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- When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile,
- when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.
- After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank.
- And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
- He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk.
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- Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.
- And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass.
- Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
- The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
- He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good.
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- After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted--thin and scorched by the east wind.
- The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
- In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.
- Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.
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- Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.
- The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
- Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so 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 to Pharaoh.
- Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I would make mention today of my own offenses.
- "Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.
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- Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
- Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.
- And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged. "
- So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
- Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
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- "We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
- "Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.
- "And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him."
- Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.
- Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
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- "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
- Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
- when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.
- After them, seven other cows came up--scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.
- The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.
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- Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
- So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;
- and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass.
- "Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt;
- and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
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- But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
- "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk.
- After them, seven other heads sprouted--withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.
- The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me."
- Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
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- "Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
- "I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk;
- and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;
- and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."
- Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
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- The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.
- The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
- "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
- Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
- but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.
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- "The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same.
- "The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.
- "It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
- "Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt;
- and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land.
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- The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.
- The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
- "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.
- Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.
- They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.
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- "So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.
- "Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.
- "Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
- "Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.
- "Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it.
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- This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
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- "Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine."
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