Gen 41:1-36 - Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams - The Mysteries of God's Word

Joseph interprets Pharaoh's troubling dreams and reveals God's plan for seven years of abundance followed by seven years of devastating famine in Egypt. Through divine wisdom and humility, Joseph provides both the interpretation and solution that will save Egypt from destruction.

• Pharaoh experiences two disturbing dreams - one about seven fat cows being devoured by seven thin cows, and another about seven plump grain ears swallowed by seven withered ears
• After Egypt's magicians and wise men fail to interpret the dreams, the chief cupbearer finally remembers Joseph from prison
• Joseph immediately gives glory to God when brought before Pharaoh, saying "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer"
• The interpretation reveals God's plan: seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine
• Both dreams convey the same message, with the repetition confirming God's determination to bring it about soon
• Joseph advises Pharaoh to appoint a wise administrator to collect one-fifth of produce during the plentiful years
• The stored grain will prevent Egypt from perishing during the coming famine

Join us next week as we continue in Genesis 41 and witness Joseph's rise to power in Egypt.

Chapters

• 0:29 Pharaoh's Disturbing Dreams
• 5:22 Pharaoh Seeks Interpretation
• 7:28 The Chief Cupbearer Remembers Joseph
• 9:52 Joseph Before Pharaoh
• 13:21 Joseph Interprets the Dreams
• 17:56 Joseph's Wise Advice
• 19:53 Episode Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Today we're in Genesis, chapter 41, where Joseph interprets the Pharaoh's dream, starting at verse 1, after two whole years, pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile. Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile. And behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed on the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile and the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

Speaker 1: 1:08

In these first four verses we see Pharaoh's first dream. Verse 1 begins After two whole years. This is describing how Pharaoh's dream occurred, two full years after the chief cupbearer and baker had their dreams and were released from prison. And we see that Pharaoh in his dream was standing by the Nile. The Hebrew word, translated Nile in the ESV, means a river or a stream, but in this context it is properly translated Nile. The overflow of the Nile, which came from the water of the mountains, is where Egypt received its primary source of water. The Nile was central to Egyptian life and agriculture. As Pharaoh is standing by the Nile, he sees a group of seven cows coming up out of the Nile. Now, this first group of seven cows is beautiful in appearance, they're well-fed, they're plump, and as they come out of the river they begin to feed on the grass next to the river. And after seeing this first group of beautiful plump cows, the Pharaoh sees another group of cows coming out of the Nile. The second group, however, is ugly and famished, thin. Rather than finding grass to eat on the banks of the Nile, these seven ugly, thin cows eat the seven attractive and plump cows. And then Pharaoh wakes up from his sleep.

Speaker 1: 2:52

After this very disturbing dream, the Pharaoh is shocked into consciousness and we see that there is some lapse of time between his first dream and his second dream, verse 5,. And he fell asleep. And he dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears thin and blighted by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke. And behold, it was a dream. Here in Pharaoh's second dream, we read that he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. Again, we're reminded that there was a break, where the Pharaoh was conscious, between the first and the second dream. And Pharaoh falls asleep and his second dream was of seven ears of grain that were full and plump, all growing on the same stalk. But then the Pharaoh saw seven new ears of grain that were thin and damaged sprout on that same stalk with the seven plump ones. Then the thin and damaged ears of grain swallowed up the good ears that were plump and full.

Speaker 1: 4:22

As I was researching this, an interesting note on the east wind in Egypt is that it's particularly destructive. It comes through the deserts of Arabia and some of these gusts are so intense, with heat, that all one can do is fall to the ground and they feel like they're suffocating. After seeing these thin and damaged ears that were blighted by the east wind swallow up the seven plump ears of grain, the pharaoh again wakes up. These two dreams were so disturbing that they woke the Pharaoh from his sleep and this time, after having awakened, he was relieved to realize it was only a dream, verse 8. So in the morning his spirit was troubled and he sent and he called for all of the magicians of Egypt and all of its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh. Here we see. The first thing the Pharaoh does in the morning is call for the magicians and wise men. The Pharaoh is deeply troubled by these dreams. As we learned last week, the occult practice or charlatan science of interpreting dreams is known as oniromancy, and in ancient Egypt, magicians were believed to be able to tell the future through dreams. It would have been very common for the pharaoh to have his dreams interpreted by magicians using their occultic pseudoscience to interpret the dreams of those in the royal court. The fact that no one can interpret these very disturbing dreams is going to add to the Pharaoh's distress.

Speaker 1: 6:17

Verse 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh I remember my offenses today, when Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard. We dreamed on the same night, he and I each having a dream with its own interpretation A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams for us, giving us an interpretation to each man according to his dream as he interpreted to us. So it came about I was restored to my office and the baker was hanged.

Speaker 1: 7:08

In verses 9-13, we see the response to Pharaoh's distress by the chief cupbearer. After the Pharaoh had sought out every professional in the land of Egypt to interpret his dream and there was no one that could be found who could interpret it, the chief cupbearer speaks up. Certainly the chief cupbearer was hoping that he could help the Pharaoh in his desperate need. Everything we hear from the chief cupbearer in his statement here is an attempt to find favor in the eyes of the Pharaoh and protect his own innocence. From the statements of the cupbearer we can deduce that the chief cupbearer had likely forgotten Joseph intentionally, as he wouldn't want to be the catalyst of a conflict between the Pharaoh's magicians and a Hebrew who talked about interpretations coming from the one true God. And he begins by saying he remembers his offenses, which is not an admission of forgetting Joseph, but rather how he was previously thrown into prison by the Pharaoh when Pharaoh was angry with him and the baker.

