Knowing The Word in Genesis 41:1-8, Pharaoh Dreams

1 After two whole years [near Pharaoh’s birthday again], Pharaoh dreamed [Egyptians believed their kings stood close to the divine realm and were credited with divine revelation] that he was standing by the Nile [the river that is the basis and symbol of Egypt’s power and wealth], 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven [a sacred number in the ancient world often symbolizing fate] cows [symbolizing Egypt and one of her gods, Isis] attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin [literally “evil in appearance and thin of flesh”], came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke [after this vision of bovine cannibalism]. 5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. [Egypt was the breadbasket of the Roman Empire, as famous for its grain as for its cattle.] 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. [The desert winds could dry up vegetation overnight. While the wind actually came from the south, the Israelite audience understood and experienced the winds to come from the east in their situation.] 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. [It was so vivid it took waking up to convince him it was a dream.] 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled [perturbed], and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.