1
After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River.
2
And behold, from the Nile there came up seven cows, fine in appearance and fat in body; and they fed among the reeds by the river.
3
Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly in appearance and thin in body, and stood beside the other cows on the bank of the river.
4
And the cows that were ugly in appearance and thin in body ate up the seven cows that were fine in appearance and fat. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5
Afterward he fell asleep again and dreamed a second time: behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.
6
But then seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them.
7
The thin heads swallowed the seven plump and full heads. Then Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.
8
In the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
9
Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “Today I must mention my fault.
10
When my lord Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, together with the chief baker.
11
We dreamed on the same night, I and he; each of us dreamed according to the meaning of his own dream.
12
Now there was with us there a young Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guard; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted our dreams for us, each one according to his dream.
13
And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened: I was restored to my office, and the chief baker was hanged.”
14
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph. They brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved, changed his clothes, and came in before Pharaoh.
15
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16
Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
17
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;
18
and behold, from the Nile there came up seven cows, fat in body and fine in form, and they fed among the reeds by the river.
19
But then there came up seven other cows after them, gaunt and very ugly in form and thin in flesh; I had never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt.
20
And the thin, ugly cows ate up the seven first fat cows.
21
When they had gone into their stomachs, it could not be seen that they had gone into their stomachs at all; their appearance was still as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
22
Then in my dream I saw seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good.
23
But then seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.
24
The thin heads swallowed the seven good heads. I have told this to all the magicians, but there is no one who can explain it to me.”
25
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The two dreams of my lord Pharaoh are one. God has made known to my lord Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26
The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years also; the two dreams are one.
27
The seven thin and ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven empty heads of grain, blighted by the east wind; there will be seven years of famine.
28
This is the meaning of my words when I said to my lord Pharaoh: God has shown to my lord Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29
Behold, seven years of great plenty are coming throughout all the land of Egypt.
30
Then seven years of famine will arise; and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, because the famine will consume the land.
31
Afterward the plenty will no longer be seen in the land, because of that famine, for it will be very severe.
32
And the fact that the dream was repeated to my lord Pharaoh twice means that the matter has been fixed by God, and God will soon bring it to pass.
33
Now therefore let my lord Pharaoh look for a man of understanding and wisdom, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34
Let my lord Pharaoh do this: appoint overseers over the land, and in the seven years of plenty take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt.
35
Let them gather all the food of these coming good years, and under the authority of my lord Pharaoh store up grain in the cities as food, and keep it.
36
So the food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
37
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
38
Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, one in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall obey your command; only in respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41
Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42
Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43
He had him ride in the second chariot, and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your word no one shall lift hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
45
Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46
Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Then Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout all the land of Egypt.
47
The land produced abundantly in the seven years of plenty,
48
and Joseph gathered all the food of the seven years of plenty that was in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities; the food from the fields around each city he stored within it.
49
Thus Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, very much, until they stopped counting 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 named the firstborn Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.”
52
To the second son he gave the name Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53
When the seven years of plenty that had been in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54
then the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said; in all the lands there was famine, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55
When all the land of Egypt was suffering from famine, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; do whatever he tells you.”
56
The famine was over all the face of the earth. So Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
57
And from all the earth people came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
👑🌾 Summary of Genesis 41
This chapter is a turning point in Joseph’s life: from prison to palace. After being forgotten for many years, Joseph is finally called by Pharaoh to interpret his dreams — and from there, he is raised to be the second highest ruler in Egypt.
1. Pharaoh’s Dreams (verses 1–8)
- Pharaoh dreamed twice:
Seven fat cows were eaten by seven lean cows.
Seven healthy heads of grain were eaten by seven thin and withered heads.
- No magician or wise man of Egypt could interpret them.
2. Joseph Called from Prison (verses 9–32)
- The cupbearer finally remembered Joseph, and suggested that Pharaoh call for him.
- Joseph humbly said:
“Not I, but God will give the answer.”
- Joseph’s interpretation:
Two dreams = one message from God.
There will come seven years of plenty, then seven years of severe famine.
God has decreed this matter, and will soon bring it to pass.
3. Joseph Made Ruler (verses 33–45)
- Joseph advised that Pharaoh appoint a wise man to oversee the storing of food during the time of plenty.
- Pharaoh saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph, and appointed him as second in command in Egypt.
- Joseph was given an Egyptian name (Zaphenath-Paneah) and married Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest.
4. Joseph Carries Out His Duties (verses 46–57)
- Joseph began his service at the age of 30 years.
- He gathered the harvest during the 7 years of abundance, storing it in great quantities.
- Two sons were born:
Manasseh: “God has made me forget my hardship.”
Ephraim: “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
- When the famine came, all nations came to Egypt to buy food from Joseph.
📖 Main Lessons
- The Lord can raise a person from lowliness to honor in a very short time.
- Faithfulness in hard times prepares us for great responsibility.
- God gives wisdom, and He is worthy to receive praise.
- Dreams from God come with interpretation and practical action.
- Bearing fruit in hard times is proof of God’s presence.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Joseph is an example of faith and faithfulness that were finally rewarded by the Lord with divine promotion.
- This story teaches that delay is not rejection — God has His own time.
- When the world runs out of answers (including the king and the Egyptian wise men), God uses a willing person to become the answer.
- God’s plan of salvation is not only for Joseph, but for many people — including the nations.
