The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.
Parallel translations
- WEB The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
- KJV The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
- NKJV The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.
- NASB The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same.
- NLT The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joseph explains that the seven good cattle and seven good heads of grain both mean seven years.
Overview
He unites the two dreams into one meaning: seven years of plenty are coming. The doubled imagery signifies a single, certain divine plan. Joseph's clarity shows the wisdom God grants to His servant.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Gen 41:47During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.
- Gen 41:2when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
- Exod 12:11This is how you are to eat it: You must be fully dressed for travel, with your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. You are to eat in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover.
- Gen 41:5but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.
- Gen 41:29Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
- 1 Cor 10:4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
- Gen 41:53When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,
- 1 Jn 5:7For there are three that testify:
- Gen 40:18Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days.
- Gen 40:12Joseph replied, “This is the interpretation: The three branches are three days.
- Gen 2:24For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
- Exod 26:6Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 41:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.