Genesis 41:41-51

41 Par`oh said to Yosef, "Behold, I have set you over all the land of Mitzrayim."

42 Par`oh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Yosef's hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck,

43 and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, "Bow the knee!" He set him over all the land of Mitzrayim.

44 Par`oh said to Yosef, "I am Par`oh, and without you shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Mitzrayim."

45 Par`oh called Yosef's name Tzafenat-Pa`neach; and he gave him Asenat, the daughter of Potiphera Kohen of On as a wife. Yosef went out over the land of Mitzrayim.

46 Yosef was thirty years old when he stood before Par`oh king of Mitzrayim. Yosef went out from the presence of Par`oh, and went throughout all the land of Mitzrayim.

47 In the seven plenteous years the eretz brought forth by handfuls.

48 He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Mitzrayim, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, he laid up in the same.

49 Yosef laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.

50 To Yosef were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenat, the daughter of Potiphera Kohen of On, bore to him.

51 Yosef called the name of the firstborn Menashsheh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house."

Genesis 41:41-51 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.