Pharaoh's dreams and Joseph's interpretation of the dreams

PHARAOH’S DREAMS AND JOSEPH'S INTERPRETATION.
One day, Potiphar's wife accused Joseph of attempting to rape her. Joseph was thrown into prison. God was with Joseph even in prison and he was put in charge of his prison quarters.

Joseph met two of Pharaoh’s officials, the Chief Baker and the Chief Butler, who was thrown into prison by king Pharaoh. In the prison, the two officials had dreams which Joseph interpreted and the dream it came to pass according to the interpretation Joseph gave. The Chief Butler was released and reinstated to his position by Pharaoh.

Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams. In the first dream, Pharaoh was standing by the Nile River and saw seven fat cows grazing. Suddenly, seven thin cows came up and swallowed the seven fat cows but it did not seem like they had swallowed anything. Pharaoh slept again and had a second dream. There were seven plump looking grains on one stalk. Later, seven thin ones came up and swallowed the plump ones. Pharaoh woke up and was disturbed because he did not understand the dream. All his magicians could not interpret the dreams.

The Chief Butler, who met Joseph in prison and was restored to his position with Pharaoh, remembered Joseph and suggested his name. The King asked that Joseph be brought out to interpret the dream.

Pharaoh narrated the dreams to Joseph and he interpreted the dreams to mean there was going to be seven years and bumper harvest to be followed by another seven years of famine. He advised Pharaoh to get a wise man to gather all the harvests during the bumper season and store them in silos, so that during the seven years of famine, the grains could be released to avert hunger.

After the interpretation, Pharaoh appointed Joseph as the wise man to oversee the project of gathering the grains in the first seven years the bumper harvest.

Pharaoh put his ring on Joseph’s finger, dressed him in linen apparel, gold chain on his neck and made him ride in his second chariot.

Joseph was renamed Zaphenath-paneah. He was given an Egyptian woman to marry. Joseph had two sons. The first was called Manasseh which means, “God has made me to forget my afflictions and my father’s home.” The name of the second child was Ephraim which means “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

HOW DID JOSEPH’S STORY INFLUENCE THE HISTORY OF THE HEBREWS?
1.            Joseph’s family, made up of seventy people, settled in Goshen, the best place for rearing livestock.

2.            Joseph’s family was saved from starvation because he was present in Egypt.

3.            The story marked the beginning of God’s promise to Abraham that his family will have security and prosperity in Egypt.

4.            It led to slavery in Egypt after a new Pharaoh arose, who did not know Joseph.

WHICH QUALITIES OF JOSEPH EARNED HIM PHARAOH’S FAVOUR?
1.            Pharaoh was fascinated by the anointing with which he correctly interpreted the dreams and also gave the right solution.

2.            Pharaoh loved the fact that Joseph acknowledged God as the one who has control over human affairs.

3.            Joseph was bold in the interpretation of the dreams and this also endeared him to Pharaoh.

4.            Joseph’s humility earned him Pharaoh’s favour.

5.            He was also a patient person and that also earned him Pharaoh’s favour.

THE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES OF JOSEPH

1.            God fearing. One leadership of Joseph was that, he feared God.

2.            Loyalty. Joseph served his master, Potiphar, with all his heart.

3.            Faithfulness. Joseph served his master faithfully.

4.            Concern for others. Joseph had concern for those who were around him. For example, he loved his fellow prison inmates.

5.            He acknowledged God as the giver of wisdom and knowledge.

HOW THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM AFFECTED JOSEPH

1. Joseph was appointed as the head of Pharaoh’s household and his people

2. He was appointed as the second in command only to Pharaoh himself.

3. Joseph was honoured with a royal marriage

4. He had two children, one of whom was called Manasseh and the other called Ephraim.

5. Joseph’s family from Canaan came to live in Egypt.

6. He reconciled with his brothers and entire family.

OBJECTIVE QUESTION(S) ON JOSEPH

Test One

1. Joseph named his first son “Manasseh” because God made him

A. king in Egypt

B. forget his hardships

C. a ruler in Israel

D. fruitful in his father’s land

2. According to Joseph’s interpretation to Pharaoh’s dreams; the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind represented seven years of

A. famine

B. abundant

C. famine

D. harvest

 

3. Which of the following was not part of the honour done to Joseph when Pharaoh made him a ruler in Egypt?

A. Joseph was made to dress the people.

B. The land of Goshen was given to Joseph.

C. Joseph was dressed in garments of fine linen.

D. A gold chain was put around Joseph’s neck.

4. Which of the following leadership qualities was manifested by Joseph when he told his brothers not to be angry with themselves for selling him?

A. Wisdom.

B. Good judgment.

C. Maturity.

D. Forgiveness.

5. After Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers, he

A. gave his brothers food.

B. fell upon Benjamin’s neck and smiled.

C. kissed Benjamin and departed.

D. kissed all his brothers and wept.

6. Joseph named one of his sons Ephraim, meaning

A. I am a stranger in the land.

B. God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

C. Yahweh is my hope.

D. Yahweh is my salvation.

7. Reuben said “shed no blood’ because

A. he was afraid of the sight of blood.

B. blood is life.

C. Jews do not eat blood.

D. blood is used in sacrifice.

8. Reuben advised his brothers not to kill Joseph but to cast him in a pit because he

A. did not want them to shed blood of the innocent.

B. wanted to rescue him afterward and bring him safely to their father

C. wanted to bury him alive in the pit.

D. wanted them to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites.

9. Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites for …………. Shekels of silver.

A. forty

B. thirty-five

C. twenty-five

D. twenty

10. When Joseph was sent to see the welfare of his brothers, he met them pasturing at

A. the wilderness of Zin.

B. Gilead.

C. Shechem.

D. Dothan.

Answers to the objective questions above>>

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