Genesis 41:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.

NIV: when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.

NASB: and behold, seven cows, fat and fine-looking came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass.

CSB: when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and grazed among the reeds.

NLT: and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.

KJV: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

NKJV: Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

Pharaoh is describing his dreams to Joseph (Genesis 41:17). The king's magicians and wise men have been unable to explain these visions (Genesis 41:1–8). After hearing about Joseph's ability to interpret (Genesis 41:9–13), Pharaoh summoned him from prison (Genesis 41:14–15). Joseph credited God alone with the ability to untangle the dreams, yet promised to give Pharaoh that answer (Genesis 41:16).

This description echoes the one given at the start of this chapter. Pharaoh's first vision is of seven healthy, well-fed cows. These will soon be devoured by seven ragged, starving cows (Genesis 41:19–20).

Genesis 41:9–36 contains Joseph's explanation of Pharaoh's visions. When Egypt's ruler is bothered by vivid dreams, his formerly jailed cupbearer remembers a young Hebrew. This is Joseph, who explained the cupbearer's dream in prison (Genesis 40:23). Joseph explains that Pharaoh's dreams point to seven years of abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of desperate famine. Joseph boldly proposes a plan to manage the coming crisis.

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 4/29/2024 11:24:37 PM