Genesis 41:47 - Printer Friendly

ESV: During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly,

NIV: During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.

NASB: During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly.

CSB: During the seven years of abundance the land produced outstanding harvests.

NLT: As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops.

KJV: And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

NKJV: Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.

Pharaoh had two dreams which were messages from God (Genesis 41:25–32). That message was that Egypt would experience seven years of great abundance, followed by seven years of atrocious famine and hardship. Pharaoh responded to Joseph's explanation of this prophecy (Genesis 41:14–16) by appointing him second in command over the entire nation (Genesis 41:39–41). Confirming that Joseph's God was indeed at work in the land, the exact prediction given comes to pass. Egypt's Nile delta is a fertile region, so this time of abundance must have been even beyond what the people expected.

This was good news for the land. However, any joy over the success would have been tempered for those who believed in Joseph's prophecy. That he was correct about the coming prosperity meant he would also be correct about the seven years of terrible famine to follow.

Genesis 41:37–57 describes Joseph's sudden and breathtaking rise to power. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is convinced that God's Spirit is with Joseph, after seeing him interpret dreams and offer sound advice. He appoints Joseph to be the second most powerful man in the nation. His main task is to prepare for the devastating famine to come. Pharaoh gives to Joseph his own signet ring, along with a new Egyptian name and wife. Joseph sets about to use Pharaoh's authority to gather and store massive amounts of grain. This stockpile, built during the seven years of abundance can then be accessed when the famine strikes (Genesis 47:13–26).

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 10:16:49 PM