Genesis 41:1-36

After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and up from the river emerged seven healthy, fat cows, and they began grazing in the marshland. Then he saw seven other cows come up out of the Nile right behind them. They were ugly and thin, and they stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank. The seven ugly, thin cows ate up the seven healthy, fat cows. After Pharaoh’s dream he awoke and fell back to sleep. He dreamed a second time. In his dream, he saw seven ears of grain, plump, ripe, and growing on a single stalk. Close behind them sprouted seven ears of grain, thin and shriveled by the east wind. And the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke from his vivid and disturbing dream! The next morning, his spirit was agitated, so he called for all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. Pharaoh recounted his dreams to them, but no one could give him the interpretation. When the chief steward heard about the dreams he remembered Joseph and said to Pharaoh, “Please, your dream reminds me today of my failures. Once, when Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he incarcerated me and the chief baker in the prison of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. We both had dreams on the same night but with different meanings. There was a young Hebrew man imprisoned with us who had been the personal servant to the captain of the guard. And when we told him our dreams, he interpreted them and told each of us their meaning. And it happened just as he said. Pharaoh restored me to my post, but he had the baker impaled.” After hearing this, Pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph. They rushed him out of the dungeon to prepare him to meet with the king. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came and stood before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had two dreams that no one can explain. I have heard that you are able to interpret a dream the moment you hear it.” “I cannot do it alone,” Joseph replied, “but God will help me to give Pharaoh the proper interpretation for Pharaoh’s welfare.” Then Pharaoh told Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, and up from the river emerged seven healthy, fat cows, and they began to graze in the marshland. Right behind them followed seven other scrawny and emaciated cows. Never have I seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! The seven ugly, scrawny cows ate up the healthy, fat cows, but after consuming them, no one could tell that they had eaten them, for they looked just as bad as before. I awoke with a start, but immediately went back to sleep and had another dream. I saw seven ears of grain, full and ripe, growing on a single stalk. Right behind them sprouted seven thin, shriveled ears, scorched by the east wind. The seven shriveled ears swallowed up the seven healthy ears. I have shared my dreams with my magicians, but no one can give me an interpretation.” Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both your dreams tell the same story, for God has prophetically told Pharaoh what he is about to do. Both the seven healthy cows and the seven healthy ears represent seven good years; it’s the same dream. The seven ugly and scrawny cows that followed and the seven shriveled ears scorched by the east wind are seven years also. They represent seven years of famine. It is just as I have told Pharaoh; God has divinely revealed what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great abundance throughout all the land of Egypt, followed by seven years of intense famine. All of Egypt will forget the former abundance, for all the land will be ravaged by a famine, a very severe famine. They will not even remember their former abundance. The reason that Pharaoh’s dream was repeated is that God has determined that it will surely happen, and that he will soon carry it out.” Joseph continued, “Let Pharaoh select a very wise and discerning man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint other officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of all the crops each year during the seven plentiful years. Have them gather all the food of these abundant years that are coming, and under Pharaoh’s authority, have the grain stored in the cities for food. Store it all as food reserve for the people during the seven years of famine coming upon Egypt, so that the land will survive the famine.”