Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Genesis 41:1) And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the river.
Chapter 41 begins two full years after the time Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker. Joseph had asked the butler to remember him and make mention of him to Pharaoh to have him removed from prison, but it had been two years since the chief butler was restored to his position, and he never remembered to mention Joseph. Now two years later Pharaoh had a dream.
(2) And behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored cows and fat; and they fed in a meadow. (3) And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. (4) And the ill-favored and gaunt cows ate up the seven well favored and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.
In Pharaoh's dream, he stood by a river and watched seven fine looking fat cows come up out of the river followed by seven ugly and gaunt cows that ate up the seven fat cows. At this point Pharaoh awoke.
(5) And he slept and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up on one stalk, plump and good. (6) And behold, seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. (7) And the seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
After awaking from his first dream, Pharaoh slept and dreamed again. This time he saw seven ears of plump juicy corn come up on one stalk, followed by seven thin and scorched ears springing up after the fat ears and devouring them. Pharaoh awoke again, realizing it was just a dream.
(8) And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he
sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men there; and Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.
The next morning Pharaoh was greatly troubled by his dreams and wished for an interpretation of them. He called for all the wise men and magicians in Egypt. The word translated as "magicians" here means "diviners" or "astrologers". Pharaoh told them all his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for him.
(9) Then spoke the chief butler to Pharaoh, saying, "I remember my faults this day."
This event jarred the memory of the chief butler who had promised to mention Joseph to Pharaoh. The butler forgot, but God had remembered Joseph and this event was certainly used by Him as a means to deliver Joseph.
(10) "Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker, (11) And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. (12) And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. (13) And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored to my office, and him he hanged."
The chief butler recounted to Pharaoh the incident two years prior when Joseph correctly interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker.
(14) Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of
the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.
Apparently Pharaoh was so perplexed and bothered by his dreams that he was willing to see what this Hebrew prisoner thought of them. Joseph was brought quickly out of the prison and cleaned up and brought before Pharaoh.
(15) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it." (16) And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
Pharaoh told Joseph that he had had a dream that no one so far had been able to interpret and also that he had heard that Joseph might be able to interpret it. Joseph answered that it was not he, Joseph, but rather God who would provide Pharaoh with an answer, an interpretation, that would put his mind and spirit to rest. It is not that Joseph was promising the interpretation would be a peaceful one, but the knowledge of the meaning would give Pharaoh's troubled spirit peace.
(17) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the river; (18) And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat fleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow; (19) And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ill
favored and lean fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt
for badness. (20) And the lean and the ill favored cows ate up the first seven fat cows; (21) And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, for they were still ill favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke."
Pharaoh retold his first dream to Joseph with a little more detail than we first read in scripture. He had never seen such gaunt ugly cows as the lean ones in his dream, and even after they had eaten up the fat cows, they did not change in their gaunt ugly appearance.
(22) "And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good; (23) And behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted by the east wind, sprang up after them. (24) And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears; and I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."
Pharaoh then told Joseph his second dream, and then concluded with the fact that there was no one who could interpret his dreams for him.
(25) And Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. (26) The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one."
Joseph told Pharaoh that both his dreams had the same meaning and that God was showing Pharaoh what was about to happen. The seven good cows and the seven good ears both represented seven years.
(27) "And the seven thin and ill-favored cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blasted by the east wind will be seven years of famine. (28) This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh; what God is about to do he has shown to Pharaoh."
Joseph told Pharaoh that the seven gaunt cows and the seven empty ears also represented seven years, seven years of famine. He reiterated that God was showing Pharaoh what He was about to do.
(29) "Behold, there will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt; (30) And there will arise after them seven years of famine; and all the
plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will
consume the land; (31) And the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe."
Joseph explained that first there would be seven years of abundance throughout Egypt, followed by seven years of extreme famine so great that it would swallow up all memory of the time of plenty.
(32) "And because the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."
Throughout scripture we learn that a thing is always repeated two or three times if it is established by God or if it is to be taken as fact:
"But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." - Matthew 18:16
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. - 2 Corinthians 13:1
At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is
worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he
shall not be put to death. - Deuteronomy 17:6
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. - Deuteronomy 19:15
Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. - 1 Timothy 5:19
I love this principle established by God! A truth will always be repeated! If there is some obscure scripture in the Bible that seems to say something contrary to the Word or something that seems to be a new idea not formerly accepted, if it is a fact established by God, you can be sure it will be repeated elsewhere in scripture! If you only see it once, then you can know it has been translated incorrectly. Likewise, if you are unsure if you are walking in the path of the Holy Spirit, you can rest assured that God will confirm the thing to you if it is His will.
