Genesis 41:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,

NIV: After them, seven other heads sprouted--withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.

NASB: and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind sprouted up after them;

CSB: After them, seven heads of grain--withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind--sprouted up.

NLT: Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind.

KJV: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

NKJV: Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

Pharaoh is describing his second dream (Genesis 41:1–7) to Joseph (Genesis 41:14–16). In this vision, he saw seven full, healthy-looking ears of grain growing on a single stalk (Genesis 41:22).

Now he tells of seeing seven more ears sprouting after those. These ears, however, appeared withered, thin, and blighted by the brutal desert winds of the region. This might be a reference to the chamsin, a harsh, fast-moving windstorm which brings intensely hot, dry air. The rest of his dream is found in the following verse (Genesis 41:24).

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 5/2/2024 10:38:50 PM