41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing 8 by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 9 41:19 Then 10 seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows 11 as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven 12 fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, 13 no one would have known 14 that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream 15 seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then 16 seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this 17 to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” 18
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. 19 God has revealed 20 to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 21 41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. 22 41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent 23 seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told 24 Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur 25 after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate 26 the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered 27 because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. 28 41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh 29 because the matter has been decreed 30 by God, and God will make it happen soon. 31
41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look 32 for a wise and discerning man 33 and give him authority 34 over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do 35 this – he should appoint 36 officials 37 throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt 38 during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food 39 during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority 40 they should store up grain so the cities will have food, 41 and they should preserve it. 42 41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” 43
41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. 44 41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, 45 one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 46 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning 47 as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. 48 Only I, the king, will be greater than you. 49
41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place 50 you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” 51 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen 52 clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh 53 had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, 54 and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” 55 So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission 56 no one 57 will move his hand or his foot 58 in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. 59 He also gave him Asenath 60 daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 61 to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of 62 all the land of Egypt.