The Dreams of Pharaoh
After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, Gen 20:3Gen 29:14Deu 11:10Est 6:1Exo 1:22Exo 4:9Ezk 29:3Ezk 29:9 when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. Isa 19:6 After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river. Gen 41:20-21Gen 41:4 And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. 1Ki 3:15
Then Pharaoh woke up, but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. Deu 32:14 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind. Ezk 17:10Ezk 19:12Hos 13:15 And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream. Gen 20:3Gen 37:5
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Dan 4:7Exo 7:22Dan 1:20Dan 4:5Exo 7:11Isa 29:14Mat 2:1Dan 4:19
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. Gen 40:14Gen 40:23Gen 40:1-3 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. Gen 39:20Gen 40:2-3Gen 37:36 One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning. Gen 40:5-8 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually. Gen 37:36Gen 40:12-19Gen 39:1Gen 39:20 And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.” Ezk 43:3Gen 40:12Gen 40:20-22Jer 1:10
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh. Dan 2:25Psa 113:7-8Psa 105:19-221Sa 2:7-82Ki 25:29Est 5:1Isa 61:3Jer 52:32-33
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Dan 5:16Dan 5:12Gen 41:9-13Psa 25:14
“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” 2Co 3:5Gen 40:8Dan 2:47Act 3:12Num 12:61Co 15:10Act 3:7Dan 2:18-23
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. Jer 24:1-3Jer 24:5Jer 24:8 After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke. Ezk 3:3Isa 9:20Psa 37:19Rev 10:9-10
In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. 2Ki 19:26Gen 41:6Hos 13:15Hos 8:7Hos 9:16Psa 129:6-7 And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. Dan 4:7Gen 41:8Exo 8:19
I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”
At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. Dan 2:45Rev 4:1Dan 2:28-29Amo 3:7Dan 2:47Eph 1:17Gen 41:16Isa 41:22-23 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Gen 41:2Gen 41:471Co 10:41Jn 5:7Exo 12:11Gen 41:29Gen 41:5Gen 41:53 Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine. 2Ki 8:12Sa 24:19
It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Gen 41:25Gen 41:16 Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, Gen 41:46-47Gen 41:26Gen 41:49 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land. Gen 41:54Gen 47:13Jas 5:17Psa 105:161Ki 17:12Ki 8:12Sa 24:13Gen 41:21 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe. Isa 24:201Sa 5:6
Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly. Num 23:19Isa 46:10-112Co 13:1Isa 14:24-27Mat 24:351Co 2:9Gen 37:7Gen 37:9
Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Gen 41:39Act 6:3Dan 4:27Deu 1:13Exo 18:19-22 Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest 1of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Pro 6:6-82Ch 34:122Ki 11:11-12Job 5:20Luk 16:5Neh 11:9Num 31:14Pro 22:3 Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. Gen 41:48-49Exo 4:13Gen 41:56Gen 45:6-7 This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.” Gen 47:13-25
Joseph Given Charge of Egypt
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. Act 7:101Ki 21:22Sa 3:36Jos 22:30Pro 10:20Pro 25:11Psa 105:19 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God 2abides?” Job 32:8Dan 5:14Dan 5:11Num 27:18Dan 4:18Dan 4:6Dan 4:8-9Dan 6:3
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. Gen 41:28Gen 41:33Gen 41:25Gen 41:16 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” Pro 22:29Act 7:10Psa 105:21-22Dan 5:29Gen 39:4-6Gen 45:8-9Psa 2:12Dan 2:46-48
Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” Mat 28:18Php 2:9-11Dan 6:3Gen 42:6Dan 4:2-3Dan 2:7-8Est 10:3Gen 39:22 Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. Dan 5:29Dan 5:7Est 3:10Dan 5:16Est 8:2Est 8:10Est 8:15Est 3:12 He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” 3 So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. Act 7:10Gen 45:26Gen 45:8Gen 42:30Gen 42:33Php 2:10Est 6:8-9Gen 42:6
And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.” Psa 105:22Exo 11:7
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, 4 and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 5 to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt. Gen 46:20Exo 2:16Ezk 30:172Sa 20:262Sa 8:18Act 11:28Gen 14:18Luk 2:1
The Seven Years of Plenty
Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt. Dan 1:191Ki 12:61Sa 16:212Sa 5:4Gen 37:21Ki 12:8Jud 1:24Luk 21:36
During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. Gen 26:12Psa 72:16 During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. Gen 41:34-36Gen 47:21 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure. Psa 78:271Sa 13:5Gen 22:17Jdg 6:5Jdg 7:12Jer 33:22Job 1:3
Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Gen 46:20Gen 48:52Sa 8:18Gen 41:45 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 6 saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” Psa 30:5Pro 31:7Deu 33:17Gen 41:30Psa 30:11Gen 48:13-14Gen 48:18-20Gen 48:5 And the second son he named Ephraim, 7 saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Gen 49:22Gen 50:23Gen 17:6Amo 6:6Gen 28:3Isa 40:1-2Psa 105:17-18Act 7:10
The Famine Begins
When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, Gen 41:29-31Luk 16:25Psa 73:20 the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. Act 7:11Gen 45:11Psa 105:16Gen 41:30Gen 41:27Gen 41:3-4Gen 41:6-7Gen 42:2 When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” Jer 14:1-6Mat 17:5Mat 3:172Ki 6:25-29Col 1:19Gen 41:40-41Jhn 1:14-16Lam 4:3-10
When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Gen 42:6Act 17:26Gen 47:14-24Isa 23:17Luk 21:35Zec 5:3 And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. Gen 41:54Gen 41:56Gen 42:1Gen 42:5Deu 9:28Gen 50:20Psa 105:16-17