Pharaoh

⁹ Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

¹⁰ and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.

Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

² Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

³ and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined.

¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.

¹⁴ But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison.

¹⁷ In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

¹⁸ Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.

¹⁹ Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh of your body.”

¹ After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

² when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

⁴ And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

⁵ but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

⁷ And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

⁸ In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

¹⁰ Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.

¹⁴ So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

¹⁵ 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.”

¹⁶ “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

¹⁸ when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.