Genesis chapter 41
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph is made the governor of Egypt.
JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH’S DREAM
VERSE 1. At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
VERSE 2. Behold, seven cattle came up out of the river. They were sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass.
VERSE 3. Behold, 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.
VERSE 4. The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke.
VERSE 5. He slept and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
VERSE 6. Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
VERSE 7. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
VERSE 8. In 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.
there was no one who could interpret them. The stage was set. None of Pharaoh’s trusted spiritual guides could provide what he needed.
Pharaoh will be willing to consult with Joseph.
In ancient times, the LORD God sometimes made his guidance known to people in their dreams. Even today, this is still possible for the all-powerful LORD God. Read more »
VERSE 9. Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
VERSE 10. Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, with the chief baker.
VERSE 11. We dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. Each man dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream.
We dreamed a dream. In ancient times, the LORD God sometimes made his guidance known to people in their dreams. Even today, this is still possible for the all-powerful LORD God. Read more »
VERSE 12. There 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.
There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew. For Joseph, the LORD God had put people in place.
When the time was right, these people speak up. They provide the key information about Joseph.
Their message would liberate Joseph from prison, put Joseph in charge of the nation, and free countless millions of people from starvation.
VERSE 13. As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”
VERSE 14. Then 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.
changed his clothing. Previously, Joseph’s brothers took away his coat of many colors.
Now, when Joseph is about to be honored, he is given wonderful clothing once again.
VERSE 15. Pharaoh 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.”
VERSE 16. Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
VERSE 17. Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;
VERSE 18. and behold, seven fat and sleek cattle came up out of the river. They fed in the marsh grass;
VERSE 19. and 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.
VERSE 20. The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle;
VERSE 21. and 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.
VERSE 22. I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good;
VERSE 23. and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
VERSE 24. The 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.”
VERSE 25. Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
the dream of Pharaoh. In ancient times, the LORD God sometimes made his guidance known to people in their dreams. Even today, this is still possible for the all-powerful LORD God. Read more »
What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. This is a very important revelation from God. It was interpreted by Joseph, but entrusted to Pharaoh.
VERSE 26. The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
VERSE 27. The 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.
VERSE 28. That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
VERSE 29. Behold, seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
VERSE 30. Seven 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,
VERSE 31. and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
VERSE 32. The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
VERSE 33. “Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
VERSE 34. Let 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.
VERSE 35. Let 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.
VERSE 36. The 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.”
JOSEPH IS MADE THE GOVERNOR OF EGYPT
VERSE 37. The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
VERSE 38. Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
VERSE 39. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
VERSE 40. You 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.”
VERSE 41. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
VERSE 42. Pharaoh 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.
VERSE 43. He 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.
VERSE 44. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”
VERSE 45. Pharaoh 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.
Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
Joseph and Asenath have two children together:
Genesis 48:9. Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
VERSE 46. Joseph 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.
VERSE 47. In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
VERSE 48. 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 stored food in each city from the fields around that city.
VERSE 49. Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
Joseph laid up grain. During the years of abundance, Joseph saved mightily. He did that by preventing the nation from consuming everything.
In our day, many of us Christians consume 100% of our income. We save up hardly anything. Joseph might tell us to live more simply, and to save more.
VERSE 50. To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.
VERSE 51. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”
Manasseh. This word sounds like the Hebrew word for “forget.”
God has made me forget. Joseph’s family had harmed him a great deal. For him, the path to wholeness involved staying away and moving on.
In our day, some families have harmed their members. A lot.
For those people, the path to wholeness involves moving away. And staying away. And moving on.
VERSE 52. The name of the second, he called Ephraim: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Ephraim. This word sounds like the Hebrew word for “twice fruitful.”
VERSE 53. The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
seven years of plenty. This is a very specific prophecy. It will be easy for everyone to see if it comes true or not.
VERSE 54. The 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.
seven years of famine. This too is a very specific prophecy. It will be easy for everyone to see if it comes true or not.
In our day, many of the people who claim to speak prophecy do not deliver specifics like Joseph did.
Rather, they offer generalities such as “God wants us to love one another.”
That is a wonderful message that people need to hear. But it is not “prophecy” in the sense of Joseph’s interpretation.
VERSE 55. When 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.”
VERSE 56. The 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.
VERSE 57. All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
GENESIS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
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