Genesis 41:1-6

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.

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.

6 After them, seven other heads of grain came up. They were thin and dried up by the east wind.

Genesis 41:1-6 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.