Genesis 41:20-30

20 quae devoratis et consumptis prioribus

21 nullum saturitatis dedere vestigium sed simili macie et squalore torpebant evigilans rursum sopore depressus

22 vidi somnium septem spicae pullulabant in culmo uno plenae atque pulcherrimae

23 aliae quoque septem tenues et percussae uredine oriebantur stipula

24 quae priorum pulchritudinem devorarunt narravi coniectoribus somnium et nemo est qui edisserat

25 respondit Ioseph somnium regis unum est quae facturus est Deus ostendit Pharaoni

26 septem boves pulchrae et septem spicae plenae septem ubertatis anni sunt eandemque vim somnii conprehendunt

27 septem quoque boves tenues atque macilentae quae ascenderunt post eas et septem spicae tenues et vento urente percussae septem anni sunt venturae famis

28 qui hoc ordine conplebuntur

29 ecce septem anni venient fertilitatis magnae in universa terra Aegypti

30 quos sequentur septem anni alii tantae sterilitatis ut oblivioni tradatur cuncta retro abundantia consumptura est enim fames omnem terram

Genesis 41:20-30 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.