Genesis 41:14–24 (ESV)
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh,
“It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven
cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And
the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I
also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and
the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
One of my hobbies is collecting old razors. I love shaving with straight razors and double edge razors. I smile when I read that Joseph shaved himself before meeting the Pharaoh. Oh well… I will move
on. Notice that Pharaoh gives Joseph credit for interpreting dreams, but Joseph quickly corrects him and gives credit to God. Pharaoh tells Joseph his dream that has two parts. No one has been able to interpret them. (Don’t read
ahead!)
I pray: Oh Lord, too often I try to take credit when you should be given the credit.
Help me to be like Joseph and to give credit to where credit is due. Amen.