Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

At the end of two full years, Pharaoh had a dream in which he stood by the river. In his dream, seven well-favored cattle emerged from the river, fat and healthy, feeding in a lush meadow. Seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other cattle upon the brink of the river.

The lean and emaciated cattle devoured the seven plump and well-fed cattle, so Pharaoh awoke. He slept and dreamed the second time: behold, seven ears of grain came up upon one stalk, rank and good. Seven thin ears of grain, blasted by the east wind, sprouted up after them.

And the seven thin ears devoured the seven full and healthy ears; then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. In the morning, Pharaoh's spirit was troubled; he summoned all the Egyptian magicians and wise men to interpret his dream, but none could explain its meaning. The chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I recall my offenses today.

Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the captain of the guard's house, along with the chief baker. We dreamed a dream in one night, my companion and I; each of us had a dream according to its own interpretation. A young Hebrew servant, who worked under the captain of the guard, was with us and interpreted our dreams, explaining each man's dream according to its meaning.

As he interpreted to us, so it was; he restored me to my office and had him executed. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, who was hastily brought out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream and there is no one who can interpret it; I have heard that you are able to understand dreams and interpret them." Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, I stood on the riverbank. Seven well-fed and healthy cows emerged from the river, grazing in a lush meadow. And behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness."

The lean and ill-favored cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle, and when they had finished eating them, it could no longer be discerned that they had eaten them; yet they looked just as ill-favored as before, and Pharaoh awoke. And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good.

Seven withered, thin, and blasted ears of grain sprouted up after them. The thin ears devoured the seven good ears, and I reported this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me. Joseph said to Pharaoh, "God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears of grain are seven years: the dream is one. The seven thin and ill-favored 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."

God is revealing to Pharaoh what he intends to do. There come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; in which all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land.

The plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it will be extremely severe. And because the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, it is clear that God has established this event and will soon bring it to pass.

Let Pharaoh appoint a man of discernment and wisdom to govern over Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land and have them collect one-fifth of Egypt's produce during the seven years of abundance, and let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and store it under Pharaoh's authority in the cities.

And that food shall be stored in the land to prevent its destruction through the seven years of famine that are coming upon Egypt. And the matter pleased Pharaoh and all his attendants.

Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find another man like him in whom the Spirit of God resides?" Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discreet and wise as you are."

You shall be in charge of my household, and all my people will be governed according to your word; only I will have precedence over you on the throne. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have appointed you over all the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, dressing him in fine linen garments and placing a gold chain around his neck. And he made him ride in the second chariot which he had; with attendants crying out before him to bow down, and he appointed him ruler over all Egypt.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without you, no man will lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." Pharaoh gave Joseph to Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, and he named him Zaphnathpaaneah. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.

He went out from his presence to travel throughout all the land of Egypt. In the seven years of abundance, the earth produced crops by handfuls, and he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and stored it away in the cities, including the crops from the surrounding fields that were brought to each city.

Joseph gathered grain in such abundance that it could no longer be counted, for there was so much of it. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bore to him.

He named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, "God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's household." And he named the second Ephraim, saying, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt had come to an end. The seven years of famine began to unfold, just as Joseph had foretold, and hunger gripped every land, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread, and he instructed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he said. And the famine spread across the entire earth; Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, while the famine grew more severe in Egypt.

And all countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was extremely severe in every land.