Speaker 1: 8:25

Then he tells the Pharaoh how both the baker and he had a dream, and their dreams were distinct dreams and each dream had its own interpretation. Then he describes a young Hebrew. This descriptor of Joseph being a young Hebrew is important because Hebrews were known to worship one God and they had different values than Egyptians. Egyptians tended to look down on the values of Hebrews. And he adds he's a servant of the captain of the guard. In addition to mentioning that he was a Hebrew, he also mentions how Joseph was a slave to Potiphar Potiphar, again, the captain of the guard and that means that this Hebrew was a servant of a high-ranking Egyptian officer.

Speaker 1: 9:18

And finally, after many statements of making sure he protected himself, the chief cupbearer says that Joseph's interpretations came true. He was restored to his office while the baker was hanged, just as Joseph had predicted Verse 14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they quickly brought him out of the pit and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh and Pharaoh said to Joseph I have had a dream and there's no one who can interpret it. I've heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. Joseph answered Pharaoh it is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.

Speaker 1: 10:13

In these three verses we see that the Pharaoh had an urgency in which he called Joseph up out of the dungeon, which again shows us the distress that these dreams had placed on the Pharaoh's heart. Even though the Pharaoh's dreams could probably have been considered a national emergency because of the urgency with which it was being dealt with, the royal dress code and Egyptian customs were still enforced. Joseph was asked to shave himself and change his clothes. The shaving of Joseph also points to how the Egyptians despised Hebrew culture, as Hebrews commonly had beards. And after Joseph's appearance was considered appropriate, he was presented to the king of Egypt and he came in before the Pharaoh. So, after being properly groomed according to the Egyptian and royal protocols, joseph was presented to the Pharaoh.

Speaker 1: 11:18

Joseph was immediately told by the Pharaoh that he had had a dream and that no one in all of Egypt could interpret these dreams. But he had been told that Joseph was someone who could interpret dreams. And the first words to come out of Joseph's mouth spoke how it was not he that had the power of interpretation, but it was God. Joseph said it is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. That phrase it is not in me could also be translated it is apart from me or it has nothing to do with me.

Speaker 1: 12:04

Joseph's answer and his first words stand in direct contrast to the magicians who used the occultic science to glorify themselves. The very first opportunity Joseph had in two years for freedom he took to give glory to the Lord, god as he was brought before the highest authority in the land, verse 17. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. Seven other cows came up after them, poor, very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. And the thin ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows. But when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. Seven ears withered, thin and blighted by the east. Wind sprouted up after them and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.

Speaker 1: 13:33

In verses 17 through 24, we see the Pharaoh recount his dream almost word for word what we read earlier in verses 1 through 8, with just a little bit more description. With just a little bit more description, this recital of the exact dreams to Joseph shows the great impact that they had had on Pharaoh. It's also significant to note that Pharaoh's immediate response to Joseph, claiming that it was the Lord God that would give the response and not him, and his contrasting himself with the magicians, was simply to tell him the dreams. The Pharaoh didn't even blink at Joseph's trust in the Lord God and his claim that the interpretations had nothing to do with him Verse 25,. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh the dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years. The dreams are one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh. God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe, and the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God and God will shortly bring it about.

Speaker 1: 15:42

In verses 25-32, we have God's interpretation through Joseph. Joseph begins by telling Pharaoh that the dreams are one and the same, and then he gives glory to God by telling Pharaoh that the Lord, god, has revealed to him what he is about to do. Joseph groups the seven good cows and seven good ears together at the same time and with the same descriptor, that they are seven good years of plenty, and then he again mentions the dreams are one. Joseph then goes on to describe seven more years, that the seven lean and ugly cows and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. Then Joseph again gives glory to God and he reaffirms that it was God who has shown this to the Pharaoh. God has shown the Pharaoh what he is about to do. And then Joseph explains why the cows remain thin and ugly even after they eat the plump and attractive cows. It's because the years of famine will be so severe that the years of plenty will be completely forgotten in all.

Speaker 1: 17:19

The land of two separate. Dreams by God means that these events are fixed by God and they will happen soon. Joseph confirms that these events cannot be changed and gives glory to the God of the universe, including his power over the land of Egypt Verse 33. Now, therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during these seven plentiful years years, and let them gather all of the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of the Pharaoh for food in the cities and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.

Speaker 1: 18:29

After Joseph has received God's revelation and interpretation of Pharaoh's dream and speaks it to Pharaoh, joseph gives Pharaoh some advice on how to survive this upcoming 14 years.

Speaker 1: 18:43

He does so by telling the Pharaoh he should appoint a man of quality and integrity, a man who, through good judgment and wisdom, can save the nation of Egypt. In addition to this man, who would oversee all the preparation for the next 14 years, joseph advises having other men who are overseers under this man who can carry out this mission. And as Joseph gives this advice, he refers back to the dream and describes using a strategy so that Egypt will take one-fifth of the produce from the years of plenty and reserve it for the years of famine, and reserve it for the years of famine. Joseph ends his interpretation and advice for Pharaoh with a dire warning Joseph tells the Pharaoh that this must be done so that the land of Egypt does not perish. We're going to end here and I hope you join me next week for Joseph's rise to power in Egypt. Thank you for joining me this week for the first half of Genesis, chapter 41. God bless you this week.