Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Genesis 41

• Joseph’s dreams when he was sold into captivity in Egypt:
  Gen 37:⁷ There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
  ⁹ “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” ¹⁰ So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”
  
• Now the Pharaoh in Egypt has dreams:
  His first dream is similar to Joseph’s first dream about grain.

Pharaoh’s Dreams

Genesis 41:¹ Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

• What does the number mean in scripture? Read on until verse 32.

Genesis 41:² Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

• Seven is the number for completion. It brings together a covenant that is as good as done. The root meaning of seven is covenant. It also means….there is another….

Genesis 41:³ Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.

Genesis 41:⁴ And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

Genesis 41:⁵ He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.

Genesis 41:⁶ Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

Genesis 41:⁷ And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

• Hebrew meaning of “Seven”:
  
• Root meaning of “Seven” H7650
  

Genesis 41:⁸ Now 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 its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:⁹ Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.

Genesis 41:¹⁰ When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,

Genesis 41:¹¹ we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

Genesis 41:¹² Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

Genesis 41:¹³ And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

Genesis 41:¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.

• While it is true that Hebrews were not clean-shaven and Egyptians shaved both their heads and faces and Hebrews wore home-spun wool clothes while Egyptians wore linen or cotton wrap-around ‘skirts’, Joseph being in a dungeon would have caused him to be degenerately filthy and smelly. No one would dare go before a king in such an offensive way.

• Matthew 22:^11-13 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

• Joseph is appropriately dressed to come before the Pharaoh. This is a sign of salvation and deliverance.

Genesis 41:¹⁵ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

Genesis 41:¹⁶ So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God (‘ĕlōhîm) will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Genesis 41:¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river.

Genesis 41:¹⁸ Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

Genesis 41:¹⁹ Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:²⁰ And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

Genesis 41:²¹ When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.

Genesis 41:²² Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads (Heads of grain) came up on one stalk, full and good.

Genesis 41:²³ Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

Genesis 41:²⁴ And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

Genesis 41:²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

Genesis 41:²⁶ The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads (Heads of grain) are seven years; the dreams are one.

Genesis 41:²⁷ And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.

Genesis 41:²⁸ This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

Genesis 41:²⁹ Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;

Genesis 41:³⁰ but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.

• Note: These seven years of famine are called “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”. It is a prophetic term used for the seven years of famine during the seven year Tribulation.

• Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

• @Tribulation Alert

• Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.

Genesis 41:³¹ So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.

• Daniel 12:1 [Prophecy of the End Time – Tribulation] “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.

Genesis 41:³² And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

• The number 2 means: There is another, it is decided (established) and it is as good as done (shortly bring it to pass..). God has made up His mind and signed the decree.

Genesis 41:³³ “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers (overseers) over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.

Genesis 41:³⁵ And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority (Lit. hand) of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

• The pyramids of Egypt are called “Joseph’s graineries”.

Genesis 41:³⁶ Then that food shall be as a reserve (Lit. supply) for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish (be cut off) during the famine.”

Joseph’s Rise to Power

Genesis 41:³⁷ So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

Genesis 41:³⁸ And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Genesis 41:³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

Genesis 41:⁴⁰ You shall be over (In charge of) my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Genesis 41:⁴¹ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:⁴² Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen (sym. righteousness) and put a gold chain (sym. of purity) around his neck.

Genesis 41:⁴³ And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:⁴⁴ Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:⁴⁵ And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah (Probably Egyptian for God Speaks and He Lives). And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

@Redeemer Alert

Every “Redeemer-Type” first marries a gentile before he saves the Jews.

Jesus has a Gentile Bride (the Bride of Christ) before the prophetic seven year tribulation. Then Jesus will save the Jews. Joseph marries a gentile Egyptian before he saves his family, the Jews.

Asenath is symbolic of the Bride of Christ.

Asenath is the daughter of the priest of ‘On’, another name for Heliopolis, which was the religious center of Ra, the god representing the sun.

The bride of Christ worships the Son.

Genesis 41:⁴⁶ 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.

• 1723 BC: Joseph was seventeen years old when he gave his father, Jacob, a bad report concerning his brothers and he was sold into slavery.

• In 1712 BC Joseph was 28 years old when he was sent to prison for 2 years by Potiphar. Joseph has been in Egypt 11 years.

