THEMES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH JOSEPH WAS SET FREE FROM PRISON (GENESIS 41:1-44).

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The circumstances under which Joseph was set free from prison (Genesis 41:1-44)

After two full years, Pharaoh had two troubling dreams in one night. In the first, he stood by the river Nile and saw seven fat, sleek cows come up out of the water and feed in the reed grass. Then seven thin, ugly cows came up after them and ate up the seven fat cows, yet remained just as lean as before. In the second dream he saw seven plump, good ears of grain growing on one stalk, and after them seven thin ears, blighted by the east wind, which swallowed up the seven good ears.

In the morning Pharaoh's spirit was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them his dreams, but none of them could interpret them. Then the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph. He confessed his own fault to Pharaoh, recalling how, when he and the chief baker were in prison, a young Hebrew servant of the captain of the guard had accurately interpreted their dreams, and everything had come to pass as he said, so that the cupbearer was restored and the baker hanged.

On hearing this, Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and he was quickly brought out of the dungeon. Joseph shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said he had heard that Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph humbly replied, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer." Joseph then interpreted the two dreams as one: the seven fat cows and seven good ears were seven years of great plenty, and the seven lean cows and thin ears were seven years of severe famine that would follow and consume the plenty. The doubling of the dream meant that the matter was fixed by God and would soon happen.

Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint a discreet and wise man over the land, and overseers, to gather and store one-fifth of the produce during the seven years of plenty as a reserve against the famine. The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. Pharaoh recognised that the Spirit of God was in Joseph and said there was none so discreet and wise. He therefore set Joseph over all the land of Egypt, put his signet ring on Joseph's hand, clothed him in fine linen, placed a gold chain about his neck, made him ride in the second chariot, and gave him authority second only to himself. In this way, through the interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams, Joseph was released from prison and exalted to the position of governor over all Egypt.