Genesis 41:38-49

Joseph Is Made a Ruler of Egypt

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, 1in whom is a divine spirit?"
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so 2discerning and wise as you are.
40 "3You 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."
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you 4over all the land of Egypt."
42 Then Pharaoh 5took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and 6put the gold necklace around his neck.
43 He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, "Bow the knee!" And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Though I am Pharaoh, yet 7without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
45 Then Pharaoh named * Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of 8On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.
46 Now Joseph was 9thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
47 During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth abundantly.
48 So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.
49 Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until * he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.

Genesis 41:38-49 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 9

  • 1. Job 32:8; Dan 4:8, 9, 18; Daniel 5:11, 14
  • 2. Genesis 41:33
  • 3. Psalms 105:21; Acts 7:10
  • 4. Genesis 42:6; Psalms 105:21; Daniel 6:3; Acts 7:10
  • 5. Esther 3:10; Esther 8:2
  • 6. Dan 5:7, 16, 29
  • 7. Psalms 105:22
  • 8. Jeremiah 43:13; Ezekiel 30:17
  • 9. Genesis 37:2

Footnotes 12

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.