Genesis 41
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New King James Version

Genesis 41:7-32

7And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.

10When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,

11we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

12Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

13And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.

15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

16So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river.

18Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

19Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

20And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

21When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good.

23Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

24And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.

27And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.

28This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;

30but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.

31So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.

32And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

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Commentaries on Genesis 41

New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc