Genesis 41:8-44

8Now in the morning 1his spirit was troubled, so he sent messengers and called for all the 2soothsayer priests of Egypt, and all its 3wise men. And Pharaoh told them his 4dreams, but 5there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of 6my own 7offenses. 10Pharaoh was 8furious with his servants, and 9he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. 11Then 10we had a dream one night, 11he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12Now a Hebrew youth was there with us, a 12servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we told him the dreams, and 13he interpreted our dreams for us. For each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13And just 14as he interpreted for us, so it happened; Pharaoh restored me in my office, but he hanged 15the chief baker.”

14Then Pharaoh sent word and 16called for Joseph, and they 17hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. 15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, 18but no one can interpret it; and 19I have heard 20it said about you, that 21when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “2223It has nothing to do with me; 24God will 25give Pharaoh an answer for his own good.” 17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, there I was, standing on the bank of the Nile; 18and behold, seven cows, 26fat and fine-looking came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass. 19Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very 27ugly and 28thin, such as I had never seen for 29ugliness in all the land of Egypt; 20and the thin and ugly cows ate the first seven fat cows. 21Yet when they had 30devoured them, it could not be 31detected that they had 32devoured them, 33for they were just as ugly as 34before. Then I awoke. 22I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears of grain, full and good, came up on a single stalk; 23and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind sprouted up after them; 24and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then 35I told it to the soothsayer priests, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25And Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s 36dreams are one and the same; 37God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the 38dreams are one and the same. 27The seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind 39will be seven years of famine. 2840It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: 41God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29Behold, 42seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30and after them 43seven years of famine will 44come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will 45ravage the land. 31So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. 32Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that 46the matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about. 33So now let Pharaoh look for a man 47discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers 48in charge of the land, and let him take a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt as a tax in the seven years of abundance. 35Then have them 49collect all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and have them guard it. 36Let the food be used as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”

37Now the 50proposal seemed good 51to Pharaoh and 52to all his servants. 38Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, 53in whom there is a divine spirit?” 39So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as 54discerning and wise as you are. 4055You shall be 56in charge of my house, and all my people shall 57be obedient to you; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you.” 41Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I have placed you 58over all the land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh 59took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and 60put the gold necklace around his neck. 43And he had him ride in 61his second chariot; and they proclaimed ahead of him, “62Bow the knee!” And he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet 63without 64your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”