Joseph Interprets Pharoah’s Dreams

While serving as missionaries in Lebanon Ben and Carol Weir learned a great deal about prayer when Ben was suddenly kidnapped by Shiite Muslim extremists in 1984. He was held in solitary confinement, in cramped quarters for sixteen months. Carol wondered whether she would ever se … More

Administration

After hearing the contents of the dreams Joseph immediately interprets them. According to him both dreams meant the same thing (v. 25). It meant there would be seven years of plenty throughout the land, when everything would grow in abundance (v.26). Then after that there would be seven years of famine when nothing would grow (v. 27). As the seven thin cows ate up the fat ones, and the seven thin ears of corn ate up the good ones, so the seven years of famine would eat up the grain of the seven good years. God has shown you what He intends to do (v. 28). There will be seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine that will be so bad that people will forget that there was a time of plenty (vv. 29-31). He also said that the reason Pharaoh dreamed the same thing twice was because God was going to bring it to pass very soon (v. 32).

Joseph then advises Pharaoh to appoint a capable administrator over a nationwide farm program for all of Egypt (v. 33). Other people should be appointed to collect one-fifth of all crops during the good years to be used in the bad years (vv. 34-35). They should gather into the government storehouses the excess crops of the next seven years to be used when needed (v. 36).

Application

Joseph was sharing with Pharaoh a basic principle of practical living. (That is wisely planning ahead, especially as it pertains to the basic necessities of life is very important). I should not spend everything as God provides it but have some type of savings plan for tomorrow? 

Genesis 41:25-36 (English Standard Version)


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