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Genesis 41
Modern English Version
Genesis 41
Modern English Version
Pharaoh’s Dreams
41 After two whole years, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the Nile. 2 Seven fine-looking and fattened cows suddenly came up out of the river, and they grazed in the meadow. 3 Then seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the riverbank. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine-looking and fattened cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5 He slept and dreamed a second time. Seven ears of grain suddenly came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 Then seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
8 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 no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “Today I remember my offenses. 10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in confinement in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker. 11 And we had a dream in the same night, he and I. We, each of us, dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12 A young Hebrew man was with us there, a servant to the captain of the guard. We told him and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13 It happened just as he interpreted. He restored me to my position, and the baker was hanged.”
14 So Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh.
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 you can understand a dream to interpret it.”
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I stood on the bank of the Nile. 18 And suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fattened and fine-looking, and they grazed in the reeds. 19 Then seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt. I have never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21 And when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
22 “I also saw in my dreams seven ears of grain, full and good, suddenly come up on one stalk. 23 Then seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24 And the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. The dreams are one. 27 The seven gaunt and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.
28 “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 However, there will arise after them seven years of famine. All the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will consume the land. 31 The abundance will be unknown in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. 32 The reason the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice is because the matter is established by God, and God will soon bring it to pass.
33 “Now, therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a man who is discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officials over the land and collect the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven abundant years. 35 Let them gather all the food from those good years that come and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 This food will be for a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish during the famine.”
Joseph Rises to Power
37 The counsel seemed good to Pharaoh and to all of his servants. 38 Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You will be over my house, and according to your word all my people will be ruled. Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in clothes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had him ride in the second chariot which was his, and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man will lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah, and he gave him a wife, Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On.[a] And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 In the seven abundant years the earth brought forth plentifully. 48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which was in the land of Egypt and laid up the food in the cities. He put in every city the food of the fields which surrounded the city. 49 Joseph gathered great quantities of grain as the sand of the sea until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For God,” he said, “has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, saying, “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53 The seven years of abundance that were in the land of Egypt ended. 54 The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but there was food in all the land of Egypt. 55 When all the land of Egypt was hungry, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he says to you.”
56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, and the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was so severe in all the lands.
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:45 On is also called Heliopolis.
Genesis 41
New International Version
Genesis 41
New International Version
Pharaoh’s Dreams
41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:(A) He was standing by the Nile,(B) 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,(C) and they grazed among the reeds.(D) 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.(E)
5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,(F) healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.(G) 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;(H) it had been a dream.
8 In the morning his mind was troubled,(I) so he sent for all the magicians(J) and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.(K)
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.(L) 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants,(M) and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.(N) 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(O) 12 Now a young Hebrew(P) was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.(Q) We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.(R) 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.(S)”
14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.(T) When he had shaved(U) and changed his clothes,(V) he came before Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.(W) But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”(X)
16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”(Y)
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,(Z) 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.(AA) 19 After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
22 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.(AB)”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same.(AC) God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.(AD) 26 The seven good cows(AE) are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.(AF)
28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.(AG) 29 Seven years of great abundance(AH) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine(AI) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.(AJ) 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided(AK) by God, and God will do it soon.(AL)
33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man(AM) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.(AN) 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners(AO) over the land to take a fifth(AP) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.(AQ) 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.(AR) 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt,(AS) so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.(AT) 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?”(AU)
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,(AV) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.(AW) 40 You shall be in charge of my palace,(AX) and all my people are to submit to your orders.(AY) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.(AZ)”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(BA) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(BB) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(BC) of fine linen(BD) and put a gold chain around his neck.(BE) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(BF) as his second-in-command,[b](BG) and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!”(BH) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(BI)
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(BJ) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(BK) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(BL) of On,[d](BM) to be his wife.(BN) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old(BO) when he entered the service(BP) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(BQ) the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.(BR) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;(BS) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.(BT) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(BU) Manasseh[e](BV) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[f](BW) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(BX) in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine(BY) began,(BZ) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine,(CA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(CB)
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(CC) for the famine(CD) was severe throughout Egypt.(CE) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(CF) because the famine was severe everywhere.(CG)
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
- Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
- Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
- Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
- Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
- Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.