- And it came to pass after two [a] full years
that Pharao had a dream. He thought he
stood upon the bank of the river.
- And lo,
there came up as it were out of the river
seven cows, fair in appearance, and choice of
flesh, and they fed on the sedge. [b]
- And
other seven cows came up after these out of
the river, ill-favoured and lean-fleshed, and
fed by the other cows on the bank of the
river.
- And the seven ill-favoured and lean
cows devoured the seven well-favoured and
choice-fleshed cows; and Pharao awoke.
- And he dreamed again. And, behold, seven
ears came up on one stalk, choice and good.
- And, behold, seven ears thin and blasted
with the wind, grew up after them.
- And the
seven thin ears and blasted with the wind devoured
the seven choice and full ears; and
Pharao awoke, and it was a dream.
- And
it was morning, and his soul was troubled;
and he sent and called all the interpreters
of Egypt, and all her wise men; and Pharao
related to them his dream, and there was
no one to [c] interpret it to Pharao.
- And
the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharao, saying,
I this day remember my fault:
- Pharao
was angry with his servants, and put us in
prison in the house of the captain of the
guard, both me and the chief baker.
- And
we [d] had a dream both in one night, I and
he; we saw, each according to his dream.
- And there was there with us a young man,
a Hebrew servant of the captain of the
guard; and we related to him our dreams,
and he interpreted them to us.
- And it
came to pass, as he interpreted them to us,
so also it happened, both that I was restored
to my office, and that he was hanged.
- And
Pharao having sent, called Joseph; and they
brought him out from the prison, and shaved
him, and changed his dress, and he came to
Pharao.
- And Pharao said to Joseph, I
have seen a vision, and there is no one to
interpret it; but I have heard [e] say concerning
thee that thou didst hear dreams and
interpret them.
- And Joseph answered
Pharao and said, Without God an answer
of safety shall not be given to Pharao.
- And
Pharao spoke to Joseph, saying, In my dream
methought I stood by the bank of the river;
- and there came up as it were out of the
river, seven cows well-favoured and choice-fleshed,
and they fed on the sedge.
- And
behold seven other cows came up after them
out of the river, evil and ill-favoured and
lean-fleshed, such that I never saw worse
in all the land of Egypt.
- And the seven
ill-favoured and thin cows ate up the seven
first good and choice cows.
- And they went
into their bellies; and [f] it was not perceptible
that they had gone into their bellies, and
their appearance was ill-favoured, as also at
the beginning; and after I awoke I slept,
- and saw again in my sleep, and as it were
seven ears came up on one stem, full and
good.
- And other seven ears, thin and
blasted with the wind, sprang up close to
them.
- And the seven thin and blasted
ears devoured the seven fine and full ears:
so I spoke to the interpreters, and there was
no one to explain it to me.
- And Joseph said to Pharao, The dream
of Pharao is one; whatever God does, he has
shewn to Pharao.
- The seven good cows
are seven years, and the seven good ears are
seven years; the dream of Pharao is one.
- And the seven thin kine that came up
after them are seven years; and the seven
thin and blasted ears are seven years; there
shall be seven years of famine.
- And as for
the word which I have told Pharao, whatsoever
God intends to do, he has shewn to
Pharao:
- behold, for seven years there is
coming great plenty in all the land of Egypt.
- But there shall come seven years of famine
after these, and they shall forget the plenty
that shall be in all Egypt, and the famine
shall consume the land.
- And the plenty
shall not be known in the land by reason of
the famine that shall be after this, for it
shall be very grievous.
- And concerning
the repetition of the dream to Pharao twice,
it is because the saying which is from God
shall be true, and God will hasten to accomplish
it.
- Now then, look out a wise and
prudent man, and set him over the land of
Egypt.
- And let Pharao make and appoint
local governors over the land; and let them
take up a fifth part of all the produce of the
land of Egypt for the seven years of the
plenty.
- And let them gather all the food
of these seven good years that are coming,
and let the corn be gathered under the hand
of Pharao; let food be kept in the cities.
- And the stored food shall be for the land
against the seven years of famine, which
shall be in the land of Egypt; and the land
shall not be utterly destroyed by the famine.
- And the word was pleasing in the sight of
Pharao, and in the sight of all his servants.
- And Pharao said to all his servants,
Shall we find such a man as this, who has
the Spirit of God in him?
- And Pharao said to
Joseph, Since God has shewed thee
all these things, there is not a wiser or more
prudent man than thou.
- Thou shalt be
over my house, and all my people shall be
obedient to thy [g] word; only in the throne
will I excel thee.
- And Pharao said to
Joseph, Behold, I set thee this day over all
the land of Egypt.
- And Pharao took his
ring off his hand, and put it on the hand of
Joseph, and put on him a robe of fine linen,
and put a necklace of gold about his neck.
- And he mounted him on the second of his
chariots, and a herald made proclamation
before him; and he set him over all the land
of Egypt.
- And Pharao said to Joseph, I
am Pharao; without thee no one shall lift
up his hand on all the land of Egypt.
- And
Pharao called the name of Joseph, Psonthomphanech;
and he gave him Aseneth,
the daughter of Petephres, priest of Heliopolis,
to wife.
- And Joseph was thirty
years old when he stood before Pharao, king
of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the
presence of Pharao, and went through all
the land of Egypt.
- And the land produced,
in the seven years of plenty, whole handfuls
of corn.
- And he gathered all the food of
the seven years, in which was the plenty in
the land of Egypt; and he laid up the food
in the cities; the food of the fields of a city
round about it he laid up in it.
- And Joseph
gathered very much corn as the sand
of the sea, until it could not be numbered,
for there was no number of it.
- And to Joseph were born two sons,
before the seven years of famine came, which
Aseneth, the daughter of Petephres, priest
of Heliopolis, bore to him.
- And Joseph
called the name of the first-born, Manasse;
for God, said he, has made me forget all my
toils, and all [h] my father's house.
- And he
called the name of the second, Ephraim;
for God, said he, has increased me in the
land of my humiliation.
- And the seven
years of plenty passed away, which were in
the land of Egypt.
- And the seven years
of famine began to come, as Joseph said;
and there was a famine in all the land; but
in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
- And all the land of Egypt was hungry;
and the people cried to Pharao for bread.
And Pharao said to all the Egyptians, Go
to Joseph, and do whatsoever he shall tell
you.
- And the famine was on the face of
all the earth; and Joseph opened all the
granaries, and sold to all the Egyptians.
- And all countries came to Egypt to buy
of Joseph, for the famine prevailed in all
the earth.
[a] Gr. years of days.
[b] The Hebew word which the LXX. have here written
in Greek characters without translating it, is rendered in the place A.V.
by meadow, in Job 8.11, the only other passage where it occurs, by
flag.
[c] Or, tell.
[d] Gr. saw.
[e] Gr. men saying.
[f] Gr. they were.
[g] Gr. mouth.
[h] Gr. things belong to my father.
[English translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee
Brenton (1807-1862) originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons,
Ltd., London, 1851]