Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had described to them in his interpretation.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river.

And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.

And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.

One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.

Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually.

And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!

Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.

When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.

In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.