Ndoto Za Farao
141:1 Kut 2:5Baada ya miaka miwili kamili kupita, Farao aliota ndoto: Tazama alikuwa amesimama kando ya Mto Naili, 241:2 Ay 40:21wakati ngʼombe saba, wazuri na wanono, walitokea mtoni wakajilisha kwenye matete. 3Baada yao ngʼombe wengine saba, wabaya na waliokonda, wakatokea mtoni Naili wakasimama kando ya wale wanono ukingoni mwa mto. 441:4 Mwa 41:7Wale ngʼombe wabaya na waliokonda wakawala wale saba wazuri na wanono. Kisha Farao akaamka.
5Farao akaingia usingizini tena akaota ndoto ya pili: Akaona masuke saba ya nafaka, yenye afya na mazuri, yanakua katika bua moja. 641:6 Za 11:6Baadaye, masuke mengine saba yakachipua, yakiwa membamba yaliyonyaushwa na upepo wa mashariki. 741:7 Mwa 41:4Masuke yale membamba yakameza yale masuke saba yenye afya na yaliyojaa. Basi Farao akaamka kutoka usingizini, kumbe ilikuwa ndoto.
841:8 Kut 7:11, 22; Dan 4:18Asubuhi yake, alifadhaika akilini, hivyo akawaita waaguzi wote pamoja na watu wenye busara wa Misri. Walipokuja, Farao akawaeleza ndoto zake, lakini hakuna hata mmoja aliyeweza kumfasiria.
9Ndipo mnyweshaji mkuu alipomwambia Farao, “Leo nimekumbushwa kuhusu kosa langu. 1041:10 Mwa 40:2Wakati fulani Farao aliwakasirikia watumishi wake, akanifunga mimi na mwokaji mkuu katika nyumba ya mkuu wa ulinzi. 1141:11 Mwa 40:5Kila mmoja wetu aliota ndoto katika usiku mmoja na kila ndoto ilikuwa na maana yake tofauti. 1241:12 Mwa 40:12Basi kijana wa Kiebrania aliyekuwa pamoja nasi huko, alikuwa mtumishi wa mkuu wa kikosi cha ulinzi. Tulimweleza ndoto zetu, naye akatufasiria, akitupa kila mtu tafsiri ya ndoto yake. 1341:13 Mwa 40:22Nayo mambo yakawa sawa kabisa na jinsi alivyotufasiria ndoto zetu: Mimi nilirudishwa kazini mwangu na huyo mtu mwingine akaangikwa.”
1441:14 Za 105:20; Rut 3:3Basi, Farao akatuma Yosefu aitwe, naye akatolewa kifungoni haraka. Baada ya kunyoa na kubadilisha nguo zake akaenda mbele ya Farao.
1541:15 Dan 5:16Farao akamwambia Yosefu, “Nimeota ndoto, wala hakuna mtu hata mmoja anayeweza kuifasiri. Lakini nimesikia ikisemwa kwa habari yako kwamba unapoelezwa ndoto waweza kuifasiri.”
1641:16 Mwa 40:8Yosefu akamjibu Farao, “Siwezi kuifasiri, lakini Mungu atampa Farao jibu analolihitaji.”
17Kisha Farao akamwambia Yosefu, “Katika ndoto yangu nilikuwa nimesimama ukingoni mwa Mto Naili, 18nikawaona ngʼombe saba, wazuri na wanono, wakijitokeza kutoka mtoni wakaja kujilisha kwenye matete. 19Baada ya hao, ngʼombe wengine saba wadhaifu wakatokea, wabaya sana na waliokonda. Kamwe sikuwahi kuona ngʼombe wabaya jinsi hiyo katika nchi yote ya Misri. 20Hao ngʼombe waliokonda na wabaya sana wakawala wale ngʼombe saba walionona waliojitokeza kwanza. 21Lakini hata baada ya kuwala, hakuna mtu ambaye angeweza kusema kwamba wamekula, bado walionekana wabaya kama mwanzoni. Kisha nikaamka kutoka usingizini.
