Joseph: Pharaoh's Dreams

Joseph 1
Two years after Pharaoh pardoned the cupbearer he had a strange dream and then woke up. He went back to sleep and had another strange dream.
Joseph 2
Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams, so the next morning he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.
Joseph 3
Finally, the king’s cupbearer spoke up. ‘When I was in prison I and the baker had strange dreams. A young Hebrew man in prison interpreted them for us and everything he said came true.’

Joseph 4
Joseph was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went and stood before Pharaoh. ‘I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means,’ said Pharaoh. ‘But I hear you can interpret dreams.’‘I don’t have the power to interpret dreams,’ Joseph explained, ‘but God does.’
Joseph 5
‘In my first dream,’ Pharaoh explained, ‘I was standing on the bank of the River Nile. I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. These thin cows ate the seven fat cows but afterwards still looked as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up.’
Joseph 6
‘Then I fell asleep again, and I had another dream,’ Pharaoh continued. ‘I saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind. Then the shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but no one could tell me what they meant.’

Joseph 7
God helped Joseph interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. ‘Both dreams mean the same thing,’ he explained. ‘The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.
Joseph 8
‘The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, represent seven years of famine.
Joseph 9
‘The next seven years will be prosperous but the seven years after that will bring such a severe famine the good years will be forgotten.’

Joseph 10
Joseph advised Pharaoh what to do next. ’You should find a wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Supervisors need to be appointed to collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years and store them under guard. That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt.’
Joseph 11
Joseph’s suggestions impressed Pharaoh and his officials. Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I will have a rank higher than yours.’
Joseph 12
Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck.

Joseph 13
Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, ‘Kneel down!’
Joseph 14
Joseph, now 30 years old, was given a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. Pharaoh also gave him a wife, whose name was Asenath. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.


Joseph: Pharaoh's Dreams
When Pharaoh has two disturbing dreams, Joseph is released from prison to interpret them.
Genesis 41:1-26