Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
What happened in Chapter 40? At the end of chapter 40 where do we leave Joseph?
Romans 5:3 And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Do you think that Joseph understands this verse?
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.
So it has been two full years. Two years Joseph has been in prison. For what reason? He was innocent. Just think about this for a moment. Think about two years of your life. Now think about two full years in prison. Joseph thinking as we would think, what good could come out of this?
2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the [other] kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Kine are cattle. Seven well favored cattle that came out of the river. Probably known as the Nile river the most popular of Egypt. Then we see seven more cattle that came out. These were all skinny and frail. Surprisingly the skinny ate the fat cows.
Now probably the Pharaoh did not think much of this dream. All people have dreams. He probably planned to forget it. But God would not let him.
5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, [it was] 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 thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
So the Pharaoh again had another dream. Another puzzling dream. Does anyone know what the corn is here? Corn is an old word that has changed meaning and actually means grain. Head of grain. And we see that the rank or fat grain was eaten by the thin ears.
Now this happening twice the Pharaoh was really troubled. He was distressed. So what should he do. He should call the magicians to come.
Remember what Joseph said earlier in chapter 40 verse
Genesis 40:8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [them], I pray you.
So far the Pharaoh did not know this but as we will see before the end of this chapter he will know who the true God is. Here we see one of the purposes for Joseph being brought into this picture and we will see it in Joseph's life.
I want to make a note here. This is forbidden for us to do in the Old Testament and the New Testament. We should avoid all contact with divination. All contact with anything remotely similar.
Deuteronomy 18:9. When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].
Acts 19: 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling; Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus as magnified. 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
We are forbidden from bothering in these. What are some today we can think of? Horoscopes, weigie boards, movies dealing with it, and superstition.
9. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth 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, an 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 unto mine office, and him he hanged.
After all these years it is brought back to the butler's mind what had happened in prison. Now we see God's providence working.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved [himself], and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
I thought it was neat the way Joseph dressed for the king so he could reach the king. He shaved. Egyptians seemed to be a people cleaned shaven. They were clean and dressed well. Joseph was going before the king he had to be nice.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and [there is] none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, [that] thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Here we see two sides. Pharaoh the king of a nation speaking and asking the assistance of Joseph a lowly slave in prison. This is God why would even a king listen to Joseph. And Joseph shows his true colors.
"God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." I believe Joseph already knew the outcome. He was that close to the Lord. We will see. Don't forget for Joseph to declare there to be a God could have cost him his life. Pharaoh's themselves were thought of as gods.
He used the Hebrew word Elohim. Not just any God but the God. The divine ruler.
17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: 18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: 19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they [were] still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 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 with the east wind, sprung up after them: 24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told[this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could declare [it] to me. 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh [is] one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he [is] about to do.
So Pharaoh repeats the dream. Notice how it is clear in his mind. These must have had a great impact. And as we see they were suppose to. They were so important that they were given two as in one. Both are the same.
26 The seven good kine [are] seven years; and the seven good ears [are] seven years: the dream [is] one. 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them [are] seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. 28 This [is] the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God [is] about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Seven years. Seven years of famine will come. God is giving Pharaoh a warning.
29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it [shall be] very grievous.
Egypt is not supplied much by rain fall but by the flooding of the Nile river. When it flooded if brought water and nutrients to the land. So for 7 years there would be abundance but then 7 yrs of drought and famine.
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; [it is] because the thing [is] established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
When? Now soon.
33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out 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 the fifth part 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 for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
Here is the plan that God has given them. What a smart plan. Store and conserve for the future. This is what we do. We store for the future of God. But our rewards is in heaven. Praise the Lord!
37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find [such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]? 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, [there is] none so discreet and wise as thou [art]: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to 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.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt.
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.
How old was Joseph when he was sold into slavery?
Genesis 37:2 These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
So Joseph spent 13 years in Egypt. Probably 10 yrs in Potiphar's house. 3 yrs in prison.
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: the food of the field, which [was] round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for [it was] without number.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, [said he], hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
Manasseh-I read means Amnesia. He made me to forget. All the troubles and trials associated with his father's house was gone. The homesick has left. He had a job and a purpose.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
Ephraim-fruitful. Both names are tribute to God. We should do the same to our children.
53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy [corn]; because that the famine was [so] sore in all lands.
