New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
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Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing near the Nile.
2 and there came up out of the Nile seven sleek and fat cows, and they grazed in the reed grass.
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In front of him, seven healthy-looking, fattened cows climbed up out of the Nile and grazed on the reeds.
3 Then seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
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Just then, seven other cows, terrible-looking and scrawny, climbed up out of the Nile after them and stood beside them on the bank of the Nile.
4 The ugly and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke.
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The terrible-looking, scrawny cows devoured the seven healthy-looking, fattened cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 Then he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.
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He went back to sleep and had a second dream, in which seven ears of grain, full and healthy, grew on a single stalk.
6 Then seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them.
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Just then, seven ears of grain, scrawny and scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them,
7 The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and it was a dream.
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and the scrawny ears swallowed up the full and well-formed ears. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream.
8 In the morning his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
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In the morning, he was disturbed and summoned all of Egypt's religious experts and all of its advisors. Pharaoh described his dreams to them, but they couldn't interpret them for Pharaoh.
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my faults today.
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Then the chief wine steward spoke to Pharaoh: "Today I've just remembered my mistake.
10 Once Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard.
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Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker under arrest with the commander of the royal guard.
11 We dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning.
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We both dreamed one night, he and I, and each of our dreams had its own interpretation.
12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each according to his dream.
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A young Hebrew man, a servant of the commander of the royal guard, was with us. We described our dreams to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us, giving us an interpretation for each dream.
13 As he interpreted to us, so it turned out; I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged."
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His interpretations came true exactly: Pharaoh restored me to my position but hanged him."
14 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was hurriedly brought out of the dungeon. When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.
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So Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed clothes, and appeared before Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, but no one could interpret it. Then I heard that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it."
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
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Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It's not me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable response."
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile;
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So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile.
18 and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.
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In front of me, seven fattened, stout cows climbed up out of the Nile and grazed on the reeds.
19 Then seven other cows came up after them, poor, very ugly, and thin. Never had I seen such ugly ones in all the land of Egypt.
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Just then, seven other cows, weak and frail and thin, climbed up after them. I've never seen such awful cows in all the land of Egypt.
20 The thin and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows,
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Then the thin, frail cows devoured the first seven, fattened cows.
21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had done so, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
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But after they swallowed them whole, no one would have known it. They looked just as bad as they had before. Then I woke up.
22 I fell asleep a second time and I saw in my dream seven ears of grain, full and good, growing on one stalk,
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I went to sleep again and saw in my dream seven full and healthy ears of grain growing on one stalk.
23 and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouting after them;
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Just then, seven hard and thin ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them,
24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. But when I told it to the magicians, there was no one who could explain it to me."
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and the thin ears swallowed up the healthy ears. I told the religious experts, but they couldn't explain it to me."
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
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Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh has actually had one dream. God has announced to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one.
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The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears of grain are seven years. It's actually one dream.
27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind. They are seven years of famine.
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The seven thin and frail cows, climbing up after them, are seven years. The seven thin ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, are seven years of famine.
28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
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It's just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.
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Seven years of great abundance are now coming throughout the entire land of Egypt.
30 After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land.
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After them, seven years of famine will appear, and all of the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land.
31 The plenty will no longer be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very grievous.
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No one will remember the abundance in the land because the famine that follows will be so very severe.
32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.
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The dream occurred to Pharaoh twice because God has determined to do it, and God will make it happen soon.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
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"Now Pharaoh should find an intelligent, wise man and give him authority over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years.
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Then Pharaoh should appoint administrators over the land and take one-fifth of all the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
35 Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.
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During the good years that are coming, they should collect all such food and store the grain under Pharaoh's control, protecting the food in the cities.
36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine."
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This food will be reserved for the seven years of famine to follow in the land of Egypt so that the land won't be ravaged by the famine."
37 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.
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This advice seemed wise to Pharaoh and all his servants,
38 Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this—one in whom is the spirit of God?"
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and Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man with more God-given gifts than this one?"
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
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Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, no one is as intelligent and wise as you are.
40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you."
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You will be in charge of my kingdom, and all my people will obey your command. Only as the enthroned king will I be greater than you."
41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Know this: I've given you authority over the entire land of Egypt."
42 Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph's hand; he arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck.
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Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, he dressed him in linen clothes, and he put a gold necklace around his neck.
43 He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they cried out in front of him, "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
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He put Joseph on the chariot of his second-in-command, and everyone in front of him cried out, "Attention!" So Pharaoh installed him over the entire land of Egypt.
44 Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh; no one will do anything or go anywhere in all the land of Egypt without your permission."
45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
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Pharaoh renamed Joseph, Zaphenath-paneah, and married him to Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of Heliopolis. Then Joseph assumed control of the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt.
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Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, Egypt's king, when he left Pharaoh's court and traveled through the entire land of Egypt.
47 During the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
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During the seven years of abundance, the land produced plentifully.
48 He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it.
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He collected all of the food during the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt, and stored the food in cities. In each city, he stored the food from the fields surrounding it.
49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.
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Joseph amassed grain like the sand of the sea. There was so much that he stopped trying to measure it because it was beyond measuring.
50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.
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Before the years of famine arrived, Asenath the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, gave birth to two sons for Joseph.
51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."
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Joseph named the oldest son Manasseh,"because," he said, "God has helped me forget all of my troubles and everyone in my father's household."
52 The second he named Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes."
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He named the second Ephraim,"because," he said, "God has given me children in the land where I've been treated harshly."
53 The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end;
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The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread.
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and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. The famine struck every country, but the entire land of Egypt had bread.
55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do."
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When the famine ravaged the entire land of Egypt and the people pleaded to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh said to all of the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. Do whatever he tells you."
56 And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
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The famine covered every part of the land, and Joseph opened all of the granaries and sold grain to the Egyptians. In the land of Egypt, the famine became more and more severe.
57 Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.
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Every country came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because in every country the famine had also become more severe.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible