Genesis Chapter 41
1 At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamt, and behold, he stood by the river.
2 Behold, seven cattle came up out of the river. They were sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass.
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.
4 The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 He slept and dreamt a second time; and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
6 Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
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.
9 Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I remember my faults today.
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.
11 We dreamt a dream in one night, he and I. Each man dreamt according to the interpretation of his dream.
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.
13 As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him."
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.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamt 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."
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It isn't in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
17 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;
18 and behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, fat and sleek. They fed in the marsh grass;
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.
20 The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle;
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.
22 I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good;
23 and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
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."
25 Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
26 The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
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.
28 That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
29 Behold, seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
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,
31 and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
32 The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 "Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
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.
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.
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."
37 The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38 Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
39 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
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."
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
47 In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
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.
49 Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
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.
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."
52 The name of the second, he called Ephraim: "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
53 The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
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.
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."
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.
57 All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
Footnotes
- Verse 51 (Manasseh)
- "Manasseh" sounds like the Hebrew for "forget".
- Verse 52 (Ephraim)
- "Ephraim" sounds like the Hebrew for "twice fruitful".
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Genesis Chapter 41 Guide
Still the divine activity proceeded. Now it was Pharaoh who dreamed, and now the butler remembered. The result was that Joseph was brought before the king, and as he stood in the royal presence he was still the same man, dependent on God and proclaiming his dependence. In answer to the king's declaration that he had heard of his power to interpret dreams, Joseph said, "it is not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." He then proceeded to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. The result was that Pharaoh recognized in him "a man in whom the Spirit of God is," and again Joseph was promoted.
It is well to note this repetition. In slavery, in prison, at the court of the king, Jehovah was with His servant. The fact was recognized in turn by Potiphar, the chief keeper, and by Pharaoh. In each case Joseph was placed in power, in the house of his master, in the prison of his confinement, and in the realm of the king. True godliness will manifest itself and it always commands respect.
Thus the great regenerative movement of God proceeded and things are seen developing toward accomplishment of the divine purpose. One of the chief values of these Old Testament histories is the revelation of these facts. Moreover, this is not merely the story of a condition of affairs that existed long ago. It still exists. In the movements of our age a divine purpose is being wrought out through human history, even though we may not detect it.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Genesis Chapter 41 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Pharaoh's dreams. -- (1-8)
- Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams. -- (9-32)
- Joseph's counsel, He is highly advanced. -- (33-45)
- Joseph's children, The beginning of the famine. -- (46-57)
Verses 1-8
The means of Joseph's being freed from prison were Pharaoh's dreams, as here related. Now that God no longer speaks to us in that way, it is no matter how little we either heed dreams, or tell them. The telling of foolish dreams can make no better than foolish talk. But these dreams showed that they were sent of God; when he awoke, Pharaoh's spirit was troubled.
Verses 9-32
God's time for the enlargement of his people is the fittest time. If the chief butler had got Joseph to be released from prison, it is probable he would have gone back to the land of the Hebrews. Then he had neither been so blessed himself, nor such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he proved. Joseph, when introduced to Pharaoh, gives honour to God. Pharaoh had dreamed that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both the fat ones, and the lean ones, come out of the river. Egypt has no rain, but the plenty of the year depends upon the overflowing of the river Nile. See how many ways Providence has of dispensing its gifts; yet our dependence is still the same upon the First Cause, who makes every creature what it is to us, be it rain or river. See to what changes the comforts of this life are subject. We cannot be sure that to-morrow shall be as this day, or next year as this. We must learn how to want, as well as how to abound. Mark the goodness of God in sending the seven years of plenty before those of famine, that provision might be made. The produce of the earth is sometimes more, and sometimes less; yet, take one with another, he that gathers much, has nothing over; and he that gathers little, has no lack, Ex 16:18. And see the perishing nature of our worldly enjoyments. The great harvests of the years of plenty were quite lost, and swallowed up in the years of famine; and that which seemed very much, yet did but just serve to keep the people alive. There is bread which lasts to eternal life, which it is worth while to labour for. They that make the things of this world their good things, will find little pleasure in remembering that they have received them.
Verses 33-45
Joseph gave good advice to Pharaoh. Fair warning should always be followed by good counsel. God has in his word told us of a day of trial before us, when we shall need all the grace we can have. Now, therefore, provide accordingly. Pharaoh gave Joseph an honourable testimony. He is a man in whom the spirit of God is; and such men ought to be valued. Pharaoh puts upon Joseph marks of honour. He gave him such a name as spoke the value he had for him, Zaphnath-paaneah, "a revealer of secrets." This preferment of Joseph encourages all to trust in God. Some translate Joseph's new name, "the saviour of the world." The brightest glories, even of the upper world, are put upon Christ, the highest trust lodged in his hand, and all power given him, both in heaven and earth.
Verses 46-57
In the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph owned the Divine providence.
- He was made to forget his misery.
- He was made fruitful in the land of his affliction. The seven plenteous years came, and were ended. We ought to look forward to the end of the days, both of our prosperity and of our opportunity. We must not be secure in prosperity, nor slothful in making good use of opportunity. Years of plenty will end; what thy hand finds to do, do it; and gather in gathering time. The dearth came, and the famine was not only in Egypt, but in other lands. Joseph was diligent in laying up, while the plenty lasted. He was prudent and careful in giving out, when the famine came. Joseph was engaged in useful and important labours. Yet it was in the midst of this his activity that his father Jacob said, Joseph is not! What a large portion of our troubles would be done away if we knew the whole truth! Let these events lead us to Jesus. There is a famine of the bread of life throughout the whole earth. Go to Jesus, and what he bids you, do. Attend to His voice, apply to him; he will open his treasures, and satisfy with goodness the hungry soul of every age and nation, without money and without price. But those who slight this provision must starve, and his enemies will be destroyed.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.