Genesis 41:37-57

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a] ?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c] !” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”
45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,[d] to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.
47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.
48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.
49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”
52 The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end,
54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.
57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

Cross References 40

  • 1. Genesis 45:16; Esther 2:4; Isaiah 19:11
  • 2. Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9; Job 32:8; Daniel 2:11; Daniel 4:8-9,18; Daniel 5:11,14
  • 3. Daniel 2:11; Daniel 5:11
  • 4. ver 33
  • 5. 1 Kings 4:6; 2 Kings 15:5; Isaiah 22:15; Isaiah 36:3
  • 6. S Genesis 39:9; Psalms 105:21-22; Acts 7:10
  • 7. Esther 10:3
  • 8. ver 43,55; Genesis 42:6; Genesis 45:8,13,26; Esther 8:2; Jeremiah 40:7; Daniel 6:3
  • 9. S Genesis 24:22; Esther 3:10; Esther 8:2,8
  • 10. 1 Samuel 17:38; 1 Samuel 18:4; 1 Kings 19:19; Esther 6:8,11; Daniel 5:29; Zechariah 3:4
  • 11. Exodus 25:4; Esther 8:15; Daniel 5:29
  • 12. Psalms 73:6; Song of Songs 4:9; Isaiah 3:18; Ezekiel 16:11; Da 5:7,16,29
  • 13. Genesis 46:29; Genesis 50:9; Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 22:18
  • 14. Esther 10:3
  • 15. Esther 6:9
  • 16. S ver 41
  • 17. S Genesis 37:8; Esther 10:2; Psalms 105:22
  • 18. Esther 2:7
  • 19. Exodus 2:16
  • 20. Ezekiel 30:17
  • 21. ver 50; Genesis 46:20,27
  • 22. S Genesis 37:2
  • 23. 1 Samuel 8:11; 1 Samuel 16:21; Proverbs 22:29; Daniel 1:19
  • 24. ver 29
  • 25. S ver 34
  • 26. S Genesis 12:2
  • 27. S ver 45; Genesis 46:20; Genesis 48:5
  • 28. Ge 48:14,18,20; Genesis 49:3
  • 29. Genesis 46:20; Genesis 48:1; Genesis 50:23; Numbers 1:34; Deuteronomy 33:17; Joshua 4:12; Joshua 17:1; 1 Chronicles 7:14
  • 30. Genesis 46:20; Genesis 48:1,5; Genesis 50:23; Numbers 1:32; Numbers 26:28; Deuteronomy 33:17; Joshua 14:4; Judges 5:14; 1 Chronicles 7:20; 2 Chronicles 30:1; Psalms 60:7; Jeremiah 7:15; Obadiah 1:19
  • 31. S Genesis 17:6; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 49:22
  • 32. S Genesis 12:10
  • 33. ver 30; Psalms 105:11; Acts 7:11
  • 34. Deuteronomy 32:24; 2 Chronicles 20:9; Isaiah 51:19; Jeremiah 5:12; Jeremiah 27:8; Jeremiah 42:16; Jeremiah 44:27
  • 35. S ver 41; John 2:5
  • 36. S ver 36
  • 37. S Genesis 12:10
  • 38. S ver 30
  • 39. Genesis 42:5; Genesis 47:15
  • 40. S Genesis 12:10

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Or "of the gods"
  • [b]. Or "in the chariot of his second-in-command" ; or "in his second chariot"
  • [c]. Or "Bow down"
  • [d]. That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
  • [e]. "Manasseh" sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for "forget."
  • [f]. "Ephraim" sounds like the Hebrew for "twice fruitful."
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.