• Now, in 1710 BC, Joseph is thirty years old. He has been in Egypt 13 years. It will be seven years of plenty

• Years according to Timeline BC ~Barbara Grover

Genesis 41:⁴⁷ Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly (Lit. by handfuls).

• The years of plenty began in 1710 BC. It will be 1703 BC by the time the plentiful years are ended and the years of famine begin. (1710-1703 BC are the plentiful years) 1703 – 1696 BC are the years of famine.

Genesis 41:⁴⁸ So 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; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.

Genesis 41:⁴⁹ Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.

Genesis 41:⁵⁰ And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.

Genesis 41:⁵¹ Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh (Lit. Making Forgetful): “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

Genesis 41:⁵² And the name of the second he called Ephraim (Lit. Fruitfulness): “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Genesis 41:⁵³ Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,

• It is now 1703 BC

Genesis 41:⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

• @Tribulation Alert
  “The Day of Affliction” is another name given for the seven year tribulation in the Jew’s future. Now the seven years of famine begin.

Genesis 41:⁵⁵ So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”

• @Prophecy Alert
  The Jews during the seven year tribulation will be famished for the “Bread from Heaven”.

• John 6:32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

• John 6:33 For the bread of God is He (Jesus) who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

• John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh (body), which I shall give for the life of the world.”

• Luke 22:19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body (flesh) which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

• The remnant of Jews, at the end of the seven year tribulation, will cry out in affliction for this bread from heaven.
  • Hosea 5:15 I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Genesis 41:⁵⁶ The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses (Lit. all that was in them) and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:⁵⁷ So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.

• The largest year numbers are in the past. The numbers get lower and closer to the present downwards:

1723 BC	Joseph is 17 yrs old	He gives a bad report of his brothers Dan and Naphtali and Gad and Asher to his father.	He is sold into slavery.	Gen 37:1	Benjamin is 11 years old. Rachel has been dead for 11 years. Leah is raising the boys.
	The ages of: Isaac 168 / Israel & Esau 108 / Reuben 23 / Simeon 22 / Levi 21 / Judah & Dan 20 / Naphtali, Issachar & Gad 19 / Asher & Zebulun 18
1712 BC	Joseph is 28 yrs old	He is sent to prison for 2 years by Potiphar.	He was accused of attempting to rape Potiphar’s wife.	Gen 39:6-20	Joseph was a good looking man. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and he refused.
	The ages of: Isaac 179 / Israel & Esau 119 / Reuben 34 / Simeon 33 / Levi 32 / Judah & Dan 31 / Naphtali, Issachar & Gad 30 / Asher & Zebulun 29 / Benjamin 22 / Kohath 2 (Levi’s 2nd son Exo 6:18)
1711 BC	Joseph’s grandfather Isaac, died at the age of 180 without Joseph’s knowledge. Isaac was buried by Joseph’s father Jacob (aka Israel) and his twin brother Esau in Hebron. [Gen 35:28-29] Nothing more is known of Esau. The days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. Gen 35:28
1710 BC	Joseph is 30 yrs old	He is summoned from prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dream of 7 years of plenty and 7 years of severe famine.	Pharaoh makes Joseph vizier of Egypt. (2nd only to Pharaoh)	Gen 41:46	Pharaoh changed his name to Zaphnath-Paaneah, and gave him Asenath for a wife.
	The ages of: Israel 121 / Reuben 36 / Simeon 35 / Levi 34 / Judah & Dan 33/ Naphtali, Issachar & Gad 32 / Asher & Zebulun 31 / Joseph 30 / Benjamin 24 / Kohath 4
1709 BC	Manesseh is born to Joseph and Asenath. Manasseh was born to Joseph at the age of about 31, before the years of famine. [Gen 41:50]
1704 BC	Ephraim is born to Joseph and Asenath. Ephraim was born to Joseph at the age of about 36, before the years of famine.
1703 BC	The years of plenty have ended. The years of famine begin.
	1701 BC: Jacob takes his family to Egypt
	1694 BC: The Famine is over
1630 BC	Joseph dies in Egypt 110 years old.
	The ages of the living: Reuben is 116 yrs of age / Simeon 115 / Levi 114 / Judah & Dan 113/ Naphtali, Issachar & Gad 112 / Asher & Zebulun 111 / Benjamin 104 / Manasseh 79 / Ephraim 75 / Amran is 33
	His bones are taken back to the promised land

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