Genesis 41:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

NIV: When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile,

NASB: Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

CSB: At the end of two years Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

NLT: Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

KJV: And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

NKJV: Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

The prior chapter ended with Joseph still imprisoned (Genesis 39:20) despite successfully interpreting dreams for his fellow prisoners (Genesis 40:20–22). The surviving servant, the Pharaoh's cupbearer, failed to mention Joseph's unfair treatment (Genesis 40:14–15) and his talents (Genesis 40:23). As a result, Joseph languishes in prison for another two years. God's presence with His people does not always mean we will escape hard times (John 16:33). It does mean He will sustain us through those times (Genesis 39:21).

"Pharaoh" is the title given to the ruler of Egypt. Two years after restoring his cupbearer and executing his baker, Pharaoh has a complicated prophetic dream in which he found himself standing by the Nile. He will see seven healthy cows consumed by seven starving cows (Genesis 41:2–4). This will be followed by a second dream, repeating the same events, this time with ears of grain (Genesis 41:5–7).

Genesis 41:1–8 describes troubling prophetic dreams as seen by the king of Egypt, whose title is "Pharaoh." Both dreams involve a group of seven pleasant-looking images—first cows, then grain—which are consumed by a second group of seven, which are withered and evil-looking. The nature of these dreams makes it clear they have meaning, but none of the Egyptian diviners or scholars can make sense of them. This will lead one servant—the formerly jailed cupbearer—to finally mention Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams (Genesis 40:23).

Joseph's status in Genesis 41 begins as "forgotten Hebrew prison slave" and ends as "the second most powerful man in Egypt." The cupbearer from the previous chapter finally mentions Joseph two years later, when Pharaoh is troubled by dreams which wise men can't interpret. Joseph reveals the meaning of the dreams: seven years of abundance will be followed by seven years of great famine in the land. Pharaoh, recognizing that God's Spirit is with Joseph, makes him second in command over the entire nation and tasks him with preparing for the famine.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37:24–28). He then excelled in his work for an Egyptian official, only to be falsely accused and imprisoned (Genesis 39:20). There, he accurately interpreted dreams for servants of the Egyptian ruler (Genesis 40:20–22). Unfortunately, the restored cupbearer failed to mention Joseph, leaving him in prison for two more years (Genesis 40:23). A series of disturbing dreams leads to Joseph's audience with Pharaoh. This, in turn, leads to Joseph becoming the second most powerful man in the nation. The following chapters emphasize Joseph's reunion with his family. Details about his administration of food during the famine are recorded in Genesis 47:13–26.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/6/2024 7:31:38 PM