(33) "Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. (34) Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up one-fifth of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. (35) And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay
up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. (36) And that food shall be in store for the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; that the land not perish through the famine."
After giving Pharaoh the interpretation of his prophetic dreams, Joseph then went on to give him good advice for a remedy for the evil to come. He suggested that Pharaoh look for a wise man to oversee the collection of one fifth of Egypt's produce during the seven plentiful years to be set aside in storage for use in the seven years of famine.
(37) And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
That advice sounded good to Pharaoh and to all his servants, as well.
(38) And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" (39) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God showed you all this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you. (40) You shall be over my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than you."
When Pharaoh asked, "Can we find such a one as this...", I think the point was that they could never find one among the Egyptians who had the Spirit of God. Since Joseph was the only one with the wisdom of God to see the truth of his prophetic dream, it made sense to him that only Joseph would be right for the job. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of his entire household as well as over his kingdom as he was to rule over all the people; only Pharaoh as king on the throne was to have more power than Joseph.
I have to digress a moment as I think about the fact that true wisdom comes only from God:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. - Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.- Proverbs 1:7
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6
There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? - 1 Corinthians 1:20
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness". - 1 Corinthians 3:19
Pharaoh called his "wise" men, but there were none with the wisdom of God, except Joseph. There are times when I look at what is happening in our country, especially with our so-called leaders and wonder how on earth they could do and say and legislate such foolishness when it seems so common-sense obvious that what they propose can't possibly work. Because it seems so crazy and illogical, there are times when I catch myself asking, "Do they really believe what they say?" And then I remember that Godless people do not have real wisdom and they can only do foolish things. I think back to the time the Democrats voted God out of their platform. Oh, the public and media pressure made them decide to vote Him back in, but a funny thing happened when they tried to take a vote. You might not know this is you didn't watch it live on C-Span. It was decided beforehand that they would take the vote and the guy with the floor would say that the yeas had it and the vote passed and so it would be. But the yeas didn't have it, so he took the vote again, and the yeas still didn't have it. He took it a third time and still the yeas did not have it. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away from the podium, but he was returned to the podium to say that the yeas did have it anyway, even though it was obvious to him and everyone else watching that they didn't. When he stated the change had passed, there was such yelling and booing and hissing, it was chilling! So we actually have a popular political party in this country that wants no part of God and yet people trust it to lead them? They trust it to be wise and have their best interests at heart? Do people really believe that this country can survive without God's blessing? It boggles the brain, but I guess it boggles only a God-fearing brain, that is, a God-fearing heart. And clearly evident in scripture those without God in their hearts have no wisdom to see things as they really are. It's as simple as that. It reminds me of a former pastor of mine who used to say that there was no other explanation for what people without Jesus did. They were sinners and they did what sinners do, sin! Now back to Joseph, one even Pharaoh could plainly see had wisdom above all others:
(41) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." (42) And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
Pharaoh put Joseph in charge over all the land of Egypt, sort of as a prime minister who himself only answered to the king. The ring was surely the king's signet ring, and was even translated as such in newer translations of the Bible. The signet ring was used to seal royal documents and by giving it to Joseph, the king demonstrated that those things would be under Joseph's power now.
(43) And he made him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, "Bow the knee!" And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh put Joseph in the second chariot indicating he was to be second to Pharaoh, and there were probably guards attending him who called out to the people as Joseph rode by. They may have cried out something like, "Bow the knee", to let the people know this man deserved respect. However, as it turns out, the original word "abrek" is used only this one time in scripture and the translators really weren't sure exactly what it meant. In fact, Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions defines it as "a shout made to announce Joseph’s chariot". It may have been only a shout to let the people know that there came a man of power and distinction, and not a command to bow to him.
(44) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without you no man may lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." (45) And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah; and he gave him as wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
With his words, Pharaoh made it known by his power as king, that everything every man in the land did was under Joseph's rule. Pharaoh called Joseph "Zaphnath-Paaneah", the meaning of which is not clearly known, but most early scholars believe it meant something like "revealer of secrets". Joseph's wife's father, Potipherah, is not to be confused with Potiphar, his old boss. Joseph was now not only out of prison, but went about the entire land of Egypt as chief officer of it.
(46) And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And
Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all
the land of Egypt.
Joseph had been in Egypt about thirteen years by this time, as he had been sold into slavery when he was seventeen or very shortly after (Gen. 32:7).
