Genesis 41

1 And it came to pass after two full years that Pharaoh had a dream. He thought he stood upon [the bank of] the river.

2 And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fair in appearance, and choice of flesh, and they fed in the meadow.

3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after these out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and fed by the other cows on the bank of the river.

4 And the seven ill-favored and lean cows devoured the seven well-favored and choice-fleshed cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he dreamed again. And behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, choice and good.

6 And behold, seven thin heads, blasted by the wind, grew up after them.

7 And the seven thin heads blasted with the wind devoured the seven choice and full heads. And Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

8 And it was morning, and his soul was troubled. And he sent and called all the interpreters of Egypt, and all the wise men; and Pharaoh related to them his dream, and there was no one to interpret it to Pharaoh.

9 And the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, this day I remember my fault:

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

11 And we both had a dream in one night, [both] he and I; we saw, each according to his dream.

12 And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew servant of the captain of the guard; and we related to him [our dreams], and he interpreted [them] to us.

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted them to us, so also it happened, both that I was restored to my office, and that he was hanged.

14 And Pharaoh, having sent, called Joseph; and they brought him out from the prison, and shaved him, and changed his clothes, and he came to Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have seen a vision, and there is no one to interpret it; but I have heard it said concerning you that you can hear dreams and interpret them.

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh and said, Without God an answer of safety shall not be given to Pharaoh.

17 And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, In my dream, I stood by the bank of the river.

18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, well-favored and choice-fleshed, and they fed in the meadow.

19 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, evil and ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such that I never saw worse in all the land of Egypt.

20 And the seven ill-favored and thin cows ate up the seven first good and choice cows.

21 And they went into their bellies; and it was not perceptible that they had gone into their bellies, and their appearance was ill-favored, as also at the beginning. And after I awoke, I slept,

22 and I saw again in my sleep, and seven heads came up on one stem, full and good.

23 Then behold, seven heads, thin and blasted with the wind, sprang up close to them.

24 And the seven thin and blasted heads devoured the seven fine and full heads: so I spoke to the interpreters, and there was no one to explain it to me.

25 And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dream of Pharaoh is one.

27 And the seven thin cows that came up after them are seven years; and the seven thin and blasted heads are seven years; there shall be seven years of famine.

28 And as for the word which I have told Pharaoh, God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29 Behold, for seven years there is coming great plenty in all the land of Egypt.

30 But there shall come seven years of famine after these, and they shall forget the plenty that shall be in all Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land.

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of the famine that shall be after this, for it shall be very grievous.

32 And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it is because the saying which is from God shall be true, and God will hasten to accomplish it.

33 Now then, select a wise and prudent man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 And let Pharaoh make and appoint local governors over the land; and let them take up a fifth part of all the produce of the land of Egypt for the seven years of the plenty.

35 And let them gather all the food of these seven good years that are coming, and let the grain be gathered under the hand of Pharaoh; let food be kept in the cities.

36 And the stored food shall be for the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; and the land shall not be utterly destroyed by the famine.

37 And the word was pleasing in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said to all his servants, Shall we find such a man as this, who has the Spirit of God in him?

39 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all these things, there is not a wiser or more prudent man than you.

40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be obedient to your word; only in the throne will I excel you.

41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, I set you this day over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took his ring off his hand, and put it on the hand of Joseph, and put on him a robe of fine linen, and put a necklace of gold about his neck.

43 And he mounted him on the second of his chariots, and a herald made proclamation before him; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh; without you no one shall lift up his hand on all the land of Egypt.

45 And Pharaoh called the name of Joseph Zaphnath-Paaneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of Heliopolis, as a wife.

46 And 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.

47 And the land produced, in the seven years of plenty, [whole] handfuls [of grain].

48 And he gathered all the food of the seven years, in which was the plenty in the land of Egypt; and he laid up the food in the cities; the food of the fields of a city round about it he laid up in it.

49 And Joseph gathered very much grain as the sand of the sea, until it could not be numbered, for there was no number of it.

50 And to Joseph were born two sons, before the seven years of famine came, which Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of Heliopolis, bore to him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn, Manasseh; for God, [he said], has made me forget all my toils, and all my father's house.

52 And he called the name of the second, Ephraim; for God, [he said], has increased me in the land of my humiliation.

53 And the seven years of plenty passed away, which were in the land of Egypt.

54 And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph said; and there was a famine in all the land; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And all the land of Egypt was hungry; and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph, and do whatever he shall say to you.

56 And the famine was on the face of all the earth; and Joseph opened all the granaries, and sold to all the Egyptians.

57 And all countries came to Egypt to buy from Joseph, for the famine prevailed in all the earth.