Genesis 41:5-15

5 He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good.
6 Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.
7 The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8 Now in the morning 1his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the 2magicians of Egypt, and all its 3wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but 4there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I would make mention today of 5my own offenses.
10 "Pharaoh was 6furious with his servants, and 7he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.
11 "8We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
12 "Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a 9servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and 10he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.
13 "And just 11as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him."

Joseph Interprets

14 Then Pharaoh sent and 12called for Joseph, and they 13hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, 14but no one can interpret it; and 15I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

Genesis 41:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 41

In this chapter are related Pharaoh's dreams, which his magicians could not interpret, Ge 41:1-9, upon which the chief butler now remembering Joseph, recommended him to Pharaoh as an interpreter, having had an happy experience of him as such himself, Ge 41:10-13, when Joseph was sent for out of prison; and Pharaoh having related his dreams, he interpreted them of seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine, that should be in the land of Egypt, Ge 41:14-32; and having done, he gave his advice to provide in the years of plenty against the years of famine, and proposed a scheme for doing it, which was approved of by Pharaoh and his ministers, Ge 41:33-37; and Joseph himself was pitched upon as the most proper person to execute it, and was appointed chief over the kingdom next to Pharaoh, who gave him a new name and a wife upon this occasion, Ge 41:38-45; accordingly, in the years of plenty he took a tour throughout the whole land, and gathered and laid up food in vast quantities in every city, Ge 41:46-49; an account is given of two sons born to Joseph, and of their names, Ge 41:50-52; and of the seven years of famine, beginning to come on at the end of the seven years of plenty, which brought great distress on the land of Egypt, and the countries round about, who all came to Joseph to buy corn, Ge 41:53-57.

Cross References 15

Footnotes 8

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