The Dreams of Pharaoh 1 DBY And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river. BSB BSB: After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
2 DBY And behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fine-looking and fat-fleshed, and they fed in the reed-grass. BSB BSB: when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
3 DBY And behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, bad-looking and lean-fleshed, and stood by the kine on the bank of the river. BSB BSB: 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.
4 DBY And the kine that were bad-looking and lean-fleshed ate up the seven kine that were fine-looking and fat. And Pharaoh awoke. BSB BSB: And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,
5 DBY And he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of corn grew up on one stalk, fat and good. BSB BSB: but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.
6 DBY And behold, seven ears, thin and parched with the east wind, sprung up after them. BSB BSB: After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.
7 DBY And the thin ears devoured the seven fat and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke; and behold, it was a dream. BSB BSB: And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
8 DBY And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the scribes of Egypt, and all the sages who were therein, and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none to interpret them to Pharaoh. BSB BSB: 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.
9 DBY Then spoke the chief of the cup-bearers to Pharaoh, saying, I remember mine offences this day. BSB BSB: Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.
10 DBY Pharaoh was wroth with his bondmen, and put me in custody into the captain of the life-guard's house, me and the chief of the bakers. BSB BSB: Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.
11 DBY And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each according to the interpretation of his dream. BSB BSB: One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.
12 DBY And there was there with us a Hebrew youth, a bondman of the captain of the life-guard, to whom we told them , and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each he interpreted according to his dream. BSB BSB: 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.
13 DBY And it came to pass, just as he interpreted to us, so it came about: me has he restored to my office, and him he hanged. BSB BSB: And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams 14 DBY Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph; and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. And he shaved himself , and changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh. BSB BSB: 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.
15 DBY And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamt a dream, and there is none to interpret it. And I have heard say of thee, thou understandest a dream to interpret it. BSB BSB: 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.”
16 DBY And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. BSB BSB: “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
17 DBY And Pharaoh said to Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the river. BSB BSB: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
18 DBY And behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and of fine form, and they fed in the reed-grass. BSB BSB: when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
19 DBY And behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor, and very ill-formed, and lean-fleshed — such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness. BSB BSB: After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!
20 DBY And the lean and bad kine ate up the seven first fat kine; BSB BSB: Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.
21 DBY and they came into their belly, and it could not be known that they had come into their belly; and their look was bad, as at the beginning. And I awoke. BSB BSB: 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.
22 DBY And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good. BSB BSB: In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.
23 DBY And behold, seven ears, withered, thin, parched with the east wind, sprung up after them; BSB BSB: After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind.
24 DBY and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I told it to the scribes; but there was none to make it known to me. BSB BSB: And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”
25 DBY And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God will do he has made known to Pharaoh. BSB BSB: 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.
26 DBY The seven fine kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. BSB BSB: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.
27 DBY And the seven lean and bad kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears, parched with the east wind, will be seven years of famine. BSB BSB: 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.
28 DBY This is the word which I have spoken to Pharaoh: what God is about to do he has let Pharaoh see. BSB BSB: It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 DBY Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
30 DBY And there will arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will waste away the land. BSB BSB: 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.
31 DBY And the plenty will not be known afterwards in the land by reason of that famine; for it will be very grievous. BSB BSB: The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.
32 DBY And as regards the double repetition of the dream to Pharaoh, it is that the thing is established by God, and God will hasten to do it. BSB BSB: 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.
33 DBY And now let Pharaoh look himself out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 DBY Let Pharaoh do this : let him appoint overseers over the land, and take the fifth part of the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty, BSB BSB: Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
35 DBY and let them gather all the food of these coming good years, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, for food in the cities, and keep it . BSB BSB: 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.
36 DBY And let the food be as store for the land for the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine. BSB BSB: 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.”
Joseph Given Charge of Egypt 37 DBY And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his bondmen. BSB BSB: This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.
38 DBY And Pharaoh said to his bondmen, Shall we find one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? BSB BSB: So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”
39 DBY And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to thee, there is none so discreet and wise as thou. BSB BSB: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40 DBY Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy commandment shall all my people regulate themselves; only concerning the throne will I be greater than thou. BSB BSB: 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.”
41 DBY And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”
42 DBY And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in clothes of byssus, and put a gold chain on his neck. BSB BSB: 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.
43 DBY And he caused him to ride in the second chariot that he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee! and he set him over all the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
44 DBY And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh; and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: 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.”
45 DBY And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah, and gave him as wife Asnath the daughter of Potipherah the priest in On. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.
The Seven Years of Plenty 46 DBY And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh, and passed through the whole land of Egypt. BSB BSB: 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.
47 DBY And in the seven years of plenty the land brought forth by handfuls. BSB BSB: During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.
48 DBY And he gathered up all the food of the seven years that was in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities; the food of the fields of the city, which were round about it, he laid up in it. BSB BSB: 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.
49 DBY And Joseph laid up corn as sand of the sea exceeding much, until they left off numbering; for it was without number. BSB BSB: 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.
50 DBY And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asnath the daughter of Potipherah the priest in On bore to him. BSB BSB: Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51 DBY And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh — For God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. BSB BSB: Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”
52 DBY And the name of the second he called Ephraim — For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. BSB BSB: And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
The Famine Begins 53 DBY And the seven years of plenty that were in the land of Egypt were ended; BSB BSB: When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54 DBY and the seven years of the dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said. And there was dearth in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. BSB BSB: 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.
55 DBY And all the land of Egypt suffered from the dearth. And the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph: what he says to you, that do. BSB BSB: 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.”
56 DBY And the famine was on all the earth. And Joseph opened every place in which there was provision , and sold grain to the Egyptians; and the famine was grievous in the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: 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.