Genesis 41
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1Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.1After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
2Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.2and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass.
3Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.3And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
4And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.4And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke.
5He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.5And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.
6Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.6And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.
7And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.7And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.8So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.9Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today.
10When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,10When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,
11we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.11we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.
12Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.12A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream.
13And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”13And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”
14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.
15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had 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.”
16So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”16Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river.17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile.
18Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.18Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.
19Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.19Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.
20And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.20And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,
21When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.21but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.
22Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good.22I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good.
23Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.23Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,
24And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”24and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one.
27And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.27The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine.
28This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.28It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
29Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;29There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt,
30but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.30but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land,
31So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.31and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.
32And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.32And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.
33“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.33Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.34Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years.
35And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.35And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.
36Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.”36That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
37So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.37This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.
40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”
41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.
43And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.43And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.46Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
47Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.47During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly,
48So 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 laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.48and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it.
49Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.49And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.
50And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.50Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him.
51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.”
52And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”52The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,53The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.54and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”
56The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.56So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
57So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.57Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Genesis 40
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