Gen 41:17-24 | NETfull | STEP | Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing by the edge of the Nile.

Genesis 41:17-24

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ^{▼▼ Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph; but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.} by the edge of the Nile. 18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. ^{▼▼ Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”} 19 Then ^{▼▼ Heb “And look.”} seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ^{▼▼ The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.} as these in all the land of Egypt! 20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ^{▼▼ Heb “the seven first fat cows.”} fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them, ^{▼▼ Heb “when they went inside them.”} no one would have known ^{▼▼ Heb “it was not known.”} that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 22 I also saw in my dream ^{▼▼ Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”} seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then ^{▼▼ Heb “And look.”} seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this ^{▼▼ The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.} to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ^{▼▼ Heb “and there was no one telling me.”}