Two full years after Joseph had interpreted the butler and
bakers dreams, Pharaoh had a troubling dream himself, as Genesis 41:1-4
describes. “And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh
dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and
fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill
favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the
river. And the ill favoured and
leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh
awoke.”
Pharaoh’s dream about skinny cows eating fat cows was a
nightmare that woke him up. Finally, he
relaxed enough to go back to sleep, only to have another nightmare, this time
of ears of corn eating each other, as Genesis 41:5-7 tells us. “And he
slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon
one stalk, rank and good. And, behold,
seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven
rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. “
Convinced the dreams were important, Pharaoh contacted his
political and economic advisors, the scientists, and the religious leaders in
hopes someone could tell him what the dreams meant, as Genesis 41:8 tells
us. “And
it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and
called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and
Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto
Pharaoh.” None of them were able to give him a
definitive answer as to what they meant.
The butler was reminded of his experience in prison and he
shared it with Pharaoh, in Genesis 41:9-13.
“Then spake the chief butler unto
Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his
servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and
the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each
man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an
Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he
interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did
interpret. And it came to pass, as he
interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he
hanged.” Two years before, the
butler had probably been afraid to mention Joseph because he was not sure of
his own position.
Pharaoh had regained his confidence in the butler, and had
joseph brought in Genesis 41:14-15. “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and
they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed
his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can
interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream
to interpret it.”
Joseph made it very clear it would not be him, but God who
answered Pharaoh’s request.
Understanding that, Pharaoh proceded to describe his dreams to Joseph in
Genesis 41:16-
“And Joseph answered
Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold,
there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and
they fed in a meadow: Ge 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after
them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all
the land of Egypt for badness: And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat
up the first seven fat kine: And when they had eaten them up, it could not be
known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the
beginning. So I awoke.
And I saw in my dream,
and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven
ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: And
the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians;
but there was none that could declare it to me.”
Joseph explained that both dreams meant the same thing, in
Genesis 41:25-32. “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of
Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the
seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that
came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the
east wind shall be seven years of famine.
This is the thing
which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto
Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years
of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after
them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land
of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be
known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very
grievous. And for that the dream was
doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and
God will shortly bring it to pass.”
The fact that God had repeated himself meant that thei dream
was very important. Joseph proceeded to
advise Pharaoh what to do to prepare for the dream’s fulfilment, in Genesis
41:33-36. “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set
him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh
do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part
of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good
years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep
food in the cities. And that food shall
be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in
the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.” By heeding the warning and making plans,
Pharaoh could save Egypt from starvation and economic disaster when the famine
came.
Pharaoh considered it good advice and thought Joseph would
be perfect for administering such a program, according to Genesis 41:37-46. “And
the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can
we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God
hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou
shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be
ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand,
and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and
put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot
which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler
over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in
all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh
called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the
daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of
Egypt. And Joseph was thirty years old
when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of
Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.”
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