1 A full two years later, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing beside the River Nile. 2 He saw seven cows coming up from the river. They looked well-fed and healthy as they grazed among the reeds. 3 Then he saw another seven cows that came up behind them. They looked ugly and skinny as they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 Then the ugly, skinny cows ate the well-fed, healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 Pharaoh fell asleep again and had a second dream. Seven heads of grain were growing on one stalk, ripe and healthy. 6 Then seven heads of grain grew up after them, thin and dried by the east wind. 7 The seven thin and dried heads of grain swallowed up the ripe and healthy ones. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized he’d been dreaming.
8 The next morning Pharaoh was worried by his dreams,41:8. "By his dreams": supplied for clarity. so he sent for all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. Pharaoh told them about his dreams, but no one could interpret their meaning for him.
16 "It’s not me who can do this," Joseph replied. "But God will explain its meaning to set Your Majesty’s mind at rest."
25 "Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing," Joseph responded. "God is telling Pharaoh what he is going to do. 32 The fact that the dream was repeated twice means that it has definitely been decided by God, and that God is going to do this soon.