Chapter 41
After two years time, Paroh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile; when out of the Nile there came up seven cows; handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass. But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile, close behind them; ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile; and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Paroh awoke.
He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, solid and healthy, grew on a single stalk. But close behind them sprouted seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven solid and full ears. Then Paroh awoke: It was a dream!
Next morning, his spirit was agitated, and he sent for all the magicians of Mitzramah, and all its wise men, and Paroh told them his dreams; but none could interpret them for Paroh.
The chief cupbearer then spoke up and said to Paroh, “I must make mention today of my offenses. Once Paroh was angry with his servants, and placed me in custody in the house of the chief steward, together with the chief baker. We had dreams the same night, he and I, each of us a dream with a meaning of its own. A Hebrew youth was there with us, a servant of the chief steward and when we told him our dreams; he interpreted them for us, telling each of the meaning of his dream. And as he interpreted for us, so it came to pass: I was restored to my post and the other was impaled.”
There upon Paroh sent for Yehoseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Paroh. And Paroh said to Yehoseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.” Yehoseph answered Paroh, saying, “Not I! Elohim will see to Paroh’s welfare.”
Then Paroh said to Yehoseph, “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the Nile came up seven sturdy and well formed cows and grazed in the reed grass. Presently there followed them seven other cows, scrawny, ill formed, and emaciated—never had I seen their likes for ugliness in all the land of Mitzramah! And the seven lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven cows, the sturdy ones; but when they had consumed them, one could not tell that they had consumed them, for they looked just as bad as before. And I awoke. In my other dream, I saw seven ears of grain, full and healthy, growing on a single stalk; but right behind them sprouted seven ears, shriveled, thin, and scorched by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed the seven healthy ears. I have told my magicians, but none has an explanation for me.”
And Yehoseph said to Paroh, “Paroh’s dreams are one and the same: Elohim has told Paroh what He is about to do. The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years; it is the same dream. The seven lean and ugly cows that followed are seven years, as are also the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind; they are seven years of famine. It is just as I have told Paroh: Elohim has revealed to Paroh what He is about to do. Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Mitzramah. After them will come seven years of famine, and all the abundance in the land of Mitzramah will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine, no trace of the abundance will be left in the land; because of the famine there after, for it will be very severe. As for Paroh having had the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by Elohim and that Elohim will soon carry it out. Accordingly, let Paroh find a man of discernment and wisdom, and set him over the land of Mitzramah. And let Paroh take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize the land of Mitzramah in the seven years of plenty. Let all the food of these good years that are coming be gathered, and let the grain be collected under Paroh’s authority as food to be stored in the cities. Let that food be a reserve for the land, for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Mitzramah, so that the land may not perish in the famine.”
The plan pleased Paroh and all his courtiers. And Paroh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the Spirit of Elohim?” So Paroh said to Yehoseph, “Since Elohim has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my court, and by your command shall all my people be directed; only with respect to the throne shall I be superior to you.” Paroh further said to Yehoseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Mitzramah.” And removing his signet ring from his hand, Paroh put it on Yehoseph’s hand, and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. He had him ride in the chariot of his second-
During the seven years of plenty, the land produced in abundance, and he gathered all the grain of the seven years that the land of Mitzramah was enjoying, and stored the grain in the cities; he put in each city the grain of the fields around it. So Yehoseph collected produce in very large quantity, like the sands of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.
Before the years of famine came, Yehoseph became the father of two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Poti Phera, priest of On, bore to him. Yehoseph named the first born Menashsheh, meaning, “God has made me forget completely my hardship and my parental home.” And the second he named Ephrayim, meaning, “God has made me fertile in the land of my affliction.”
The seven years of abundance that the land of Mitzramah enjoyed came to an end, and the seven years of famine set in, just as Yehoseph had foretold. There was famine in all the lands, but throughout the land of Mitzramah there was bread. And when all the land of Mitzramah felt the hunger, the people cried out to Paroh for bread, and Paroh said to all the Mitzrayim, “Go to Yehoseph, whatever he tells you, you shall do”—Accordingly, when the famine became sever in the land of Mitzramah, Yehoseph laid open all that was within, and rationed out grain to the Mitzrayim. The famine, however, spread over the whole world. So all the world came to Yehoseph in Mitzramah, to procure rations, for the famine had become severe throughout the world.
THE WORD OF ELOHIM
GENESIS
