Genesis Chapter 41 Bible Study

After the two years had passed, the king dreamed that in Egypt, seven fat and sleek cows came out of the Nile River and fed on the grass. Then another seven thin and bony cows came up and stood by the other cows on the riverbank and the thin cows ate up the fat cows; the king woke up. He fell asleep again and had another dream that seven herds of full and ripe grain were growing on one stalk. Seven more grain heads sprouted by the wind and the thin grain heads swallowed the full ones. The king woke again and realized that he had been dreaming. He was worried and tried hard to find someone who could explain his dream, but there’s no one in Egypt. The wine steward confessed that he met a young Hebrew who interpreted his and the baker’s dream while they were in prison and things turned out just as what he said. 

The king called Joseph and asked him to interpret his dreams. He said he couldn’t do it, but only God can do it. The king told him about each dream. He explained that the seven fat cows and full heads of grain represent seven years of plentiful foods in all the land of Egypt, and the seven thin cows and thin heads of grain that were scorched by the desert wind represent seven years of famine afterward. 

Joseph advised that the king should choose a man with being in charge of the country and appointed officials. They should take one-fifth of the crops and collect all of the food for seven plentiful years and reserve them for the future famines. 

Joseph was appointed governor over Egypt because he had God’s Spirit. He received the king’s ring with the royal seal on his finger, a fine linen robe and a gold necklace. The king named Joseph, Zaphenath Paneah, and gave him a wife named Asenath, Potiphera’s daughter. 

Joseph was 30 years old when he served the king of Egypt. During seven years of plenty, he stored the food and had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Even though seven years of famine began, the Egyptians could leave with stored grain. People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy Joseph’s grain because the famine was severe. 

Our PECS/Picture Exchange Communication System for Genesis Chapter 41

Questions

What one dream did the king have?
Who explained the dream?
Why was Joseph appointed governor over Egypt?