Genesis 41

1 post duos annos vidit Pharao somnium putabat se stare super fluvium

2 de quo ascendebant septem boves pulchrae et crassae nimis et pascebantur in locis palustribus

3 aliae quoque septem emergebant de flumine foedae confectaeque macie et pascebantur in ipsa amnis ripa in locis virentibus

4 devoraveruntque eas quarum mira species et habitudo corporum erat expergefactus Pharao

5 rursum dormivit et vidit alterum somnium septem spicae pullulabant in culmo uno plenae atque formonsae

6 aliae quoque totidem spicae tenues et percussae uredine oriebantur

7 devorantes omnem priorum pulchritudinem evigilans post quietem

8 et facto mane pavore perterritus misit ad coniectores Aegypti cunctosque sapientes et accersitis narravit somnium nec erat qui interpretaretur

9 tunc demum reminiscens pincernarum magister ait confiteor peccatum meum

10 iratus rex servis suis me et magistrum pistorum retrudi iussit in carcerem principis militum

11 ubi una nocte uterque vidimus somnium praesagum futurorum

12 erat ibi puer hebraeus eiusdem ducis militum famulus cui narrantes somnia

13 audivimus quicquid postea rei probavit eventus ego enim redditus sum officio meo et ille suspensus est in cruce

14 protinus ad regis imperium eductum de carcere Ioseph totonderunt ac veste mutata obtulerunt ei

15 cui ille ait vidi somnia nec est qui edisserat quae audivi te prudentissime conicere

16 respondit Ioseph absque me Deus respondebit prospera Pharaoni

17 narravit ergo ille quod viderat putabam me stare super ripam fluminis

18 et septem boves de amne conscendere pulchras nimis et obesis carnibus quae in pastu paludis virecta carpebant

19 et ecce has sequebantur aliae septem boves in tantum deformes et macilentae ut numquam tales in terra Aegypti viderim

20 quae devoratis et consumptis prioribus

21 nullum saturitatis dedere vestigium sed simili macie et squalore torpebant evigilans rursum sopore depressus

22 vidi somnium septem spicae pullulabant in culmo uno plenae atque pulcherrimae

23 aliae quoque septem tenues et percussae uredine oriebantur stipula

24 quae priorum pulchritudinem devorarunt narravi coniectoribus somnium et nemo est qui edisserat

25 respondit Ioseph somnium regis unum est quae facturus est Deus ostendit Pharaoni

26 septem boves pulchrae et septem spicae plenae septem ubertatis anni sunt eandemque vim somnii conprehendunt

27 septem quoque boves tenues atque macilentae quae ascenderunt post eas et septem spicae tenues et vento urente percussae septem anni sunt venturae famis

28 qui hoc ordine conplebuntur

29 ecce septem anni venient fertilitatis magnae in universa terra Aegypti

30 quos sequentur septem anni alii tantae sterilitatis ut oblivioni tradatur cuncta retro abundantia consumptura est enim fames omnem terram

31 et ubertatis magnitudinem perditura inopiae magnitudo

32 quod autem vidisti secundo ad eandem rem pertinens somnium firmitatis indicium est eo quod fiat sermo Dei et velocius impleatur

33 nunc ergo provideat rex virum sapientem et industrium et praeficiat eum terrae Aegypti

34 qui constituat praepositos per singulas regiones et quintam partem fructuum per septem annos fertilitatis

35 qui iam nunc futuri sunt congreget in horrea et omne frumentum sub Pharaonis potestate condatur serveturque in urbibus

36 et paretur futurae septem annorum fami quae pressura est Aegyptum et non consumetur terra inopia

37 placuit Pharaoni consilium et cunctis ministris eius

38 locutusque est ad eos num invenire poterimus talem virum qui spiritu Dei plenus sit

39 dixit ergo ad Ioseph quia ostendit Deus tibi omnia quae locutus es numquid sapientiorem et similem tui invenire potero

40 tu eris super domum meam et ad tui oris imperium cunctus populus oboediet uno tantum regni solio te praecedam

41 dicens quoque rursum Pharao ad Ioseph ecce constitui te super universam terram Aegypti

42 tulit anulum de manu sua et dedit in manu eius vestivitque eum stola byssina et collo torquem auream circumposuit

43 fecitque ascendere super currum suum secundum clamante praecone ut omnes coram eo genuflecterent et praepositum esse scirent universae terrae Aegypti

44 dixit quoque rex ad Ioseph ego sum Pharao absque tuo imperio non movebit quisquam manum aut pedem in omni terra Aegypti

45 vertitque nomen illius et vocavit eum lingua aegyptiaca Salvatorem mundi dedit quoque illi uxorem Aseneth filiam Putiphare sacerdotis Heliopoleos egressus itaque Ioseph ad terram Aegypti

46 triginta autem erat annorum quando stetit in conspectu regis Pharaonis circuivit omnes regiones Aegypti

