That’s exactly what happens to Pharaoh in Chapter 48 of the Book of Jasher.
The story opens with a looming crisis: a famine. "In those days, after the death of Isaac, the Lord commanded and caused a famine upon the whole earth," the text tells us. Not a great start, right? Then, Pharaoh, sitting pretty on his throne in Egypt, has this incredibly vivid, unsettling dream. He’s standing by the Nile, and he sees seven fat, healthy cows emerge from the river. Then, seven scrawny, ugly cows come up and… swallow the healthy ones whole! And get this – even after swallowing them, they still look as bad as before.
Pharaoh wakes up, understandably disturbed, but it doesn't end there. He falls back asleep and has a second dream: seven plump, healthy ears of corn grow on a single stalk. Then, seven withered, thin ears, blasted by the east wind, sprout up and swallow the full ones! He wakes up again, completely freaked out.
Can you imagine the king's anxiety? He knows these dreams are important, so he summons all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. "I have dreamed dreams," he says, "and there is none to interpret them!" They, of course, want to hear the dreams first.
So, Pharaoh recounts his visions. And the wise men? Well, they give him interpretations that are… less than comforting. According to them, the seven healthy cows represent seven daughters who will be born to him, and the scrawny cows are a sign that they will all die in his lifetime. Lovely, right? The seven good ears of corn are seven cities he’ll build, and the blighted ears mean they'll all be destroyed while he’s still alive.
Pharaoh isn’t buying it. The text says he “did not incline his ear to their words, neither did he fix his heart upon them, for the king knew in his wisdom that they did not give a proper interpretation of the dreams." He accuses them of lying and demands the "proper interpretation." He even threatens them with death!
More wise men are summoned, and they give the same dismal interpretation. Pharaoh, understandably, gets even angrier. He issues a decree: any wise man who knows the interpretation but doesn't come forward will be put to death. But whoever can give the correct interpretation will receive anything they ask for from the king. Talk about high stakes!
The pressure is on! Wise men, magicians, sorcerers – everyone from every corner of Egypt and its borders – comes before Pharaoh. Nobles, princes, attendants… the whole court is there, astonished by the vision. The wise men offer a range of interpretations: the cows represent kings or princes, strong cities or nations, even queens! The ears of corn? Princes again, or a return to power. Each interpretation is more convoluted and depressing than the last.
But Pharaoh isn’t satisfied. He knows, the text tells us, that "this was from the Lord to frustrate the words of the wise men of Egypt, in order that Joseph might go forth from the house of confinement, and in order that he should become great in Egypt." It's all part of a bigger plan!
Frustrated and furious, Pharaoh dismisses all the wise men and orders them to be killed! The guards draw their swords, ready to carry out the grim decree.
Just when things look their darkest, the chief butler, Merod, steps forward. Remember him? He was the one who was imprisoned with Joseph. He tells Pharaoh, "May the king live forever, and his government be exalted in the land." He reminds the king of a Hebrew servant, Joseph, who accurately interpreted his and the baker's dreams in prison. "It came to pass as he interpreted to us, so was the event; there fell not to the ground any of his words."
He suggests bringing Joseph before the king. The butler pleads with Pharaoh not to slay all the people of Egypt "for naught.” If the king summons Joseph, the Hebrew slave can reveal the dream's true meaning.
Pharaoh, thankfully, listens. He spares the wise men and orders Joseph to be brought from the dungeon. He even tells his servants to be gentle with Joseph, "lest he be confused and will not know to speak properly."
Joseph is quickly brought out, shaved, and given new clothes. The text describes Pharaoh on his royal throne, adorned with gold, jewels, and a golden ephod (a priestly garment), dazzling the eyes. Joseph is awestruck.
The Book of Jasher then details the elaborate court etiquette. Depending on your status and knowledge of languages, you could ascend a certain number of steps towards the throne. It was customary in those days in Egypt that no one should reign over them, but who understood to speak in the seventy languages.
Joseph bows before the king and ascends only three steps. Pharaoh descends to the fourth to speak with him. Pharaoh recounts his dreams, admitting that none of the wise men could interpret them correctly. He’s heard that Joseph is wise and can interpret dreams.
Joseph replies with humility, "Let Pharaoh relate his dreams that he dreamed; surely the interpretations belong to God." Pharaoh then recounts the dreams of the cows and the ears of corn.
At that moment, "Joseph was then clothed with the spirit of God before the king." He understands everything – past, present, and future! He tells Pharaoh that the two dreams are actually one. "The seven good kine and ears of corn are seven years, and the seven bad kine and ears of corn are also seven years; it is one dream."
He reveals the truth: seven years of abundance will be followed by seven years of devastating famine. "Behold the seven years that are coming there will be a great plenty throughout the land, and after that the seven years of famine will follow them, a very grievous famine; and all the plenty will be forgotten from the land, and the famine will consume the inhabitants of the land."
Joseph then offers a solution: find a wise and discreet man to oversee the land, appoint officers, gather food during the good years, and store it for the famine. He urges everyone to gather their own food as well.
Pharaoh, still skeptical, asks for a sign to prove Joseph’s interpretation is correct. Joseph provides a shocking prophecy: Pharaoh’s wife, who is in labor, will give birth to a son. But when that son is born, Pharaoh’s two-year-old firstborn will die.
Joseph bows and leaves. And what happens? Exactly as Joseph predicted, the queen gives birth, and the king’s firstborn son is found dead. The king, now convinced, knows that Joseph’s words are true.
So, what can we take away from this story? It’s more than just a dramatic tale of dreams and interpretations. It's about divine providence, about being open to wisdom from unexpected sources, and about the importance of preparing for the future. The Book of Jasher, like many ancient texts, reminds us that even in the face of uncertainty and fear, there is always the possibility of hope and redemption.