Bible/Genesis/41

Genesis 41:1

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

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At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed: and behold, he stood by the river.

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

What does Genesis 41:1 mean?

Genesis 41:1 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include קֵץ (qêts), יוֹם (yôwm), שָׁנֶה (shâneh). It connects to 20 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
it
came
to
pass
at
the
endקֵץqêts/kates/H7093an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
of
two
fullיוֹםyôwm/yome/H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
years,שָׁנֶהshâneh/shaw-neh'/H8141a year (as a revolution of time)
that
PharaohפַּרְעֹהParʻôh/par-o'/H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings
dreamed:חָלַםchâlam/khaw-lam'/H2492properly, to bind firmly, i.e. (by implication) to be (causatively to make) plump; also (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream
and,
behold,
he
stoodעָמַדʻâmad/aw-mad'/H5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
by
the
river.יְאֹרyᵉʼôr/yeh-ore'/H2975a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of Assyria

Commentary on Genesis 41:1

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 41:1–8
fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And 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 the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dreams; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Observe, 1. The delay of Joseph's enlargement. It was not till the end of two full years ( v. 1 ); so long he waited after he had entrusted the chief butler with his case and began to have some prospect of relief. Note, We have need of patience, not only bearing, but waiting, patience. Joseph lay in prison until the time that his word came, Ps. cv. 19 . There is a time set for the deliverance of God's people; that time will come, though it seem to tarry; and, when it comes, it will appear to have been the best time, and therefore we ought to wait for it ( Hab. ii. 3 ), and not think two full years too long to continue waiting. 2. The means of Joseph's enlargement, which were Pharaoh's dreams, here related. If we were to look upon them as ordinary dreams, we might observe from them the follies and absurdities of a roving working fancy, how it represents to itself tame cows as beasts of prey (nay, more ravenous than any, eating up those of their own kind), and ears of corn as devouring one another. Surely in the multitude of dreams, nay, even in one dream, there are divers vanities, Eccl. v. 7 . Now that God no longer speaks to us in that way, I think it is no matter how little we either heed them or tell them. Foolish dreams related can make no better than foolish talk. But these dreams which Pharaoh dreamed carried their own evidence with them that they were sent of God; and therefore, when he awoke, his spirit was troubled, v. 8 . It cannot but put us into a concern to receive any extraordinary message from heaven, because we are conscious to ourselves that we have no reason to expect any good tidings thence. His magicians were puzzled, the rules of their art failed them: these dreams of Pharaoh, it seems, did not fall within the compass of them, so that they could not offer at the interpretation of them. This was to make Joseph's performance by the Spirit of God the more admirable. Human reason, prudence, and foresight, must be nonplussed, that divine revelation may appear the more glorious in the contrivance of our redemption, 1 Cor. 2. 13, 14 . Compare with this story, Dan. ii. 27 ; iv. 7 ; v. 8 . Joseph's own dreams were the occasion of his troubles, and now Pharaoh's dreams were the occasion of his enlargement. Joseph Brought before Pharaoh. ( b. c. 1715.) 9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the c

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 20:3

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. a man's: Heb. married to an husband

Genesis 29:14

And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. the space: Heb. a month of days

Genesis 31:21

So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

Genesis 37:5

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

Genesis 40:5

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

Exodus 1:22

And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Exodus 4:9

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. shall become: Heb. shall be and shall be

Deuteronomy 11:10

For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

Judges 7:13

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

Judges 7:14

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

Esther 6:1

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. could: Heb. the king's sleep fled away

Job 33:15

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Job 33:16

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, he: Heb. he revealeth, or, uncovereth

Isaiah 19:5

And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

Ezekiel 29:3

Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

Ezekiel 29:9

And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it.

Daniel 2:1Daniel 4:5Daniel 7:1Matthew 27:19

Topics

DreamsEgyptNile, the RiverPrisoners

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 41:1.

Genesis 41:17

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

Genesis 1:14

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: the day: Heb. between the day and between the night

Genesis 4:3

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. in process: Heb. at the end of days

Genesis 41:15

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. thou: or, when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it

Genesis 41:3

And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.

Genesis 41:46

And 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.

Genesis 5:11

And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

Genesis 5:14

And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 41:1 say?

Genesis 41:1 (King James Version) reads: "And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river."

Is Genesis 41:1 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 41:1 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Genesis.

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

The book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses.

Reflect

As you read Genesis 41:1, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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