47 venitque fertilitas septem annorum et in manipulos redactae segetes congregatae sunt in horrea Aegypti

48 omnis etiam frugum abundantia in singulis urbibus condita est

49 tantaque fuit multitudo tritici ut harenae maris coaequaretur et copia mensuram excederet

50 nati sunt autem Ioseph filii duo antequam veniret fames quos ei peperit Aseneth filia Putiphare sacerdotis Heliopoleos

51 vocavitque nomen primogeniti Manasse dicens oblivisci me fecit Deus omnium laborum meorum et domum patris mei

52 nomen quoque secundi appellavit Ephraim dicens crescere me fecit Deus in terra paupertatis meae

53 igitur transactis septem annis ubertatis qui fuerant in Aegypto

54 coeperunt venire septem anni inopiae quos praedixerat Ioseph et in universo orbe fames praevaluit in cuncta autem terra Aegypti erat panis

55 qua esuriente clamavit populus ad Pharaonem alimenta petens quibus ille respondit ite ad Ioseph et quicquid vobis dixerit facite

56 crescebat autem cotidie fames in omni terra aperuitque Ioseph universa horrea et vendebat Aegyptiis nam et illos oppresserat fames

57 omnesque provinciae veniebant in Aegyptum ut emerent escas et malum inopiae temperarent

Genesis 41 Commentary

Chapter 41

Pharaoh's dreams. (1-8) Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams. (9-32) Joseph's counsel, He is highly advanced. (33-45) Joseph's children, The beginning of the famine. (46-57)

Verses 1-8 The means of Joseph's being freed from prison were Pharaoh's dreams, as here related. Now that God no longer speaks to us in that way, it is no matter how little we either heed dreams, or tell them. The telling of foolish dreams can make no better than foolish talk. But these dreams showed that they were sent of God; when he awoke, Pharaoh's spirit was troubled.

Verses 9-32 God's time for the enlargement of his people is the fittest time. If the chief butler had got Joseph to be released from prison, it is probable he would have gone back to the land of the Hebrews. Then he had neither been so blessed himself, nor such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he proved. Joseph, when introduced to Pharaoh, gives honour to God. Pharaoh had dreamed that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both the fat ones, and the lean ones, come out of the river. Egypt has no rain, but the plenty of the year depends upon the overflowing of the river Nile. See how many ways Providence has of dispensing its gifts; yet our dependence is still the same upon the First Cause, who makes every creature what it is to us, be it rain or river. See to what changes the comforts of this life are subject. We cannot be sure that to-morrow shall be as this day, or next year as this. We must learn how to want, as well as how to abound. Mark the goodness of God in sending the seven years of plenty before those of famine, that provision might be made. The produce of the earth is sometimes more, and sometimes less; yet, take one with another, he that gathers much, has nothing over; and he that gathers little, has no lack, ( Exodus 16:18 ) . And see the perishing nature of our worldly enjoyments. The great harvests of the years of plenty were quite lost, and swallowed up in the years of famine; and that which seemed very much, yet did but just serve to keep the people alive. There is bread which lasts to eternal life, which it is worth while to labour for. They that make the things of this world their good things, will find little pleasure in remembering that they have received them.

Verses 33-45 Joseph gave good advice to Pharaoh. Fair warning should always be followed by good counsel. God has in his word told us of a day of trial before us, when we shall need all the grace we can have. Now, therefore, provide accordingly. Pharaoh gave Joseph an honourable testimony. He is a man in whom the spirit of God is; and such men ought to be valued. Pharaoh puts upon Joseph marks of honour. He gave him such a name as spoke the value he had for him, Zaphnath-paaneah, "a revealer of secrets." This preferment of Joseph encourages all to trust in God. Some translate Joseph's new name, "the saviour of the world." The brightest glories, even of the upper world, are put upon Christ, the highest trust lodged in his hand, and all power given him, both in heaven and earth.

Verses 46-57 In the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph owned the Divine providence. 1. He was made to forget his misery. 2. He was made fruitful in the land of his affliction. The seven plenteous years came, and were ended. We ought to look forward to the end of the days, both of our prosperity and of our opportunity. We must not be secure in prosperity, nor slothful in making good use of opportunity. Years of plenty will end; what thy hand finds to do, do it; and gather in gathering time. The dearth came, and the famine was not only in Egypt, but in other lands. Joseph was diligent in laying up, while the plenty lasted. He was prudent and careful in giving out, when the famine came. Joseph was engaged in useful and important labours. Yet it was in the midst of this his activity that his father Jacob said, Joseph is not! What a large portion of our troubles would be done away if we knew the whole truth! Let these events lead us to Jesus. There is a famine of the bread of life throughout the whole earth. Go to Jesus, and what he bids you, do. Attend to His voice, apply to him; he will open his treasures, and satisfy with goodness the hungry soul of every age and nation, without money and without price. But those who slight this provision must starve, and his enemies will be destroyed.

Chapter Summary

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.