Genesis 41 (GNV)

1And two yeeres after, Pharaoh also dreamed, and beholde, he stoode by a riuer,After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

2And loe, there came out of the riuer seuen goodly kine and fatfleshed, and they fedde in a medowe:when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

3And loe, seuen other kine came vp after the out of the riuer, euill fauoured and leane fleshed, and stoode by the other kine vpon the brinke of the riuer.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.

4And the euilfauoured and leane fleshed kine did eate vp the seuen welfauoured and fatte kine: so Pharaoh awoke.And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

5Againe he slept, and dreamed the second time: and beholde, seuen eares of corne grewe vpon one stalke, ranke and goodly.but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

6And loe, seuen thinne eares, and blasted with the east winde, sprang vp after them:After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.

7And the thinne eares deuoured the seuen ranke and full eares. then Pharaoh awaked, and loe, it was a dreame.And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

8Nowe when the morning came, his spirit was troubled: therefore he sent and called all the soothsayers of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof, and Pharaoh tolde them his dreames: but none coulde interprete them to Pharaoh.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.

9Then spake the chiefe butler vnto Pharaoh, saying, I call to minde my faultes this day.Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

10Pharaoh being angrie with his seruantes, put me in ward in the chiefe stewards house, both me and the chiefe baker.Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.

11Then we dreamed a dreame in one night, both I, and he: we dreamed eche man according to the interpretation of his dreame.One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.

12And there was with vs a yong man, an Ebrew, seruant vnto the chiefe steward, whome when we told, he declared our dreames to vs, to euery one he declared according to his dreame.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.

13And as he declared vnto vs, so it came to passe: for he restored me to mine office, and hanged him.And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

14Then sent Pharaoh, and called Ioseph, and they brought him hastily out of prison, and he shaued him, and chaunged his rayment, and came to Pharaoh.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.

15Then Pharaoh sayde to Ioseph, I haue dreamed a dreame, and no man can interprete it, and I haue hearde say of thee, that when thou hearest a dreame, thou canst interprete it.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.”

16And Ioseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Without me God shall answere for the wealth of Pharaoh.“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

17And Pharaoh sayde vnto Ioseph, In my dreame, beholde, I stoode by the banke of the riuer:Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

18And lo, there came vp out of the riuer seuen fat fleshed, and welfauoured kine, and they fedde in the medowe.when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

19Also loe, seuen other kine came vp after them, poore and very euilfauoured, and leanefleshed: I neuer sawe the like in all the lande of Egypt, for euilfauoured.After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!

20And the leane and euilfauoured kine did eate vp the first seuen fat kine.Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.

21And when they had eaten them vp, it could not be knowen that they had eaten them, but they were still as euilfauoured, as they were at the beginning: so did I awake.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.

22Moreouer I sawe in my dreame, and beholde, seuen eares sprang out of one stalke, full and faire.In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.

23And lo, seuen eares, withered, thinne, and blasted with the East winde, sprang vp after them.After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind.

24And the thinne eares deuoured the seuen good eares. Nowe I haue tolde the soothsayers, and none can declare it vnto me.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.”

25Then Ioseph answered Pharaoh, Both Pharaohs dreames are one. God hath shewed Pharaoh, what he is about to doe.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.

26The seuen good kine are seuen yeres, and the seuen good eares are seuen yeeres: this is one dreame.The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.

27Likewise the seuen thinne and euilfauoured kine, that came out after them, are seuen yeeres: and the seuen emptie eares blasted with the East winde, are seuen yeeres of famine.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.

28This is the thing which I haue saide vnto Pharaoh, that God hath shewed vnto Pharaoh, what he is about to doe.It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29Beholde, there come seuen yeeres of great plentie in all the land of Egypt.Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,

30Againe, there shall arise after them seuen yeeres of famine, so that all the plentie shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land: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.

31Neither shall the plentie bee knowen in the land, by reason of this famine that shall come after: for it shalbe exceeding great.The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.

32And therefore the dreame was doubled vnto Pharaoh the second time, because the thing is established by God, and God hasteth to performe it.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.

33Nowe therefore let Pharaoh prouide for a man of vnderstanding and wisedome, and set him ouer the land of Egypt.Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.

34Let Pharaoh make and appoynt officers ouer the lande, and take vp the fift part of the land of Egypt in the seuen plenteous yeeres.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.

35Also let them gather all the foode of these good yeeres that come, and lay vp corne vnder the hand of Pharaoh for foode, in the cities, and let them keepe it.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.

36So the foode shall be for the prouision of the lande, against the seuen yeeres of famine, which shalbe in the lande of Egypt, that the land perish not by famine.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.”

37And the saying pleased Pharaoh and all his seruants.This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

38Then saide Pharaoh vnto his seruants, Can we finde such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

39The Pharaoh said to Ioseph, For as much as God hath shewed thee all this, there is no man of vnderstanding, or of wisedome like vnto thee.Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

40Thou shalt be ouer mine house, and at thy word shall all my people be armed, onely in the kings throne will I be aboue thee.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.”

41Moreouer Pharaoh said to Ioseph, Behold, I haue set thee ouer all the land of Egypt.Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

42And Pharaoh tooke off his ring from his hand, and put it vpon Iosephs hand, and arayed him in garments of fine linnen, and put a golden cheyne about his necke.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.

43So he set him vpon the best charet that hee had, saue one: and they cryed before him, Abrech, and placed him ouer all the land of Egypt.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.

44Againe Pharaoh saide vnto Ioseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift vp his hand or his foote in all the land of Egypt.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.”

45And Pharaoh called Iosephs name Zaphnath-paaneah: and he gaue him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah prince of On. then went Ioseph abrode in the land of Egypt.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.

46And Ioseph was thirtie yeere old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt: and Ioseph departing from the presence of Pharaoh, went throughout all the land of Egypt.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.

47And in the seuen plenteous yeres the earth brought foorth store.During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.

48And hee gathered vp all the foode of the seuen plenteous yeeres, which were in the lande of Egypt, and layde vp foode in the cities: the foode of the fielde, that was round about euery citie, layde he vp in the same.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.

49So Ioseph gathered wheate, like vnto the sand of the sea in multitude out of measure, vntill he left numbring: for it was without number.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.

50Now vnto Ioseph were borne two sonnes (before the yeeres of famine came) which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah prince of On bare vnto him.Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

51And Ioseph called the name of the first borne Manasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my labour and al my fathers houshold.Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”

52Also hee called the name of the second, Ephraim: For God, sayde he hath made me fruitfull in the land of mine affliction.And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53So the seuen yeeres of the plentie that was in the land of Egypt were ended.When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,

54Then began the seuen yeeres of famine to come, according as Ioseph had saide: and the famine was in all landes, but in all the land of Egypt was bread.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.

55At the length all the lande of Egypt was affamished, and the people cryed to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said vnto all the Egyptians, Goe to Ioseph: what he sayth to you, doe ye.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.”

56When the famine was vpon all the land, Ioseph opened all places, wherein the store was, and solde vnto the Egyptians: for the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.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.

57And all countries came to Egypt to bye corne of Ioseph, because the famine was sore in all landes.And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

The Dreams of Pharaoh

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

Joseph Given Charge of Egypt

The Seven Years of Plenty

The Famine Begins

You’ve read Genesis 41

Go deeper

The Dreams of Pharaoh

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

Joseph Given Charge of Egypt

The Seven Years of Plenty

The Famine Begins

You’ve read Genesis 41

Go deeper