(47) And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. (48) And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. (49) And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
For the next seven years the land produced abundant crops, as Joseph had predicted from Pharaoh's prophetic dreams from God. As he had said, Joseph gathered, or more likely managed the gathering of, one fifth of the food to be stored in the neighboring city of where it was gathered, so it would be accessible to the same people from which it was gathered during the time of famine. So great was the amount of corn that was gathered that Joseph lost count for it seemed innumerable, and that was just the fifth portion that was collected.
(50) And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom
Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On, bore to him. (51) And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."
During the seven years of abundance, Joseph's wife bore him two sons. He named his firstborn son "Manasseh", which literally meant "causing to forget", because God had so blessed him now that he was able to forget what his brothers had done to him and all his toil and trouble in captivity in Potiphar's house and in prison.
(52) And the name of the second he called Ephraim, "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."
Joseph named his second son "Ephraim", which literally meant "double fruit" or "fruitfulness", because God had blessed him there in that land of his captivity and made him fruitful with two sons of his own.
(53) And the seven years of plenty that were in the land of Egypt ended. (54) And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said; and the famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
Just as Joseph had said, the seven years of plenty ended and famine struck, but there was food in all the land of Egypt because of the food that had been stored in all the cities throughout that land.
(55) And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do." (56) And the famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
When the people in Egypt began to hunger because they had no food, they cried out to Pharaoh who referred them to Joseph to do as he directed. Joseph then opened up all the storehouses and sold food to the Egyptians. This was food he had gathered from the people and then sold it back to them. There is no reason not to believe that Joseph bought the food from the people's abundance with Pharaoh's money and now sold it back to them. It is quite probable that he was able to buy it cheaply when there was so much, but there is nothing to indicate that Pharaoh was profiting greatly off the backs of his people. Rather he was wisely (through Joseph) taking care of his people in time of need.
(57) And all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
It was not just in Egypt that the famine was severe, but in all the countries, and they also came to Joseph in Egypt to buy food.
I believe the moral of this chapter is first that God alone gives wisdom. Follow Him, and He can raise you up out of any situation. Joseph, in a dungeon prison, was patient and trusted God, and was faithful to God's word, to live morally, giving glory to God, and he was exalted to the highest position in all the land of Egypt under Pharaoh. Of course, not everyone can be made second in command, but each can be blessed and exalted in his own station in life to be used by God according to His will. Doing God's will is to be blessed. Biblical scholars say there is more to the story of Joseph, that he is a picture of Christ, rejected by his people, sent to what would seem a sure death, but raised up by God to be a savior to his people, as we will see later in scripture. Certainly, we are not all called to be pictures of Christ, but then again, perhaps we are. Yes, I do believe I am seeing for the first time that perhaps our lives should be pictures of Christ! We are called to be like Christ:
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. - 1 John 2:6
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. - 1 Corinthians 11:1
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. - Ephesians 5:1-2
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. - Galatians 3:27
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. - Romans 8:29
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10
Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. - Ephesians 4:24
And there are so many more! We are called to be pictures of Christ! And just think about how many times people turn to Christ when they have reached rock bottom. So many of us could give testimonies like that. God raised us up from death to be like Christ. I never really thought of my own life being a picture of Christ's, but God really does raise each one of us who are saved in Christ from death, whether we consider it rock bottom or not, it is a certain eternal death from which we are saved:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:4
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. - Romans 8:11
Wow! I've never before thought of myself as being a picture of Christ, and I'm not! But I do believe that could be God's plan for each of us. He raised us from death to be Christ-like and to show others the way out of death. More than that, Jesus said:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." - Matthew 28:19
"Verily, verily, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. - John 14:12
More than just telling people about Jesus, we are to make disciples of them, and we are to do greater works than Jesus! Now if we were to come from unsaved death to salvation and then on to making disciples and doing greater works than Jesus, I do believe that would be a perfect picture of Christ! How do we do greater works than Jesus? I believe the word translated as "greater" may refer to greater in number or greater in reach "because I go to My Father". Jesus said once He went to His Father, all who were saved would receive the Holy Spirit. So although no one person could be greater than Jesus, the impact in the world would be greater with so many disciples each with the Holy Spirit of God. Wow! It all really makes me feel inadequate. I love this current Bible study! I am seeing things in scripture I have never before seen, and am better learning the things for which I should strive. To be a picture of Christ--that seems far-fetched, but I can see it should be my goal. Thank you, Jesus!
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