22“Pia katika ndoto zangu niliona masuke saba ya nafaka, yamejaa na mazuri, yanakua katika bua moja. 23Baada ya hayo masuke mengine saba yakachipua, yaliyonyauka, membamba na yamekaushwa na upepo wa mashariki. 24Yale masuke membamba ya nafaka yakayameza yale masuke saba mazuri yaliyojaa nafaka. Nimewaeleza waaguzi, wala hakuna yeyote aliyeweza kunifasiria.”
2541:25 Dan 2:45Ndipo Yosefu akamwambia Farao, “Ndoto za Farao ni ndoto iyo hiyo moja. Mungu amemfunulia Farao jambo analokusudia kufanya karibuni. 26Ngʼombe saba wazuri ni miaka saba, nayo masuke saba mazuri yaliyojaa nafaka ni miaka saba, ni ndoto iyo hiyo moja. 27Ngʼombe saba waliokonda na wabaya wale waliojitokeza baadaye ni miaka saba, vivyo hivyo masuke saba ya ngano yaliyodhoofika na kukaushwa na upepo wa mashariki, ni miaka saba ya njaa.
28“Ni kama vile nilivyomwambia Farao: Mungu amemwonyesha Farao jambo analokusudia kufanya karibuni. 2941:29 Mwa 41:47Miaka saba ya neema inakuja katika nchi yote ya Misri, 3041:30 Mwa 41:54; 47:13lakini itafuata miaka saba ya njaa. Ndipo neema yote ya Misri itasahaulika na njaa itaikumba nchi.
31“Neema iliyokuwa katika nchi haitakumbukwa, kwa sababu njaa itakayofuata itakuwa kali mno. 32Sababu ya ndoto kumjia Farao kwa namna mbili ni kwamba jambo hilo Mungu ameshaamua kwa hakika, naye Mungu atalifanya karibuni.
3341:33 Mwa 41:39“Basi sasa Farao na atafute mtu mwenye akili na hekima ili amweke kuwa msimamizi wa nchi ya Misri. 3441:34 Es 2:3Farao na aweke wenye amri nchini kote wakusanye sehemu ya tano ya mavuno ya Misri katika miaka hii saba ya neema. 3541:35 Mwa 41:48Wakusanye chakula chote katika miaka hii saba ya neema inayokuja na kuhifadhi nafaka chini ya mamlaka ya Farao, iwe akiba ya chakula katika miji. 36Chakula hiki kitakuwa akiba ya tahadhari kwa ajili ya nchi, ili kitumike katika ile miaka saba ya njaa itakayokuja Misri, ili nchi isiharibiwe na njaa.”
37Mpango huu ulionekana mzuri kwa Farao na kwa maafisa wake wote. 3841:38 Hes 27:18; Dan 4:8-9, 18; 5:11, 14Hivyo Farao akawauliza, “Je tunaweza kumpata yeyote kama mtu huyu, ambaye Roho wa Mungu yumo ndani yake?”
39Ndipo Farao akamwambia Yosefu, “Maadamu Mungu amekufunulia yote haya, hakuna mwingine yeyote mwenye akili na hekima kama wewe. 4041:40 Za 105:21-22; Mdo 7:10Wewe utakuwa msimamizi wa jumba langu la kifalme, na watu wangu wote watatii amri zako. Ni kuhusu kiti cha ufalme tu nitakuwa mkuu kuliko wewe.”
Yosefu Msimamizi Wa Misri
4141:41 Mwa 42:6Kwa hiyo Farao akamwambia Yosefu, “Sasa nakuweka uwe msimamizi wa nchi yote ya Misri.” 4241:42 Es 3:10; Dan 5:29Ndipo Farao akaivua pete yake ya muhuri kutoka kidoleni mwake na kuivalisha katika kidole cha Yosefu. Akamvika majoho mazuri ya kitani safi na mkufu wa dhahabu shingoni mwake. 4341:43 Isa 2:7Akampandisha katika gari lake la farasi kama msaidizi wake, watu wakatangulia wakishangilia, wakisema, “Fungueni njia!” Ndivyo Farao alivyomweka Yosefu kuwa msimamizi wa nchi yote ya Misri.
