International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Two years later—to the day—Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River,

1Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

2when all of a sudden seven healthy, plump cows emerged from the Nile to graze in the grass that grew in the reeds that lined the bank.

2And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass.

3Right after that, seven more cows came up out of the Nile. Ugly and gaunt, they stood next to the other cows on the bank of the Nile River.

3Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

4But all of a sudden they ate up the seven healthy, plump cows! Then Pharaoh woke up.

4The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5After he had fallen back to sleep, he had a second dream, in which seven ears of plump, fruit-filled grain grew up on a single stalk.

5He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good.

6Suddenly seven thin ears of grain that had been scorched by an east wind sprouted up right after them

6Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.

7and ate up the seven plump, fruit-filled ears. Then Pharaoh woke up a second time, and it had been a very vivid dream!

7The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

8The very next morning, he was frustrated about the dream, so he sent word to summon all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them what he had dreamed, but no one could interpret them.

8Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9Then Pharaoh's senior security advisor spoke up. "Maybe I should make a confession.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I would make mention today of my own offenses.

10When Pharaoh was angry with some of his servants, he incarcerated me in custody of the captain of the bodyguard, along with Pharaoh's head chef.

10"Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.

11We each had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

11"We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

12There was a Hebrew young man incarcerated with us, who was also working as a servant to the captain of the bodyguard. "We each related our dreams, and then he interpreted them for us. He provided specific meanings for each of our dreams.

12"Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.

13And what he interpreted for each of us came true! Pharaoh restored me to my responsibilities, but he executed the other man."

13"And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him."

14Pharoah sent word to summon Joseph quickly from the dungeon, so they shaved his beard, changed his clothes, and then sent him straight to Pharaoh.

14Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.

15"I've had a dream," Pharaoh told Joseph, "but nobody can interpret it. I've heard that you can interpret dreams."

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

16"I can't do that," Joseph replied, "but God is concerned about Pharaoh's well-being."

16Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

17So Pharaoh told Joseph, "In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile River,

17So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;

18and all of a sudden seven healthy, plump, beautiful cows emerged from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds that line the bank.

18and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass.

19Just then, seven other cows emerged after them, poor, ugly, and appearing very gaunt in their flesh. I've never seen anything as ugly as those cows anywhere in the entire land of Egypt!

19"Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt;

20But those thin, gaunt cows gobbled up the first seven healthy cows!

20and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

21Not only that," Pharaoh continued, "after they had finished devouring the cows, nobody could tell that they had gobbled them up, because they were just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

21"Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before. Then I awoke.

22Later, I also dreamed about seven plump, fruit-filled ears of grain that grew up out of a single stalk.

22"I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk;

23All of a sudden, seven thin, withered ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.

23and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;

24But the thin ears gobbled up the seven good ears. I told all this to my advisors, but nobody was able to explain it to me."

24and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."

25"Pharaoh's dreams are identical," Joseph replied. "God has told Pharaoh what he is getting ready to do.

25Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

26The seven healthy cows represent seven years, as do the seven healthy ears. The dreams are identical.

26"The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same.

27The seven gaunt cows that arose after the healthy cows are seven years, as are the seven gaunt ears scorched by the east wind. There will be seven years of famine.

27"The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.

28So the message that I have for Pharaoh is that God is telling Pharaoh what he is getting ready to do.

28"It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29Be advised that seven years of phenomenal abundance are coming throughout all the land of Egypt,

29"Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt;

30but after them seven years of famine are ahead, during which all of the abundance will be forgotten throughout the land of Egypt. The famine will ravage the land so severely that

30and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land.

31there will be no surplus in the land due to the coming famine, because it will be very severe.

31"So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.

32"Now since Pharaoh had that dream twice, it means that this event has been scheduled by God, and God will bring it to pass very soon.

32"Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.

33Therefore let Pharaoh select a wise, discerning person to place in charge over the land of Egypt.

33"Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34Also, let Pharaoh immediately proceed to appoint supervisors over the land of Egypt, who will collect one fifth of its agricultural production during the coming seven years of abundance.

34"Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.

35Let them collect all the food during the coming fruitful years, store up the grain in cities governed by Pharaoh's authority, and place it under guard.

35"Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it.

36Let the food be kept in reserve to feed the land for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout Egypt, so the people don't die during the famine."

36"Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine."

37What Joseph proposed pleased Pharaoh and all of his advisors,

37Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.

38so Pharaoh asked his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this—someone in whom the Spirit of God lives?

38Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?"

39Since God has revealed all of this to you," Pharaoh told Joseph, "there is no one so wise and discerning as you.

39So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.

40So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you."

40"You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you."

41"Look!" Pharaoh confirmed to Joseph, "I've put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt!"

41Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

42Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand, placed it on Joseph's hand, had him clothed in fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

42Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck.

43Then he provided him with a chariot as his second-in-command, outfitted with a group of people who shouted out in front of him, "Bow your knees!" And that's how Pharaoh set Joseph over the entire land of Egypt.

43He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, "Bow the knee!" And he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44Pharaoh also told Joseph, "I'm still Pharaoh, but without your permission nobody in all of the land of Egypt will so much as lift up their hands or take a step!"

44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

45Pharaoh also changed Joseph's name to Zaphenath-paneah and gave Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, to him as his wife. And that's how Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.

45Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.

46Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, king of Egypt, by traveling throughout the land of Egypt, independent from Pharaoh's oversight.

46Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

47While bumper crops grew during the seven abundant years,

47During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth abundantly.

48Joseph collected the surplus food throughout the land of Egypt, storing food in cities; that is, he gathered the food from fields that surrounded every city and stored it there.

48So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

49Joseph stored up so much grain—like sand on the seashore in so much abundance!—that he stopped keeping records because it was proving to be impossible to measure how much they were gathering.

49Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.

50Before the years of famine arrived, Joseph fathered two sons with Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.

50Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.

51Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because, he said, "God has made me forget all of my hard life and my father's house."

51Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."

52He named his second son Ephraim because, he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my troubles."

52He named the second Ephraim, "For," he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

53As soon as the seven years of abundance throughout the land of Egypt ended,

53When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end,

54the seven years of famine started, just as Joseph had predicted. It was an international famine, but there was food everywhere throughout the land of Egypt.

54and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55Eventually, the land of Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, so the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. "Go see Joseph," Pharaoh announced to all the Egyptians, "and do whatever he tells you to do."

55So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do."

56Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was beginning to be severe throughout the land of Egypt.

56When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57In addition, all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world.

57The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org