Genesis 41:30-40

30 and after them 1seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land.
31 "So the abundance will be unknown * in the land because * of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.
32 "Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that 2the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.
33 "Now let Pharaoh look for a man 3discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 "Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.
35 "Then let them 4gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it.
36 "Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine."
37 Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.

Joseph Is Made a Ruler of Egypt

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, 5in whom is a divine spirit?"
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so 6discerning and wise as you are.
40 "7You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you."

Genesis 41:30-40 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 41

In this chapter are related Pharaoh's dreams, which his magicians could not interpret, Ge 41:1-9, upon which the chief butler now remembering Joseph, recommended him to Pharaoh as an interpreter, having had an happy experience of him as such himself, Ge 41:10-13, when Joseph was sent for out of prison; and Pharaoh having related his dreams, he interpreted them of seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine, that should be in the land of Egypt, Ge 41:14-32; and having done, he gave his advice to provide in the years of plenty against the years of famine, and proposed a scheme for doing it, which was approved of by Pharaoh and his ministers, Ge 41:33-37; and Joseph himself was pitched upon as the most proper person to execute it, and was appointed chief over the kingdom next to Pharaoh, who gave him a new name and a wife upon this occasion, Ge 41:38-45; accordingly, in the years of plenty he took a tour throughout the whole land, and gathered and laid up food in vast quantities in every city, Ge 41:46-49; an account is given of two sons born to Joseph, and of their names, Ge 41:50-52; and of the seven years of famine, beginning to come on at the end of the seven years of plenty, which brought great distress on the land of Egypt, and the countries round about, who all came to Joseph to buy corn, Ge 41:53-57.

Cross References 7

  • 1. Genesis 41:54, 56; Genesis 47:13; Psalms 105:16
  • 2. Genesis 41:25, 28
  • 3. Genesis 41:39
  • 4. Genesis 41:48
  • 5. Job 32:8; Dan 4:8, 9, 18; Daniel 5:11, 14
  • 6. Genesis 41:33
  • 7. Psalms 105:21; Acts 7:10

Footnotes 8

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