Genesis 41:1
New International Version
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile,

New Living Translation
Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

English Standard Version
After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

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

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

New King James Version
Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

New American Standard Bible
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

NASB 1995
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

NASB 1977
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

Amplified Bible
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile.

Christian Standard Bible
At the end of two years Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

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

Contemporary English Version
Two years later the king of Egypt dreamed he was standing beside the Nile River.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After two full years Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River.

Good News Translation
After two years had passed, the king of Egypt dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River,

International Standard Version
Two years later—to the day—Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River,

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

NET Bible
At the end of two full years Pharaoh had a dream. As he was standing by the Nile,

New Heart English Bible
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and look, he was standing by the Nile.

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

World English Bible
At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, at the end of two years of days that Pharaoh is dreaming, and behold, he is standing by the River,

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at the end of two years of days that Pharaoh is dreaming, and lo, he is standing by the River,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be the end of two years of days, and Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the river.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
After two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by the river,

Catholic Public Domain Version
After two years, Pharaoh saw a dream. He thought himself to be standing above a river,

New American Bible
After a lapse of two years, Pharaoh had a dream. He was standing by the Nile,

New Revised Standard Version
After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND it came to pass, two years later, Pharaoh dreamed; and he was standing by the river.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And it happened after two years, and Pharaoh dreamed a dream, and behold he stood on the river.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass after two full years that Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood upon the bank of the river.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Dreams of Pharaoh
1After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, 2when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.…

Cross References
Daniel 2:1-3
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him. / So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, / he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”

Daniel 4:5-9
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. / So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. / When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. ...

Acts 7:10
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.

Psalm 105:20-22
The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. / He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance, / to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.

1 Kings 3:5
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Job 33:15-18
In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, / He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings / to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, ...

Daniel 2:28-30
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these: / As you lay on your bed, O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen. / And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

Daniel 4:19-27
For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies! / The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth, / whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested— ...

Acts 2:17
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Matthew 2:12-13
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route. / When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

Joel 2:28
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Daniel 1:17
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

1 Samuel 28:6
He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

Numbers 12:6
He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.

Matthew 27:19
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”


Treasury of Scripture

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

A.

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.

that Pharaoh.

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.

Genesis 37:5-10
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.

the river.

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.

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.

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Dream Dreamed Dreaming End Full Nile Passed Pharaoh River Side Standing Stood Whole
Genesis 41
1. Pharaoh has two dreams.
9. Joseph interprets them.
33. He gives Pharaoh counsel, and is highly advanced, and married.
46. The seven years of plenty.
50. He begets children.
53. The famine begins.














After two full years had passed
This phrase marks a significant passage of time since the events of Genesis 40, where Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. The Hebrew word for "years" is "שָׁנִים" (shanim), which emphasizes the duration and patience required in God's timing. Joseph's continued imprisonment during these two years serves as a testament to his faith and endurance. It reminds us that God's plans often unfold over time, and His timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed from a human perspective.

Pharaoh had a dream
Dreams in the ancient Near East were often considered messages from the divine. The Hebrew word for "dream" is "חֲלוֹם" (chalom), which can signify a vision or revelation. Pharaoh, as the ruler of Egypt, was seen as a god-like figure, yet even he was subject to the divine messages conveyed through dreams. This highlights the sovereignty of God over all earthly powers and His ability to communicate His will through various means.

He was standing beside the Nile
The Nile River was the lifeblood of Egypt, essential for agriculture, transportation, and sustenance. In the Hebrew text, "Nile" is "יְאֹר" (ye'or), which refers to the river that was central to Egyptian civilization. Pharaoh's position beside the Nile in his dream symbolizes his connection to the source of Egypt's prosperity and power. This setting foreshadows the significance of the dream, as it pertains to the future of Egypt's economy and the impending famine. It serves as a reminder of God's control over nature and His provision for His people, even in foreign lands.

XLI.

JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH'S DREAMS HE IS MADE GOVERNOR OF EGYPT, AND MARRIES THERE.

(1) Pharaoh dreamed.--After two years spent in the prison, the time has now come for Joseph's elevation to power; and it is to be noticed that this was not brought about by those arts by which men usually attain to greatness, such as statesmanship, or military skill; nor was it by accident, but according to the Biblical rule, by the direct intervention of Providence. Just as centuries afterwards, Daniel rose to high office at Babylon by God making known to him the dream of Nebuchadnezzar; so here, the transplantation of Israel into Egypt is brought about by the revelation to Joseph of "what was to be hereafter."

The river.--Heb., Yeor, the Egyptian word for "great river." It is the usual name in the Bible for the Nile, but is used for the Tigris in Daniel 12:5-6, and for any large river in Job 28:10. The Pharaoh in Those reign Joseph became governor of Egypt, is generally supposed to have been Apophis, the most famous of the shepherd kings. But Canon Cook, in his Essay, On the bearings of Egyptian History upon the Pentateuch, after carefully reviewing the whole subject, decides in favour of King Amenemha III., the greatest monarch of the noble twelfth dynasty, and the last king of all Egypt.

Verse 1. - And it came to pass at the end of two full years (literally, two years of days, i.e. two complete years from the commencement of Joseph's incarceration, or more probably after the butler's liberation), that Pharaoh - on the import of the term vide Genesis 12:15. Under what particular monarch Joseph came to Egypt is a question of much perplexity, and has been variously resolved by modern Egyptologists in favor of -

1. Osirtasen I., the founder of the twelfth dynasty, a prosperous and successful sore-reign, whose name appears on a granite obelisk at Heliopolis (Wilkinson, 'Ancient Egyptians,' 1:30, ed. 1878).

2. Assa, or Assis, the fifth king of the fifteenth dynasty of Shepherd kings (Stuart Peele in Smith's 'Bible Dict.,' art. Egypt).

3. Apophis, a Shepherd king of the fifteenth dynasty, whom all the Greek authorities agree in mentioning as the patron of Joseph (Osburn, 'Menu-mental History,' vol. 2. Genesis 2; Thornley Smith, 'Joseph and his Times,' p. 42). . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
After
וַיְהִ֕י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

two full years
שְׁנָתַ֣יִם (šə·nā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8141: A year

had passed,
מִקֵּ֖ץ (miq·qêṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

Pharaoh
וּפַרְעֹ֣ה (ū·p̄ar·‘ōh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

had a dream:
חֹלֵ֔ם (ḥō·lêm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2492: To bind firmly, to be, plump, to dream

He was standing
עֹמֵ֥ד (‘ō·mêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

beside
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the Nile,
הַיְאֹֽר׃ (hay·’ōr)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2975: Nile -- a channel, a fosse, canal, shaft, the Nile, the Tigris


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OT Law: Genesis 41:1 It happened at the end of two (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 40:23
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