Genesis 41:18-37

18when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and grazed among the reeds.

19After them, seven other cows — weak, very sickly, and thin — came up. I’ve never seen such sickly ones as these in all the land of Egypt.

20Then the thin, sickly cows ate the first seven well-fed cows.

21When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up.

22In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, coming up on one stalk.

23After them, seven heads of grain — withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind — sprouted up.

24The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven good ones. I told this to the magicians, but no one can tell me what it means.”

25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years. The dreams mean the same thing.

27The seven thin, sickly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind are seven years of famine.

28“It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt.

30After them, seven years of famine will take place, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land.

31The abundance in the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows it, for the famine will be very severe.

32Since the dream was given twice to Pharaoh, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and he will carry it out soon.

33“So now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.

34Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take a fifth of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

35Let them gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. Under Pharaoh’s authority, store the grain in the cities, so they may preserve it as food.

36The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine.”

37The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants,