Genesis 41:1

Pharaoh Has Two Dreams

1 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. In his dream, he was standing by the Nile River.

Genesis 41:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:1

And it came to pass at the end of two full years
It is not a clear case, as Aben Ezra observes, from whence these years are to be reckoned, whether from the time of Joseph's being put into prison, or from the time that the chief butler was taken out of it; the latter seems more probable, and better connects this and the preceding chapter: that Pharaoh dreamed, and, behold, he stood by the river;
it seemed to him, in his dream, as if he stood near the river Nile, or some canal or flow of water cut out of that river.

Genesis 41:1 In-Context

1 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. In his dream, he was standing by the Nile River.

2 Seven cows came up out of the river. They looked healthy and fat. They were eating some of the tall grass that was growing along the river.

3 After them, seven other cows came up out of the Nile. They looked ugly and skinny. They were standing beside the other cows on the riverbank.

4 The ugly, skinny cows ate up the seven cows that looked healthy and fat. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream. In that dream, seven heads of grain were growing on one stem. They were healthy and good.