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Genesis 41

God reveals the coming famine through Joseph, whose wisdom and authority provide food for Egypt and the countries around it.

Pharaoh has two troubling dreams, and none of Egypt’s magicians or wise men can explain them. The chief cup bearer remembers Joseph, who is brought from prison to stand before Pharaoh. Joseph credits God with the interpretation: seven years of plenty will precede seven years of severe famine. He proposes storing grain, and Pharaoh places him over Egypt. The chapter follows Joseph’s rise to authority, the birth of his sons, and the famine that brings other countries to Egypt for food.

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1At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
6Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8In the morning, his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, with the chief baker.
12There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. He interpreted to each man according to his dream.
13As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”
15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
18and behold, seven fat and sleek cattle came up out of the river. They fed in the marsh grass;
21and when they had eaten them up, it couldn’t be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ugly, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
23and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
24The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
26The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
27The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine.
28That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
29Behold, seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
30Seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land,
32The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33“Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt’s produce in the seven plenteous years.
35Let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and store grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.
37The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
40You shall be over my house. All my people will be ruled according to your word. Only in the throne I will be greater than you.”
41Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.
43He made him ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, “Bow the knee!” He set him over all the land of Egypt.
44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”
45Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.
48He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. He stored food in each city from the fields around that city.
49Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
50To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.
51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”
52The name of the second, he called Ephraim: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
54The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”
56The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
57All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Genesis 41:8The failure of Egypt’s experts sets the stage for Joseph’s declaration that the answer comes from God.
Genesis 41:38Pharaoh recognizes God’s Spirit in Joseph, linking his fitness to govern with the divine source of his wisdom.
Genesis 41:42Pharaoh’s ring and royal gifts mark Joseph’s transfer from imprisonment to authority over Egypt’s response to famine.
Where this chapter reaches

Daniel shares the pattern of a troubled ruler whose experts cannot explain a dream, followed by a servant who credits God with revealing its meaning. Esther shares the use of a king’s signet ring to confer authority within a foreign court.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about Joseph’s response when Pharaoh credits him with the ability to interpret dreams?

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How might Joseph’s planning for famine shape your thoughts about responsibility when resources are plentiful?

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Questions people ask about Genesis 41

What do Pharaoh’s dreams mean in Genesis 41?

Both dreams announce the same events: seven years of abundant harvests followed by seven years of severe famine. The thin cattle and blighted grain consuming the healthy ones show how the famine will erase the abundance. Joseph says the repetition means God has established what will happen and will bring it soon.

Why did Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of Egypt?

Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and proposes storing a fifth of Egypt’s produce during the seven good years. Pharaoh sees this counsel as evidence of wisdom given by God. He appoints Joseph over his household and people, retaining the throne as the sole rank above him.

What do the names Manasseh and Ephraim mean in Genesis 41?

Joseph connects Manasseh’s name with God making him forget his toil and his father’s house. He connects Ephraim’s name with God making him fruitful in the land of his affliction. These explanations place both relief and remembered suffering within the account of his new life in Egypt.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).