Genesis 41:2-26

2when seven healthy-looking, well-fed cows came up from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds.

3After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside those cows along the bank of the Nile.

4The sickly, thin cows ate the healthy, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and good, came up on one stalk.

6After them, seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up.

7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, full ones. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was only a dream.

8When morning came, he was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

9Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I remember my faults.

10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guards.

11He and I had dreams on the same night; each dream had its own meaning.

12Now a young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guards, was with us there. We told him our dreams, he interpreted our dreams for us, and each had its own interpretation.

13It turned out just the way he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

14Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh.

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it.”

16“I am not able to,” Joseph answered Pharaoh. “It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

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.