Genesis 41 – Italics represents comments added about the story.
Joseph remained in prison for two more years after the butler was restored as Pharaoh’s cupbearer. At the end of these two full years, Pharaoh had a dream.
Verses 2-4, “And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 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. And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine.”
After the dream, Pharaoh woke up. Note: kine is a cow. Then he went back to sleep and had a second dream.
Verses 5-7, “…and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears.”
Pharaoh woke up from his dream.
These dreams are symbolic about something that was going to happen. We know that if a cow eats meat, it will get mad cow disease. Years ago in Europe cows were given feed that had meat pellets in it, and the cows got this disease; and they had to be slaughtered. Corn doesn’t eat corn, nor does wheat eat wheat. Obviously, this is symbolism.
Pharaoh is interested in finding out what these dreams mean. He calls for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt to interpret his dreams; but they could not. The chief butler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about the incident while he and the baker were thrown in prison. The butler told him that they each had a dream and Joseph interpreted each dream. Each interpretation came true in three days from the interpretation, one restored and one not.
Pharaoh called for Joseph from prison. Joseph cleaned up to prepared himself to meet with Pharaoh. Joseph shaved because the Egyptians abhorred body hair, so to present himself before Pharaoh he shaved his body hair off.
Pharoah explains to Joseph that he had a dream and that he had no one who could interpret it. Pharaoh said that he heard that Joseph can understand and interpret dreams.
Joseph answered and clarified that it was not him that could doe this, but God is the One who is able to give the meaning. Joseph was confident that God would provide for he told Pharaoh that he would receive ‘an answer of peace’.
God did not want the baker to be executed, but knew it would happen. God knows the end from the beginning. So, God sent and revealed both dreams. God used the circumstances of their fate by Pharaoh to the good, for it set up Joseph to be remembered when God sent Pharaoh his two dreams. Pharaoh’s dream was providential in that it saved millions of lives including Joseph’s own family.
Pharaoh told Joseph the two dreams. Joseph told Pharaoh that God showed through the dream what He is about to do. Joseph told him that the two dreams are one in the same in meaning. When God says something twice it is sure to come to pass, it is not like a conditional situation that we find in the story of Nineveh and Jonah. The seven good cows and the seven good ears are seven good years of plenty at harvest throughout all of Egypt. The seven thin, sickly cows and seven empty ears of corn blasted with the east wind represent seven years of famine.
God gave the dreams to Pharaoh in order to prepare for the seven years of famine which will be very grievous and will consume the land. The dream was given twice to Pharaoh because it is established by God and it will soon come to pass. Joseph advised Pharaoh to seek out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt. Also let this man appoint officers over the land and gather a fifth part of the land of Egypt during the years of plenty. The fifth part will be stored in the cities and will be made available to the people during the years of famine which will keep them from dying of starvation.
God also provided another miracle for the people to see. He had Joseph only gather one-fifth and put in reserve. In addition, after the seven years of famine was complete, they would need to plant for harvest. Why did God not have them gather one-seventh? Because God showed his mercy in the years of plenty in that there was so much the counting of it stopped. He wanted the people to know that it was Him that would sustain them.
Pharaoh ended up with all the wealth of the land Egypt, except for the priest of Egypt. In a very short period of time, Pharaoh owned all the money. When the money was gone, Joseph sold the food for ownership of their land. From that point forward, the people worked as tenant farmers, meaning a portion of the crop belonged to Pharaoh and a portion belonged to them. The people of Egypt never got out from underneath that burden.
Pharaoh like the idea, as did his servants. Pharaoh asked his servants if they knew of such a man who has the Spirit of God. Pharaoh recognized a life being let by the Holy Spirit in Joseph. How did he recognize it? He recognized it because he experienced it. There is not a person born into the human family that the Holy Spirit does not affect. The Holy Spirit has been interactive with humanity from times of old. People can grieve the Holy Spirit away, but the whole of humanity is affected by the Spirit. Then Pharaoh told Joseph that because God showed him these things; there is no other so discreet and wise as he. Pharaoh appointed Joseph to be over his house and was set over the people to rule; and only in the throne would Pharaoh be greater than Joseph. This meant that Joseph would be second in command. Pharaoh took off his ring and placed it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed in in fine clothing and put a gold chain around his neck. Pharaoh made an announcement of Joseph’s exulted position over all the land of Egypt. Having Pharaoh’s signet ring meant that anything Joseph did or said was the same as Pharaoh saying or doing it. Imagine for a moment, Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, then falsely accused and thrown into prison for two years, and then becomes the prime minister of Egypt which was the most powerful nation at that time. As Joseph looks back, it is evident that God was with him and there was purpose for it all.
Pharaoh changed Joseph’s name to Zaphnathpaaneah and gave him Asenath to him as a wife. Asenath was the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On.
Joseph was thirty years old and went throughout the land of Egypt and gathered all the food during the seven years of plenty and stored it in the cities. God greatly blessed the crops during these years for the bible says, “Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.” Interesting fact, Jesus began his ministry at 30 years of age.
You can read in history books about the repercussions upon Egypt because of this experience. Joseph lived in a pagan society, but he was faithful to the one true God. His faithfulness had it impact upon society, what a great witness of the day.
Joseph had two sons before the years of famine arrived. The first born was called Manasseh: “For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.” The name of the second is Ephraim: “For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Joseph’s two sons later became part of the twelve tribes, so we know that he taught them about the one true living God.
After the seven years of plenteousness, came the seven years of famine. In all the land of Egypt there was bread. When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread and he sent all the Egyptians to Joseph and told them to listen and do what he says.
Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians and all countries who came to Egypt to buy corn for the famine was so terrible in all lands. Joseph sold from the stockpile throughout the seven years of famine.
COMMENTARY
Genesis 41:16 “And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.’”
After being a slave, falsely accused and thrown in prison, Joseph stood before a Pharaoh that praised him for his ability to interpret dreams. Yet Joseph humbled himself before this Pharaoh by admitting that it was beyond his ability to interpret dreams. It was God that could give Pharaoh the answers he desired. Throughout all the trials and hardship, Joseph did not get discouraged regarding God but he still trusted in Him with all his heart.
As a human living in this sinful world, humility is unnatural to us. We often forget that God is the one who deserves all the praise. The story from Genesis 41 has really taught us that even though we are in the midst of trials, we must depend on God and trust Him. God has showed me through the story of Joseph that it is possible for us to commit our lives to God completely despite our sinful nature and natural selfishness.
In addition to teaching us humility, as Jesus was the greatest example, but magnifies the love of God towards humanity…a rebellious people.
The ‘prince of darkness’ also known as Satan, resides upon earth along with his angels who are also called demons. He is all about destruction. He wants us all to be dead, and he doesn’t care how. He wants us to be lost, and he doesn’t care how. We know, he tried to kill the Son of God, Jesus Christ. God could have stopped the famine, but if he intervened every time Satan plots evil, we would not see for ourselves how sin really plays out. This does not mean that God never steps in, because He has. God allows Satan to play out evil to show it is him who created sin, and to show that sin destroys. However, God will step in at an appointed time that only He knows and will end evil and all that is associated with it. This will settle the accusation of Lucifer (Satan) who claims God is arbitrary and unfair; and that he himself had a better plan than God. When God brings this whole debacle to an end, this issue will be settled for eternity. God says, ‘Sin will rise no more’. No creation will ever want that again.
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:12