Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream

1Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. 2And behold, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and [†]fat; and they grazed in the reeds. 3Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, [†]ugly and [†]thin, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4And the ugly and [†]thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. 5He again fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. 6And behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. 7And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8Now it happened that in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the [†]magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh recounted to them his dream, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would bring to remembrance today my own [†]offenses. 10Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. 11And we had a dream [†]on the same night, [†]he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12Now there was with us a Hebrew youth, a slave of the captain of the bodyguard, and we recounted them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. 13And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my [†]office, but he hanged him.”

14Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they rushed him out of the pit; and he shaved himself and changed his clothes, and he came to Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; yet I have heard [†]it said about you, that [†]you hear a dream and that you can interpret it.” 16Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “[†]It is not in me; God will [†]answer concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.” 17So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; 18and behold, seven cows, [†]fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 19And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and lean, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt, in regard to [†]ugliness; 20and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21But they [†]devoured them, and yet it could not be known that they had [†]devoured them. [†]For they were just as ugly as [†]before. Then I awoke. 22Then I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk; 23and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them; 24and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So I told it to the [†]magicians, but there was no one who could declare it to me.”

25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s [†]dreams are one and the same; God has declared to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the [†]dreams are one and the same. 27And the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven lean ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. 28[†]It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30and after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will [†]ravage the land, 31so that the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very heavy. 32Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about. 33So now let Pharaoh look for a man understanding and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh take action and appoint overseers over the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and let them store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them keep watch over it. 36And let the food be appointed for the land for the seven years of famine which will happen in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be cut off during the famine.”

Joseph Is Set over Egypt

37And the [†]proposal seemed good [†]to Pharaoh and [†]to all his servants. 38Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” 39So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made you know all of this, there is no one so understanding and wise as you are. 40You shall be over my house, and according to your [†]command all my people shall [†]do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. 43And he had him ride in [†]his second chariot; and they called out before him, “[†]Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without [†]your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45Then Pharaoh named Joseph [†]Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of [†]On, as a wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.

46Now Joseph was thirty years old when he [†]stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and passed through all the land of Egypt. 47And during the seven years of plenty the land brought forth [†]abundantly. 48So he gathered all the food of these seven years which happened in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields. 49Thus Joseph stored up grain [†]in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped [†]measuring it, for it was [†]beyond measure.

The Sons of Joseph

50Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of [†]On, bore to him. 51And Joseph named the firstborn [†]Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52And he named the second [†]Ephraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53Then the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. So there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55Then all the land of Egypt was famished, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” 56Now the famine was over all the face of the land. And Joseph opened all [†]the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57Now all the earth also came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe in all the earth.