Genesis 41: Pharaoh's dreams, and Joseph put in charge of Egypt
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What happens?
Pharaoh has two dreams that no one in Egypt can explain, and the cupbearer at last remembers Joseph. Joseph tells Pharaoh that God is showing him seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, and advises him to store up food. Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of all Egypt and gives him an Egyptian name and a wife, and Joseph has two sons before the famine comes.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Pharaoh, the cupbearer and Joseph speak. God does not speak in this chapter. Joseph says that God will answer Pharaoh (verse 16) and that God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do (verses 25, 28 and 32), but those are Joseph's words, not God's. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
In plain English: Two full years later, Pharaoh had a dream: he was standing by the river (the Nile).
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2Behold, seven cattle came up out of the river. They were sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass.
In plain English: Seven cows came up out of the river, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.
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3Behold, 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.
In plain English: After them, seven other cows came up out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood beside the first cows on the riverbank.
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4The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke.
In plain English: The ugly, thin cows ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
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5He slept and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
In plain English: He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: seven heads of grain, healthy and good, came up on one stalk.
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6Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
In plain English: After them, seven more heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.
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7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
In plain English: The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Pharaoh woke up, and it had been a dream.
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8In 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.
In plain English: In the morning he was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could explain them to him.
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9Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
In plain English: Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I remember my wrongs.
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10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, with the chief baker.
In plain English: Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker under guard in the house of the captain of the guard.
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11We dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. Each man dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream.
In plain English: We each had a dream on the same night, he and I, and each dream had its own meaning.
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12There 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.
In plain English: A young Hebrew man was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he explained them to us, each man's dream with its own meaning.
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13As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”
In plain English: It happened just as he explained to us: he (Pharaoh, or: the young man whose words came true) gave me back my job, and he hanged the baker."
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14Then 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.
In plain English: So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.
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15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed 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.”
In plain English: Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and no one can explain it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can explain it."
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16Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
In plain English: Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace (or: the answer that is good for him)."
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17Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;
In plain English: Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the river.
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18and behold, seven fat and sleek cattle came up out of the river. They fed in the marsh grass;
In plain English: Seven fat, sleek cows came up out of the river and grazed among the reeds.
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19and 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.
In plain English: After them came seven other cows, poor, very ugly and thin. I have never seen cows so ugly in all the land of Egypt.
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20The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle;
In plain English: The thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
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21and 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.
In plain English: But after they had eaten them, no one could tell that they had: they were still as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
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22I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good;
In plain English: In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, come up on one stalk.
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23and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
In plain English: After them, seven heads of grain sprouted, withered, thin and scorched by the east wind.
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24The 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.”
In plain English: The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me."
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25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
In plain English: Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same. God has told Pharaoh what he is about to do.
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26The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
In plain English: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is one dream.
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27The 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.
In plain English: The seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind: they will be seven years of famine.
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28That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
In plain English: It is as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
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29Behold, seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
In plain English: Seven years of great plenty are coming throughout the land of Egypt.
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30Seven 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,
In plain English: After them will come seven years of famine, and all the plenty in Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will ruin the land,
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31and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
In plain English: and no one in the land will remember the plenty, because of the famine that follows, for it will be very severe.
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32The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
In plain English: The dream was given to Pharaoh twice because God has firmly decided the matter, and God will soon make it happen.
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33“Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
In plain English: So now Pharaoh should look for a man who is wise and understanding, and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.
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34Let 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.
In plain English: Let Pharaoh do this: appoint officials over the land, and take a fifth of Egypt's harvest during the seven years of plenty.
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35Let 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.
In plain English: Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up grain under Pharaoh's control, to keep as food in the cities.
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36The 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.”
In plain English: That food will be a supply for the land for the seven years of famine that will come on Egypt, so that the land will not be destroyed by the famine."
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37The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
In plain English: The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.
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38Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
In plain English: Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone like this man, a man who has the Spirit of God (or: the spirit of the gods) in him?"
The Hebrew words: "The Spirit of God" is ruach elohim, the same words as "God's Spirit" in . Elohim can mean God, or "gods".
What changes: Read as "the spirit of the gods", Pharaoh speaks of his own gods. Read as "the Spirit of God", he uses the same word Joseph has used for God (). Pharaoh is the speaker, and the text does not say which he means.
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39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
In plain English: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, no one is as wise and understanding as you.
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40You 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.”
In plain English: You will be in charge of my house, and all my people will obey your word (or: will kiss, in honor, at your word). Only on the throne will I be greater than you."
The Hebrew word: "Will be ruled" is yishaq, from nashaq, the usual word for "kiss". Word for word, the line reads: "at your mouth all my people will kiss".
How it is translated: In 29 of its 35 verses this Bible says "kiss", "kissed" or "kisses". In 3 it says "armed".
What changes: Read as "kiss", the people show honor to Joseph's word. Read as "be ruled", they follow his orders. Either way, all the people come under Joseph.
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41Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
In plain English: Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Look, I have put you in charge of all the land of Egypt."
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42Pharaoh 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.
In plain English: Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
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43He 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.
In plain English: He had him ride in his second chariot, and they shouted in front of him, "Bow the knee!" (the meaning of the Hebrew word is not certain). So he put him in charge of all the land of Egypt.
The Hebrew word: "Bow the knee" is avrekh. It appears only here in the Bible, and its meaning is not certain. It sounds like the Hebrew word for "knee", berekh, and it may be an Egyptian word.
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44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”
In plain English: Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh. Without you, no one will lift a hand or a foot in all the land of Egypt."
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45Pharaoh 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.
In plain English: Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
Good to know: Pharaoh gives Joseph a new, Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. The text does not say what it means, and this is the only verse that uses it. Asenath's father, Potiphera, has a name close to Potiphar, Joseph's first master (), but the two names are spelled differently in Hebrew, and the text does not say they are the same man.
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46Joseph 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.
In plain English: Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh's presence and traveled through all the land of Egypt.
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47In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
In plain English: During the seven years of plenty, the land produced huge harvests.
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48He 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.
In plain English: Joseph gathered all the food of the seven years in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he stored the food from the fields around it.
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49Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
In plain English: Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, so much that he stopped counting it, because it was beyond counting.
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50To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.
In plain English: Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Their mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
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51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”
In plain English: Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh. "Because," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's household."
Good to know: "Manasseh" sounds like the Hebrew word Joseph uses for "has made me forget", nashani.
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52The name of the second, he called Ephraim: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
In plain English: He named the second Ephraim: "Because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
Good to know: "Ephraim" sounds like the Hebrew word Joseph uses for "has made me fruitful", hiphrani.
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53The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
In plain English: The seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt came to an end,
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54The 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.
In plain English: and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every land, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
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55When 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.”
In plain English: When all the land of Egypt grew hungry, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you."
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56The 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.
In plain English: The famine spread over the whole face of the earth. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
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57All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
In plain English: People from every country came to Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
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