Genesis 41:1-21 ▼

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

2 And look, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.

3 And look, seven other cows came up after them out of the Nile, miserable-looking and thin, and stood by the other cows at the edge of the Nile.

4 The miserable-looking and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 And he slept and dreamed a second time. And look, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.

6 Then look, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprouted up after them.

7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and look, it was a dream.

8 It happened in the morning that his mind was troubled, so he summoned all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. And 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, |I remember my faults today.

10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker.

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

12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guards, and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams to us, to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

13 And it happened just the way he interpreted them to us, so it was: I was restored to my office, and he was hanged.|

14 Then Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the pit. And he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, |I had a dream, but there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.|

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, |Apart from God, the welfare of Pharaoh will receive no answer.|

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, |In my dream, look, I stood on the edge of the Nile.

18 And look, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.

19 And look, seven other cows came up after them, scrawny and very miserable-looking and thin. I had never seen such bad-looking cows in all the land of Egypt.

20 The thin and miserable-looking cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

21 But when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as miserable-looking as at the beginning. Then I woke up.