The big picture
Two full years pass after Pharaoh's chief butler leaves prison and forgets Joseph. Joseph remains confined in Egypt, the kingdom ruled by Pharaoh, its king. Pharaoh then has two disturbing dreams that none of his court experts can explain. The butler finally remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh what happened in prison. Joseph is brought out, shaved, given fresh clothing, and taken before the king. He says the answer does not come from his own skill. The dreams warn of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of severe famine.
In this chapter
- Pharaoh's Dreams Warn of Famine Genesis 41:1-32
Pharaoh dreams of seven healthy cows coming from the river.
- Pharaoh Puts Joseph in Charge Genesis 41:33-45
Joseph gives Pharaoh a plan for surviving the coming famine.
- Egypt Stores Food Before Famine Genesis 41:46-57
Joseph is thirty years old when he begins his work for Pharaoh.
Central truth
Joseph explains Pharaoh's warning, plans for famine, and rises from prison to govern Egypt's food supply.
Scripture beside the summary
Genesis · King James Version · 57Genesis 41:1-32
Pharaoh's Dreams Warn of Famine
Pharaoh dreams of seven healthy cows coming from the river. Seven thin cows follow and eat them, yet still look thin. He then dreams of seven full heads of grain swallowed by seven thin heads damaged by the east wind. His experts cannot explain either dream. The chief butler remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh how Joseph correctly explained two prison dreams. Joseph is brought from the dungeon, shaved, dressed, and taken before the king. Joseph refuses personal credit and says God will provide the answer. He explains that both dreams carry one message. Seven years of great plenty will come first. Seven years of severe famine will follow. The dream comes twice because the event is fixed and will happen soon.
In everyday life
A reservoir manager receives two separate reports showing the same danger. Both predict several wet years followed by a long, severe drought. She sees that independent warnings point toward one urgent problem and starts preparing storage plans. Weather reports come from human observation and models, while Genesis says Pharaoh's dreams reveal what God is about to do.
Notice
Genesis 41:16 Joseph's first answer rejects personal credit before he explains anything. He says the answer comes from God, making the claimed source of his interpretation clear.
Genesis 41:1-32
King James Version1And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker:
11And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
19And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
29Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Genesis 41:33-45
Pharaoh Puts Joseph in Charge
Joseph gives Pharaoh a plan for surviving the coming famine. He advises the king to appoint a wise man over Egypt and place officers across the country. During the seven good years, they should collect one fifth of the produce and store grain in the cities. Those reserves can feed the land during the seven famine years. Pharaoh and his servants approve the plan. Pharaoh says God's Spirit is in Joseph and calls him wise. He puts Joseph over his household and over Egypt, with only Pharaoh's throne above him. The king gives Joseph his ring, fine linen, a gold chain, and the second chariot. He also gives him Asenath, daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of On, an Egyptian city, as his wife.
In everyday life
A regional emergency director chooses the planner who understood a coming shortage and gives her authority over food reserves. She now directs staff, collection schedules, and storage before supplies become scarce. Her promotion follows the plan she presented. Modern officials remain limited by laws and other authorities, while Pharaoh gives Joseph broad power through a royal command.
Notice
Genesis 41:40 Pharaoh gives Joseph control over his household and people but keeps one clear limit. The throne remains above Joseph, so Joseph governs under Pharaoh rather than becoming king.
Genesis 41:33-45
King James Version33Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:46-57
Egypt Stores Food Before Famine
Joseph is thirty years old when he begins his work for Pharaoh. He travels through Egypt and oversees food collection during the seven rich years. The harvest is so large that the stored grain can no longer be counted. Before the famine begins, Joseph and Asenath have two sons. He names the first Manasseh and connects the name with relief from his past suffering and his father's house. He names the second Ephraim and connects that name with fruitfulness in the land of his affliction. Then the good years end. Famine spreads through the wider region, but Egypt has food stored. Egyptians come to Pharaoh, who sends them to Joseph. Joseph opens the storehouses and sells grain. People from other countries also come to Egypt to buy food.
In everyday life
One grain manager fills every available silo through several huge harvests because a hard drought is expected later. When crops fail across the region, local families can still buy stored grain. Buyers soon arrive from farther away as their own supplies disappear. The manager relies on forecasts, while Genesis says Egypt's famine was revealed to Pharaoh before it began.
Notice
Genesis 41:55 Hungry Egyptians cry to Pharaoh for bread, but Pharaoh sends them to Joseph. The king publicly directs the country to follow Joseph's orders about the food supply.
Genesis 41:46-57
King James Version46And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.
51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
52And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Genesis 41:1 begins with “And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.”
Where the chapter turns
Genesis 41:33 forms a natural hinge: “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”
The final note
Genesis 41:57 leaves the reader with “And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Pharaoh, seven, land, Egypt, Joseph, years help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- kine
- Cattle or cows, an old plural form of cow.
- raiment
- Clothing or garments, here the clean clothes Joseph puts on.
- dearth
- A severe shortage, here the years of famine.
- corn
- Grain in older English, not necessarily modern maize.
- fifth part
- One fifth, or 20 percent, of the produce.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
