HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 410
G EN ES IS 4 1
17 So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my
dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank
of the Nile River, 18 and I saw seven fat, healthy
cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. 19 But then I saw seven
sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up
after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking
animals in all the land of Egypt. 20 These thin,
scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. 21 But
afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they
were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then
I woke up.
22 “In my dream I also saw seven heads of
grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single
stalk. 23 Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and
withered by the east wind. 24 And the shriveled
heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told
these dreams to the magicians, but no one could
tell me what they mean.”
25 Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s
dreams mean the same thing. God is telling
Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.
26 The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy
heads of grain both represent seven years of
prosperity. 27 The seven thin, scrawny cows that
came up later and the seven thin heads of grain,
withered by the east wind, represent seven
years of famine.
28 “This will happen just as I have described
it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance
what he is about to do. 29 The next seven years
will be a period of great prosperity throughout
the land of Egypt. 30 But afterward there will be
seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. 31 This famine will be so severe
that even the memory of the good years will be
erased. 32 As for having two similar dreams, it
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G E NE S IS 4 1 :3 7 -4 1
Handsome and bright, the favorite son
of a wealthy father, Joseph was born
with the proverbial silver spoon in his
mouth. Then everything changed. He
experienced the loss of his home, his
family, his freedom, and his culture.
Joseph managed to survive a whole
string of traumas with his faith intact.
The key to his success was maintaining
his character and integrity in the midst
of change. This stability came from
his deepening faith in God. When you
feel anxious about change in your life,
remember who you are and, more
important, who God is.
page 40
means that these events have been decreed by
God, and he will soon make them happen.
33 “Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of
the entire land of Egypt. 34 Then Pharaoh should
appoint supervisors over the land and let them
collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven
good years. 35 Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and
bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away,
and guard it so there will be food in the cities.
36 That way there will be enough to eat when the
seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt.
Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”
Joseph Made Ruler of Egypt
37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by
Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked
his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this
man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has
revealed the meaning of the dreams to you,
clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as
you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and
all my people will take orders from you. Only
I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher
than yours.”
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you
in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 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. 43 Then he had Joseph
ride in the chariot reserved for his second-incommand. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh
put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will
lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt
without your approval.”
45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian
name, Zaphenath-paneah.* He also gave him
a wife, whose name was Asenath. She was the
daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.* So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.
46 He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.
And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he
inspected the entire land of Egypt.
47 As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. 48 During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and
stored the grain from the surrounding fields in
the cities. 49 He piled up huge amounts of grain
like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped
keeping records because there was too much to
measure.
50 During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his
41:45a Zaphenath-paneah probably means “God speaks and
lives.” 41:45b Greek version reads of Heliopolis; also in 41:50.