44Kisha Farao akamwambia Yosefu, “Mimi ni Farao, lakini pasipo neno lako, hakuna mtu mwenye ruhusa kuinua mkono au mguu katika nchi yote ya Misri.” 4541:45 Es 2:7Farao akamwita Yosefu Safenath-Panea, pia akampa Asenathi binti Potifera, kuhani wa mji wa Oni,41:45 Yaani Heliopoli (Mji wa Jua). kuwa mke wake. Ndipo Yosefu akaitembelea nchi yote ya Misri.
4641:46 Mit 22:29Yosefu alikuwa na miaka thelathini alipoingia katika utumishi wa Farao mfalme wa Misri. Naye Yosefu akatoka mbele ya Farao akasafiri katika nchi yote ya Misri. 4741:47 Mwa 41:29Katika ile miaka saba ya neema nchi ilizaa mazao kwa wingi sana. 4841:48 Mwa 41:34Yosefu akakusanya chakula chote kilichozalishwa katika ile miaka saba ya neema nchini Misri, akakihifadhi katika ghala za miji. Katika kila mji kulihifadhiwa chakula kilichozalishwa katika mashamba yaliyouzunguka mji huo. 4941:49 Mwa 12:2Yosefu alihifadhi nafaka nyingi, mfano wa mchanga wa bahari, ilikuwa nyingi mno kiasi kwamba walishindwa kuweka kumbukumbu kwa sababu akiba ilizidi sana kupita kipimo.
50Kabla ya miaka ya njaa kuanza, Asenathi binti Potifera, kuhani wa mji wa Oni, alikuwa amemzalia Yosefu wana wawili wa kiume. 5141:51 Hes 1:34Yosefu akamwita mzaliwa wake wa kwanza Manase, akisema, “Ni kwa sababu Mungu amenifanya nisahau taabu zangu zote pamoja na jamaa yote ya nyumba ya baba yangu.” 5241:52 Mwa 17:6Mwana wa pili akamwita Efraimu, akisema, “Ni kwa sababu Mungu amenistawisha katika nchi ya mateso yangu.”
53Ile miaka saba ya neema huko Misri ikaisha, 5441:54 Mdo 7:11nayo miaka ile saba ya njaa ikaanza, sawasawa na alivyosema Yosefu. Kulikuwa na njaa katika nchi nyingine zote, bali katika nchi yote ya Misri kulikuwa na chakula. 55Wakati nchi yote ya Misri ilipopatwa na njaa, watu wakamlilia Farao ili awape chakula. Ndipo Farao alipowaagiza Wamisri wote, akisema, “Nendeni kwa Yosefu, nanyi mfanye anachowaambia.”
56Wakati njaa ilipokuwa imeenea katika nchi yote, Yosefu akafungua ghala za vyakula na kuwauzia Wamisri nafaka, kwa sababu njaa ilikuwa kali mno katika nchi yote ya Misri. 57Pia nchi nyingine zote zilikuja Misri kununua nafaka kutoka kwa Yosefu, kwa sababu njaa ilikuwa kali mno duniani kote.
Pharaoh Has Two Dreams
1When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. In his dream, he was standing by the Nile River. 2Seven cows came up out of the river. They looked healthy and fat. They were eating some of the tall grass growing along the river. 3After them, seven other cows came up out of the Nile. They looked ugly and skinny. They were standing beside the other cows on the riverbank. 4The ugly, skinny cows ate up the seven cows that looked healthy and fat. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5He fell asleep again and had a second dream. In that dream, seven heads of grain were growing on one stem. They were healthy and good. 6After them, seven other heads of grain came up. They were thin and dried up by the east wind. 7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up. It had been a dream.
8In the morning he was worried. So he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams. But no one could tell him what they meant.
9Then the chief wine taster spoke up. He said to Pharaoh, “Now I remember that I’ve done something wrong. 10Pharaoh was once angry with his servants. He put me and the chief baker in prison. We were in the house of the captain of the palace guard. 11Each of us had a dream the same night. Each dream had its own meaning. 12A young Hebrew servant was there with us. He was a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams. And he explained them to us. He told each of us the meaning of our dreams. 13Things turned out exactly as he said they would. I was given back my job. The other man had a pole stuck through his body.”
14So Pharaoh sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of the prison. Joseph shaved and changed his clothes. Then he came to Pharaoh.
