Genesis 41 : 1 (HCSB)
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
Genesis 41 : 2 (HCSB)
when seven healthy-looking, well-fed cows came up from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds.
Genesis 41 : 3 (HCSB)
After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside those cows along the bank of the Nile.
Genesis 41 : 4 (HCSB)
The sickly, thin cows ate the healthy, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
Genesis 41 : 5 (HCSB)
He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, full and good, came up on one stalk.
Genesis 41 : 6 (HCSB)
After them, seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up.
Genesis 41 : 7 (HCSB)
The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven full, good ones. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was only a dream.
Genesis 41 : 8 (HCSB)
When morning came, he was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Genesis 41 : 9 (HCSB)
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I remember my faults.
Genesis 41 : 10 (HCSB)
Pharaoh had been angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.
Genesis 41 : 11 (HCSB)
He and I had dreams on the same night; each dream had its own meaning.
Genesis 41 : 12 (HCSB)
Now a young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guards, was with us there. We told him our dreams, he interpreted our dreams for us, and each had its own interpretation.
Genesis 41 : 13 (HCSB)
It turned out just the way he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged."
Genesis 41 : 14 (HCSB)
Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41 : 15 (HCSB)
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it."
Genesis 41 : 16 (HCSB)
"I am not able to," Joseph answered Pharaoh. "It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
Genesis 41 : 17 (HCSB)
So Pharaoh said to Joseph: "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
Genesis 41 : 18 (HCSB)
when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds.
Genesis 41 : 19 (HCSB)
After them, seven other cows-- ugly, very sickly, and thin-- came up. I've never seen such ugly ones as these in all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 20 (HCSB)
Then the thin, ugly cows ate the first seven well-fed cows.
Genesis 41 : 21 (HCSB)
When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up.
Genesis 41 : 22 (HCSB)
In my dream I had also seen seven heads of grain, full and good, coming up on one stalk.
Genesis 41 : 23 (HCSB)
After them, seven heads of grain-- withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind-- sprouted up.
Genesis 41 : 24 (HCSB)
The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven full ones. I told this to the magicians, but no one can tell me what it means."
Genesis 41 : 25 (HCSB)
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams mean the same thing. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Genesis 41 : 26 (HCSB)
The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years. The dreams mean the same thing.
Genesis 41 : 27 (HCSB)
The seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven worthless, scorched heads of grain are seven years of famine.
Genesis 41 : 28 (HCSB)
"It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Genesis 41 : 29 (HCSB)
Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 30 (HCSB)
After them, seven years of famine will take place, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land.
Genesis 41 : 31 (HCSB)
The abundance in the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows it, for the famine will be very severe.
Genesis 41 : 32 (HCSB)
Because the dream was given twice to Pharaoh, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and He will soon carry it out.
Genesis 41 : 33 (HCSB)
"So now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 34 (HCSB)
Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth *of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
Genesis 41 : 35 (HCSB)
Let them gather all the *excess food during these good years that are coming, store the grain under Pharaoh's authority as food in the cities, and preserve it .
Genesis 41 : 36 (HCSB)
The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine."
Genesis 41 : 37 (HCSB)
The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
Genesis 41 : 38 (HCSB)
Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone like this, a man who has the spirit of God in him?"
Genesis 41 : 39 (HCSB)
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as intelligent and wise as you.
Genesis 41 : 40 (HCSB)
You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you."
Genesis 41 : 41 (HCSB)
Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "See, I am placing you over all the land of Egypt."
Genesis 41 : 42 (HCSB)
Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, clothed him with fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
Genesis 41 : 43 (HCSB)
He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, and *servants called out before him, "Abrek!" So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 44 (HCSB)
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will be able to raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
Genesis 41 : 45 (HCSB)
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and gave him a wife, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 46 (HCSB)
Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 47 (HCSB)
During the seven years of abundance the land produced outstanding harvests.
Genesis 41 : 48 (HCSB)
Joseph gathered all the *excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and placed it in the cities. He placed the food in every city from the fields around it.
Genesis 41 : 49 (HCSB)
So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance-- like the sand of the sea-- that he stopped measuring it because it was beyond measure.
Genesis 41 : 50 (HCSB)
Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine arrived. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On, bore *them to him.
Genesis 41 : 51 (HCSB)
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, meaning, "God has made me forget all my hardship in my father's house."
Genesis 41 : 52 (HCSB)
And the second son he named Ephraim, meaning, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
Genesis 41 : 53 (HCSB)
Then the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
Genesis 41 : 54 (HCSB)
and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.
Genesis 41 : 55 (HCSB)
Extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh told all Egypt, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."
Genesis 41 : 56 (HCSB)
Because the famine had spread across the whole country, Joseph opened up *all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41 : 57 (HCSB)
The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, for the famine was severe all over the earth.
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