Genesis 41:35-45

35 Order them to collect all the food during the good years that are coming, and give them authority to store up grain in the cities and guard it.
36 The food will be a reserve supply for the country during the seven years of famine which are going to come on Egypt. In this way the people will not starve."
37 The king and his officials approved this plan,
38 and he said to them, "We will never find a better man than Joseph, a man who has God's spirit in him."
39 The king said to Joseph, "God has shown you all this, so it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else.
40 I will put you in charge of my country, and all my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine. 1
41 I now appoint you governor over all Egypt."
42 The king removed from his finger the ring engraved with the royal seal and put it on Joseph's finger. He put a fine linen robe on him, and placed a gold chain around his neck. 2
43 He gave him the second royal chariot to ride in, and his guard of honor went ahead of him and cried out, "Make way! Make way!" And so Joseph was appointed governor over all Egypt.
44 The king said to him, "I am the king - and no one in all Egypt shall so much as lift a hand or a foot without your permission."
45 He gave Joseph the Egyptian name Zaphenath Paneah, and he gave him a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, a priest in the city of Heliopolis. Joseph was thirty years old when he began to serve the king of Egypt. He left the king's court and traveled all over the land.

Genesis 41:35-45 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 2

  • 1. 41.40Acts 7.10.
  • 2. 41.42Daniel 5.29.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.