Genesis 41:1

1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the 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 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the river.

2 And behold, there came up out of the river seven wellfavored cows, and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, illfavored and leanfleshed, and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river.

4 And the illfavored and leanfleshed cows ate up the seven wellfavored and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.