January 27 Daily Devotional

Genesis 41

Joseph stayed in prison two more years. At that time the great king in Egypt had a dream. It was a strange dream. Pharaoh dreamed that he stood at the Nile. He saw seven fine fat cows coming up out of the river. They went into the meadow and began to graze. After that he saw seven lean cows coming out of the river. These lean, thin cows devoured the seven fat ones. After he had dreamed this, Pharaoh slept and dreamed again. This time he saw seven good ears of corn come up on one stalk After them came up seven thin ears, blasted with the east wind. And the seven thin ears swallowed the seven full ears.

In the morning the king was much troubled about his dreams. He called for the magicians and wise men of Egypt to tell him the meaning of his dreams. But they shook their heads. None could give the meaning. Then at once the chief butler remembered Joseph, who had told him the meaning of his dream in prison. “I think of my faults today,” he said. When Pharaoh was angry with the chief baker and me and put us into prison, we both dreamed a dream in one night. At that time there was with us a young Hebrew. We told him our dreams and he gave us the meaning. What he said became true for both of us: I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.

The king hearing this, sent for Joseph. When he appeared the king said, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can give the meaning. Now I have heard that you are able to give the meaning of a dream after you hear it. Joseph answered, “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” And Pharaoh told him his dreams.

Joseph said, The two dreams are one, for they mean one thing. What God is about to do, he hath declared to Pharaoh. Behold, seven years of plenty will come throughout the land of Egypt, after that there will be seven years of famine. The reason that Pharaoh dreamed the dream twice, is that God will surely bring all this to pass, and that very soon. Joseph told the king the best thing to do would be to save food in the good years, so they would have something to eat in the years of famine. A wise man should take care of that.

The king was so well pleased with Joseph and his advice that he made him ruler, to stock up the grain and to have charge of the affairs of Egypt. The king took off his ring and put it on Joseph’s hand. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put around his neck a chain of gold. He made Joseph ride in a chariot which was next in rank to his own. And the people were ordered to bow down to him.