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GENESIS – LESSON SEVENTEEN

I. JOSEPH IS EXALTED (Genesis 40-41)

A. The dreams of the butler and the baker (40:1-23)

1. The butler and the baker are in prison for offending Pharaoh (v.1-4)

2. The butler and the baker have dreams the same night (v. 5-7).

3. Joseph invites the dreams to be told to him as he confesses God’s power in interpreting dreams (v.8).

4. Joseph interprets the butlers dream: in three days the butler will be serving the cup to Pharaoh as he did before                 (v.9-15).

a. Joseph asks the butler to tell Pharaoh about him so he could be released from prison (v.14).

b. Joseph presents reasons for his unjust imprisonment (v.15).

5. The Baker, seeking good news after hearing the interpretation of the butler’s dream, has Joseph interpret his                 dream: in three days his head would be severed and body hanged (v.16-19).

6. Events occur exactly as Joseph has predicted (v.20-22)

7. When released, the Butler does not remember Joseph (v.23)

B. The dreams of Pharaoh (41:1-8)

1. First dream: Seven well-favored cows come up out of the river followed by seven ill-favored cows. The ill-                 favored eat up the well-favored cows (v.1-4)

2. Second dream: Seven ears full of grain come up on one stalk followed by seven ears thin and blasted with east                 wind. The thin grained ears swallow up the full grained ears (v. 5-8).

C. Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams (41:9-36).

1. The butler tells Pharaoh of Joseph and of his interpreting the butler’s the baker’s dreams (v. 9-13).

2. Pharaoh’s two dreams have one united message: seven years of plenty to be followed by seven years of famine                 (v.14-32)

3. Joseph offers wise advice to Pharaoh to appoint one in charge of  overseers of the land, and to set aside a                    portion in the years of plenty to be available for the seven years of famine (v. 33-36).

D. Joseph is made overseer of Egypt (41:37-57).

1. Joseph is made second in command to Pharaoh (v. 37-44)

2. Joseph is given Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of  On to be his wife (v.45).

3. Joseph faithfully carries out his duties and stores up grain in the seven years of plenty (v. 46-49).

4. Joseph and Asenath have two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim (v. 50-52).

5. Joseph opens up storehouses during the seven years of famine to feed people of Egypt and other countries (v.                 53-57).

QUESTIONS:

1. How long was Joseph in prison in Egypt?

2. How did Joseph exalt God regarding dreams?

3. What facts were pertinent in the butler’s dream regarding his future?

4. What does Joseph request of the butler?

5. Give the two reasons Joseph gave for his unrighteous imprisonment.

6. Why did the baker want Joseph to know about his dream?

7. What facts were pertinent in the baker’s dream regarding his future?

8. What two thought patterns were no doubt running through Joseph’s mind while in prison?

9. Why was Pharaoh troubled?

10. Why did Pharaoh call for Joseph to come out of the dungeon?

11. Why does Joseph call Pharaoh’s two dreams one?

12. Why was Pharaoh’s dream doubled?

13. What three-fold advice does Joseph give Pharaoh regarding his dreams?

14. What important article of Pharaoh’s did he give Joseph?  Why?

15. What chariot did Joseph ride in?  Was this significant?

16. What is significant in Pharaoh calling Joseph: “Zaphenathpaneah”?

17. Pharaoh gave whom to be Joseph’s wife?

18. What were their two son’s names?

19. How plenteous was the seven years of plenty?

20. How expansive were the seven years of famine?

21. How had God been involved in the exaltation of Joseph?