Genesis 41:28-38

28 It is just as I told you - God has shown you what he is going to do.

29 There will be seven years of great plenty in all the land of Egypt.

30 After that, there will be seven years of famine, and all the good years will be forgotten, because the famine will ruin the country.

31 The time of plenty will be entirely forgotten, because the famine which follows will be so terrible.

32 The repetition of your dream means that the matter is fixed by God and that he will make it happen in the near future.

33 "Now you should choose some man with wisdom and insight and put him in charge of the country.

34 You must also appoint other officials and take a fifth of the crops during the seven years of plenty.

35 Order them to collect all the food during the good years that are coming, and give them authority to store up grain in the cities and guard it.

36 The food will be a reserve supply for the country during the seven years of famine which are going to come on Egypt. In this way the people will not starve."

37 The king and his officials approved this plan,

38 and he said to them, "We will never find a better man than Joseph, a man who has God's spirit in him."

Genesis 41:28-38 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.