them.
24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain . I told it to the magicians , but there was no one who could explain it to me ."
25 Joseph said to Pharaoh , " The dream of Pharaoh is one . What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh .
26 The seven good cattle are seven years ; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years . The dream is one .
27 The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years , and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind ; they will be seven years of famine .
28 That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh . God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do .
29 Behold , seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming .
30 Seven years of famine will arise after them , and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt . The famine will consume the land,
31 and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows ; for it will be very grievous .
32 The dream was doubled to Pharaoh , because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass .
33 " Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man , and set him over the land of Egypt .
34 Let Pharaoh do this , and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt ’s produce in the seven plenteous years .
35 Let them gather all the food of these good years that come , and store grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities , and let them keep it .
36 The food will be to supply the land against the seven years of famine , which will be in the land of Egypt ; so that the land will not perish through the famine ."
37 The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh , and in the eyes of all his servants .
38 Pharaoh said to his servants , " Can we find such a one as this , a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
39 Pharaoh said to Joseph , " Because God has shown you all of this , there is no one so discreet and wise as you .
40 You shall be over my house . All my people will be ruled according to your word . Only in the throne I will be greater than you ."
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph , " Behold , I have set you over all the land of Egypt ."
42 Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand , and put it on Joseph ’s hand , and arrayed him in robes of fine linen , and put a gold chain about his neck .
43 He made him ride in the second chariot which he had . They cried before him , "Bow the knee!" He set him over all the land of Egypt .
44 Pharaoh said to Joseph , " I am Pharaoh . Without you , no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt ."
45 Pharaoh called Joseph ’s name Zaphenath-Paneah . He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt .
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt . Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh , and went throughout all the land of Egypt .
47 In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly .
48 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 stored food in each city from the fields around that city .
49 Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea , very much , until he stopped counting , for it was without number .
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 .
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh , " For ", he said , "God has made me forget all my toil , and all my father’s house ."
52 The name of the second , he called Ephraim : " For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction ."
53 The seven years of plenty , that were in the land of Egypt , came to an end .
54 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 bread .
55 When all the land of Egypt was famished , the people cried to Pharaoh for bread , and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians , " Go to Joseph . What he says to you , do ."
56 The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians . The famine was severe in the land of Egypt .
57 All countries came into Egypt , to Joseph , to buy grain , because the famine was severe in all the earth.