15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream. No one can tell me what it means. But I’ve heard that when you hear a dream you can explain it.”
16“I can’t do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh. “But God will give Pharaoh the answer he wants.”
17Then Pharaoh told Joseph what he had dreamed. He said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 18Seven cows came up out of the river. They were fat and looked healthy. They were eating the tall grass growing along the river. 19After them, seven other cows came up. They were bony and very ugly and thin. I had never seen such ugly cows in the whole land of Egypt. 20The thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21But no one could tell that the thin cows had eaten the fat cows. That’s because the thin cows looked just as ugly as they had before. Then I woke up.
22“In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain. They were full and good. They were all growing on one stem. 23After them, seven other heads of grain came up. They were weak and thin and dried up by the east wind. 24The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told my dream to the magicians. But none of them could explain it to me.”
25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams have the same meaning. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven good cows are seven years. And the seven good heads of grain are seven years. Both dreams mean the same thing. 27The seven thin, ugly cows that came up later are seven years. So are the seven worthless heads of grain dried up by the east wind. They are seven years when there won’t be enough food.
28“It’s just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he’s about to do. 29Seven years with plenty of food are coming to the whole land of Egypt. 30But seven years when there won’t be enough food will follow them. Then everyone will forget about all the food Egypt had. Terrible hunger will destroy the land. 31There won’t be anything left to remind people of the years when there was plenty of food in the land. That’s how bad the hunger that follows will be. 32God gave the dream to Pharaoh in two forms. That’s because the matter has been firmly decided by God. And it’s because God will do it soon.
33“So Pharaoh should look for a wise and understanding man. He should put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34Pharaoh should appoint officials to be in charge of the land. They should take a fifth of the harvest in Egypt during the seven years when there’s plenty of food. 35They should collect all the extra food of the good years that are coming. Pharaoh should give them authority to store up the grain. They should keep it in the cities for food. 36The grain should be stored up for the country to use later. It will be needed during the seven years when there isn’t enough food in Egypt. Then the country won’t be destroyed just because it doesn’t have enough food.”
37The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and all his officials. 38So Pharaoh said to them, “The spirit of God is in this man. We can’t find anyone else like him, can we?”
39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “God has made all this known to you. No one is as wise and understanding as you are. 40You will be in charge of my palace. All my people must obey your orders. I will be greater than you only because I’m the one who sits on the throne.”
Joseph Is Put in Charge of Egypt
41So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I’m putting you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42Then Pharaoh took from his finger the ring he used to give his official stamp. He put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes made out of fine linen. He put a gold chain around Joseph’s neck. 43He also had him ride in a chariot. Joseph was now next in command after Pharaoh. People went in front of Joseph and shouted, “Get down on your knees!” By doing all these things, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. But unless you give an order, no one will do anything in the whole land of Egypt.” 45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave Joseph a wife. She was Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On. Joseph traveled all over the land of Egypt.
46Joseph was 30 years old when he began serving Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He left Pharaoh’s palace and traveled all over Egypt. 47During the seven years there was plenty of food. The land produced more than the people needed. 48Joseph collected all the extra food produced in those seven years in Egypt. He stored it in the cities. In each city he stored up the food grown in the fields around it. 49Joseph stored up huge amounts of grain. There was as much of it as sand by the sea. There was so much grain it couldn’t be measured. So Joseph stopped keeping records of it.
50Before the years when there wasn’t enough food, two sons were born to Joseph. He had them by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On. 51Joseph named his first son Manasseh. That’s because he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and my father’s whole family.” 52He named the second son Ephraim. That’s because he said, “God has given me children in the land where I’ve suffered so much.”
53The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end. 54Then the seven years when there wasn’t enough food began. It happened just as Joseph had said it would. There wasn’t enough food in any of the other lands. But in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55When all the people of Egypt began to get hungry, they cried out to Pharaoh for food. He told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do what he tells you.”
56There wasn’t enough food anywhere in the country. So Joseph opened the storerooms. He sold grain to the Egyptians because people were very hungry all over Egypt. 57People from all over the world came to Egypt. They came to buy grain from Joseph. That’s because people were very hungry everywhere.
