Genesis 41:14–36

¹⁴Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him quickly from the prison. And he shaved and changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I dreamed a dream, but there is none to interpret it. Now, I have heard concerning you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶Then Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, “It is not in my power;^m God will answer concerning the well-being of Pharaoh.” ¹⁷And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now in my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, ¹⁸and behold, seven cows, well built and fat,ⁿ were coming up from the Nile, and they grazed among the reeds. ¹⁹And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly looking and gaunt^o—never have I seen any as them in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. ²⁰And the thin and ugly cows ate the former seven healthy cows. ²¹But when they went into their bellies^p it could not be known that they went into their bellies,^q for their appearance was as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. ²²Then I saw in my dream and behold, seven ears of grain were coming out of one stalk, full and good. ²³And behold, seven withered ears of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ²⁴And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears of grain. And I told the magicians,^r but there was none to explain it to me.” ²⁵Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶The seven good cows, they are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain, they are seven years. The dreams are one. ²⁷And the seven thin and ugly cows coming up after them, they are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, they are also seven years of famine. ²⁸This is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁹Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. ³⁰Then seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will consume the land. ³¹Abundance in the land will not be known because of the famine that follows,^s for it will be very heavy. ³²Now concerning the repetition of the dream twice to Pharaoh, it is because the matter is established by God, and God will do it quickly. ³³Now then, let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and let him set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint supervisors over the land, and let him take one-fifth from the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. ³⁵Then let them gather all the food of these coming good years and let them pile up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶Then the food shall be as a deposit for the land for the seven years of the famine that will be in the land of Egypt, that the land will not perish on account of the famine.”