Genesis 41:37-49

Joseph Given Charge of Egypt

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God ^[a] abides?”

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

40 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

41 Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

42 Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

43 He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” ^[b] So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, ^[c] and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ^[d] to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.

The Seven Years of Plenty

46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

47 During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.

48 During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

Genesis 41:37-49 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or the spirit of the gods
• [b] That is, “Abrek,” probably an Egyptian word that sounds similar to the Hebrew for kneel
• [c] Zaphenath-paneah probably means Revealer of Mysteries or God speaks and lives.
• [d] That is, Heliopolis, as in LXX; also in verse 50