Pharaoh's Dreams
411At the end of two full years Pharaoh also had a dream. In the dream he was standing beside the river. 2There, right in front of him, seven beautiful, fat cows came up out of the river and were grazing in the marsh grass. 3Just then seven ugly, thin cows came up out of the river behind them, and they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the river. 4The ugly, thin cows ate up the seven beautiful, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5Pharaoh fell asleep again and dreamed a second time. He saw seven healthy, good heads of grain come up on one stalk. 6Right after that, seven thin heads of grain, blasted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Pharaoh woke up and realized that it was a dream. 8The next morning he was very troubled, so he sent for all of Egypt's magicians[] and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh. 9Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I remember my faults. 10Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard—me and the chief baker. 11We each had a dream during the same night—he and I. Each of us dreamed a dream that had its own interpretation. 12There was a young man with us, a Hebrew, a servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he gave the interpretation of his dream. 13It turned out exactly as he interpreted them for us. Pharaoh restored me to my office but hanged the chief baker.”
14Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon. Joseph shaved, changed his clothing, and went to Pharaoh.
15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.”
16Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in my power. God will give Pharaoh an answer to give him peace of mind.”
17Pharaoh spoke to Joseph: “In my dream, there I was, standing on the bank of the river. 18Suddenly seven fat, beautiful cows came up out of the river and were grazing in the marsh grass. 19Just then seven poor cattle, very ugly and thin, came up after them. They were uglier than any I had ever seen in the whole land of Egypt. 20The thin, ugly cattle ate up the first seven cattle, the fat ones, 21and when they had eaten them up, you could not even tell that they had eaten them, because they were still as ugly as they were at the beginning. Then I woke up.
22“Later I had another dream, in which I saw seven heads of grain grow on one stalk. They were full and good. 23Then I saw seven heads of grain spring up after them. They were withered, thin, and blasted by the east wind. 24The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. I told the dream to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. God has declared to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven good cattle are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is one dream. 27The seven thin, ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted by the east wind. They will be seven years of famine.
