And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
The verse marks the end of two further years that Joseph remained in unjust, gloomy prison. At that moment a divine hand acted to open the prison gates by giving Pharaoh remarkable dreams. In one night Pharaoh dreamed two dreams beginning with his standing by the river: seven healthy cows followed by seven sickly cows that consumed them, and seven good ears of grain followed by seven blasted ears that consumed them. The two parts point to the same event and foreshadow a great calamity, namely seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
In the morning Pharaoh was troubled because he could not determine or understand their significance. Thinking their reputation for solving difficulties meant they would soon help him understand, he called for the magicians of Egypt and the wise men and related his dreams to them. With all their magic and boasted wisdom they could give no interpretation or explanation, leaving him greatly disappointed. His perplexity and distress increased, and terror spread through his palace amid the general agitation.
The agitation recalled to the chief butler's mind his own dream and the memory of Joseph, with remorse for forgetfulness and ingratitude. This led him to tell Pharaoh how the Hebrew captive had interpreted his dream and the chief baker's dream and how the predictions had been fulfilled. Joseph's statement that God alone could explain the dream shows humble trust in God rather than claiming wisdom for himself.
The verse marks the end of two further years that Joseph remained in unjust, gloomy prison. At that moment a divine hand acted to open the prison gates by giving Pharaoh remarkable dreams. In one night Pharaoh dreamed two dreams beginning with his standing by the river: seven healthy cows followed by seven sickly cows that consumed them, and seven good ears of grain followed by seven blasted ears that consumed them. The two parts point to the same event and foreshadow a great calamity, namely seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
In the morning Pharaoh was troubled because he could not determine or understand their significance. Thinking their reputation for solving difficulties meant they would soon help him understand, he called for the magicians of Egypt and the wise men and related his dreams to them. With all their magic and boasted wisdom they could give no interpretation or explanation, leaving him greatly disappointed. His perplexity and distress increased, and terror spread through his palace amid the general agitation.
The agitation recalled to the chief butler's mind his own dream and the memory of Joseph, with remorse for forgetfulness and ingratitude. This led him to tell Pharaoh how the Hebrew captive had interpreted his dream and the chief baker's dream and how the predictions had been fulfilled. Joseph's statement that God alone could explain the dream shows humble trust in God rather than claiming wisdom for himself.