Genesis 41:22 kjv

And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

Genesis 41:22 nkjv

Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good.

Genesis 41:22 niv

"In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk.

Genesis 41:22 esv

I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good.

Genesis 41:22 nlt

"In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 22 Meaning

Genesis 41:22 describes the initial positive part of Pharaoh's second dream, as recounted by Pharaoh to Joseph. It details the vision of agricultural abundance: seven flourishing heads of grain emerging unitedly from a single stalk, characterized by their fullness and desirable quality. This imagery represented the period of prosperity and bounteous harvests that God was about to bring upon Egypt.

Genesis 41 22 Context

This verse is part of Pharaoh's recollection of his second dream, recounted to Joseph in Genesis chapter 41. Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler of his time, was deeply troubled by two successive vivid dreams that none of Egypt's wise men or magicians could interpret. Egypt was an agrarian society whose prosperity was entirely dependent on the annual flooding of the Nile River, which fertilized the land and provided irrigation for crops. Thus, dreams centered on cattle and grain held profound significance for their national well-being. This immediate context sets the stage for God's divine revelation through Joseph, highlighting the failure of human wisdom and the supreme sovereignty of God. Pharaoh's dream, even without understanding, indicated an impending event that would profoundly affect his kingdom, pointing to the seven years of abundant harvests to come.

Genesis 41 22 Word analysis

• And I saw (וָאֵרֶא - wa'e're'): From the Hebrew root ra'ah, meaning "to see." This emphasizes Pharaoh's direct visual experience, asserting the reality and vividness of the dream as if witnessing an actual event. The repetitive nature ("I saw in my dream," repeated from verse 17) underlines his deep impression.
• in my dream (בַּחֲלוֹמִי - ba-ḥălōmî): Refers to the night vision experience (ḥālôm). This firmly establishes the medium of divine communication. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, dreams were frequently viewed as pathways for messages from deities, a concept reinforced here through God's action.
• and behold (וְהִנֵּה - wəhinneh): This is an interjection often translated as "look!" or "pay attention!" It draws immediate focus to what follows, emphasizing the surprising or significant nature of the visual, much like a dramatic pause in storytelling. It serves to captivate Pharaoh’s attention to the crucial elements of the dream.
• seven (שֶׁבַע - sheva‘): The number seven in biblical numerology often symbolizes completeness, perfection, or divine order (e.g., seven days of creation, seven lamps). Here, it denotes a complete cycle of prosperity, directly correlating to the seven years of abundance that Joseph will interpret. Its significance amplifies the magnitude and totality of the good coming.
• ears of corn (שִׁבֳּלִים - shibbŏlîm): Refers to heads of ripened grain. This specific agricultural imagery is central, reflecting Egypt's primary sustenance. These were not individual grains but full heads, indicative of a mature, productive yield.
• full (מְלֵאֹת - məlē’ōt): From the root male', meaning "to fill" or "to be complete." It conveys the idea of abundance, indicating that each head of grain was brimming with seeds, promising a plentiful harvest. This denotes the rich quality and quantity of the agricultural produce.
• and good (טוֹבוֹת - ṭōvōt): From tov, meaning "good, pleasing, useful, beautiful, valuable." This descriptor emphasizes the superior quality and health of the grain, implying it was desirable, nutritious, and free from disease or defect, contrasting sharply with the later description of the thin, blighted ears.
• came up (עֹלֹת - ‘ōlōt): From the root alah, meaning "to go up" or "ascend." It describes the natural process of growth, emphasizing that this abundance was not forced or artificial but arose organically and powerfully from the earth, under divine favor.
• upon one stalk (בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד - bəqāneh ’eḥāḏ): This is a critical detail. Qaneh refers to a stalk or stem, and eḥāḏ means "one" or "unified." For seven ears of corn to grow on a single stalk is an unusual, even miraculous, image in nature, particularly for crops like wheat or barley. This specific detail intensifies the impression of an extraordinarily consolidated and powerful burst of productivity, highlighting the unusual and singular nature of the impending bounty. It points to a singular source from which immense wealth would spring, contrasting with typical agricultural yields. This singularity within multiplicity strongly hints at the consolidated years of plenty rather than dispersed good fortune.

Genesis 41 22 Bonus section

• The dual dreams (fat cows then good grain; lean cows then blighted grain) and their vivid, repetitive nature emphasize the certainty and divine establishment of the message, as explicitly stated by Joseph later in Gen 41:32. God ensured Pharaoh could not ignore the warning.
• The stark contrast between the two sets of imagery – "good" vs. "thin/blighted" – makes the interpretation obvious once explained by divine wisdom, highlighting human inability to grasp divine signals without revelation.
• Pharaoh’s dreams were distinct from pagan divination; they were God’s direct communication intended to fulfill His sovereign plan, rather than relying on omens or rituals. This underscores God’s proactive engagement with the world.

Genesis 41 22 Commentary

Genesis 41:22 is a precise description of the second element in Pharaoh’s significant dreams, conveying an image of incredible agricultural bounty. The choice of "seven" underscores a period of completeness and sufficiency, directly relating to the number of prosperous years. The "full" and "good" ears signify the optimal quality and plentifulness of the harvest, indicating a time of thriving well-being for the nation. Most significantly, the detail of them coming "upon one stalk" provides a powerful and unusual visual. It hints not merely at abundance, but at a singular, concentrated, and perhaps miraculous burst of productivity that consolidates immense resources from one source. This specific imagery prefigures the unified, robust years of prosperity that would prepare Egypt for the subsequent famine. The divine nature of this detailed dream, given that it troubled Pharaoh and stumped all Egyptian interpreters, sets the stage for Joseph, a servant of the true God, to demonstrate God's supreme knowledge and power over human affairs and the natural world, ultimately leading to Joseph’s elevation and the preservation of God's covenant people.