Genesis 41:38

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone like this, a man who has the spirit of God^[a] in him?"

Genesis 41:38 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:38

And Pharaoh said unto his servants
That were about him, and with whom he was consulting about a proper person to be over this affair of gathering in the fruits of the earth in the time of plenty, and laying them up against a time of famine: can we find [such an one] as this [is], in whom the Spirit of God
[is]?
if we search among all the ranks and degrees of men throughout the kingdom, let them be of what character they will, we shall never find a man like this, who appears to have the Spirit of God, or "of the gods", as he in his Heathenish way spoke, and which he concluded from his vast knowledge of things; and especially of things future: hence the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret it, the spirit of prophecy from the Lord.

Genesis 41:38 In-Context

36 The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine."

37 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone like this, a man who has the spirit of God in him?"

39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as intelligent and wise as you.

40 You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you."

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Spirit of God, or spirit of the gods