CHAPTER 41
After them,
seven
other
cows,
sickly
and thin,
came up
from
the Nile
and stood
beside
the other cows
on
the bank
of the river.
And the cows
that were sickly
and thin
ate up
the seven
sleek,
well-fed
cows.
Then Pharaoh
woke up,
but he fell back asleep
and dreamed
a second time:
Seven
heads of grain,
plump
and ripe,
came up
on one
stalk.
And the thin
heads of grain
swallowed up
the seven
plump,
ripe
ones.
Then Pharaoh
awoke
and realized
it was a dream.
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.
Pharaoh
was once angry
with
his servants,
and he put
me
and
the chief
baker
in the custody
of the captain
of the guard.
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.
And it happened
to us
just as
he had interpreted:
I was restored
to
my position,
and the other man was hanged.”
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.
Pharaoh
said
to
Joseph,
“I had a dream,
and no
one can interpret it.
But I
have received word
about you
that when you hear
a dream
you can interpret it.”
After them,
seven
other
cows,
sickly,
ugly,
and thin,
came up.
I have never
seen
such ugly
cows
in all
the land
of Egypt!
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.
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.”
Then Joseph
said
to
Pharaoh,
“The dreams
of Pharaoh
are one and the same.
God
has revealed
to Pharaoh
what
He is about to do.
The seven
good
cows
are seven
years,
and the seven
ripe
heads of grain
are seven
years.
The dreams
have the same meaning.
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.
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.
The abundance
in the land
will not
be remembered,
since
the
famine
that follows
it
will be so
severe.
Moreover, on
the basis of
the dream
being given
to
Pharaoh
in two versions,
the matter
has been decreed
by
God,
and He
will carry it out
shortly.
Now therefore,
Pharaoh
should look for
a discerning
and wise
man
and set
him over
the land
of Egypt.
Let Pharaoh
take action
and appoint
commissioners
over
the land
to take a fifth
of its harvest
during the seven
years
of abundance.
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.
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.”
Then Pharaoh
said
to
Joseph,
“Since
God
has made all
this
known to you,
there is no one
as discerning
and wise
as 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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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
over
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.
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.
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.
Before
the years
of famine
arrived,
two
sons
were born
to Joseph
by Asenath
daughter
of Potiphera,
priest
of On.
Joseph
named
the firstborn
Manasseh,
saying,
“God
has made me forget
all
my hardship
and all
my father’s
household.”
And the second son
he named
Ephraim,
saying,
“God
has made me fruitful
in the land
of my affliction.”
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.
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.”
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.
And every
nation
came
to
Joseph
in Egypt
to buy grain,
because
the famine
was severe
over all
the earth.