Genesis 41:1-6

1 And it came to pass after two full years that Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood upon the river.

2 And lo, there came up as it were out of the river seven cows, fair in appearance, and choice of flesh, and they fed on the sedge.

3 And other seven cows came up after these out of the river, ill-favoured and lean-fleshed, and fed by the cows on the bank of the river.

4 And the seven ill-favoured and lean cows devoured the seven well-favoured and choice-fleshed cows; and Pharao awoke.

5 And he dreamed again. And, behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, choice and good.

6 And, behold, seven ears thin and blasted with the wind, grew up after them.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr. years of days.
• [b]. The Hebrew word which the LXX. have here written in Greek characters without translating it, is rendered in the place A.V. by meadow, in Job 8.11, the only other passage where it occurs, by flag.