The First Book of Moses, called Genesis
Genesis 41
Chapter XLI · Vol. I, pp. 280–282
1 Pharaoh's two dreams. 25 Joseph interpreteth them. 33 He giveth Pharaoh counsel. 38 Joseph is advanced. 50 He begetteth Manasseh and Ephraim. 54 The famine beginneth.
1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh adreamed; and, behold, he stood by bthe river.
2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well-favoured kine3 and fat-fleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3 In the Egyptian hieroglyphics the ox is the emblem of agriculture.
3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favoured and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4 And the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank4 and good.
A.M. 2289. B.C. 1715.
4 Heb. fat. A sort of wheat grows in Egypt, the stalk of which is very strong, and bears a number of ears.
6 And, behold, seven thin ears, and blasted with the ceast wind, sprung up after them.
c Eze. 17. 10; 19. 12. Ho. 13.15.
7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8 And it came to pass in the morning that hisd spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the emagicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dreams; but there was fnone that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
d ch. 40.6. Da. 2.3; 4.5; 7.28; 8.27.
e Ex. 7.11; 8. 19. Da. 2. 2; 5. 7, 8. Ac. 17. 18. Magicians were such as pretended to reveal secrets, interpret hidden things, and foretel future ones; and did many strange feats by sleight of hand, or assistance of the devil; wise men were such as had great learning, judgment, and experience, Mat. 23. 34.
f Da. 2.10; 5.8. Is. 19. 11; 29.14. Ps. 25.14. See ch. 40.8.
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my gfaults this day:
g ch. 40.1,2,14,23.
10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward hin the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
h ch. 39.20.
11 And we idreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
i ch. 40.5,8.
12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and khe interpreted to us our dreams: to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
k ch. 40.12,19.
13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; lme he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.5
l ch. 40.20-22.
5 Whilst we must condemn in the chief butler his forgetfulness of Joseph, ch. 40.23, we must commend the ingenuousness with which (ver. 9) he confesses his faults. But, above all things, we must admire that providence that permits this forgetfulness to keep Joseph in prison till he is needed, and then employs the ingenuousness to bring him forth to liberty and honour.—C.
14 Thenm Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him nhastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved6 himself, and ochanged his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
m 1 Sa. 2.7,8. Ps. 113. 7; 105.20.
6 This is one of many passages in which the truth of the Scripture narrative is attested by an incidental and slight allusion to remarkable customs, which no mere inventor would think of noticing, or notice without explaining. Shaving was a remarkable custom of the Egyptians, in which they were distinguished from other oriental nations, who carefully cherished the beard, and regarded the loss of it as a deep disgrace. Here Joseph shaves himself in conformity with an Egyptian usage, of which this passage conveys the earliest intimation.
o Es. 4.1,2,4.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.7
7 Or, when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Itp is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer8 of qpeace.9
p ch. 40.8. 2 Ki. 6.27. Da. 2. 28. 1 Co. 15. 10. 2 Co. 3.5. Am. 3.7.
8 An answer quieting thy troubled mind, and portending happiness and prosperity to thee.
q ch. 37. 14. Lu. 19. 42.
9 The character of Joseph is instantly developed in the renunciation of self, and the exaltation of God.—Note, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths, Pr. 3. 6.—C.
17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor, and very ill-favoured, and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness.
20 And the lean and the ill-favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine.
21 And when they had eaten them up,1 it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
A.M. 2289. B.C. 1715.
1 Heb. come to the inward parts of them.
22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23 And, behold, seven ears, withered,2 thin, and blasted with the east wind,3 sprung up after them.
2 Or, small.
3 To this wind is ascribed in Scripture all the mischief done to corn or fruit by blasting, mildew, &c. It was more pernicious in Egypt than in other places, because it came through the vast deserts of Arabia.—Patrick.
24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one:4 God hath showed Pharaoh rwhat he is about to do.5
4 In signification. One and the same thing is represented by two several figures.
r Is. 41.22,23.
5 We may observe here, that Joseph directs Pharaoh to look up to God, as the author of all these events; and that not in an ordinary but extraordinary manner; since such fertility and such famine did not proceed from mere natural causes, but from an overruling providence, which made the river Nile overflow its banks so largely for seven years together, and so occasion a great plenty; and then for the next seven years overflow very little, if at all, and so produce a very sore and long famine. Nor can it be objected to Joseph, that he was guilty of presumption or boldness, in giving his advice to Pharaoh concerning the provision that was to be made against the ensuing scarceness, since he was conscious to himself that he was best able to give such advice; and would have been guilty of the sin of omission had he neglected to do it, in so great and so general a concern.—Patrick.
26 The seven good kine sare seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
s Signify, ch. 40. 12, 18. Ex. 12.11. 1 Co. 10.4, with ver. 2,5,29,47,53.
27 Andt the seven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
t ver. 3,4, 6, 7, 30, 31, 54.
28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh.
29 Behold, uthere come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
u See ver. 26,47-49.
30 And there shall arise after them xseven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten6 in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land:
x 2 Ki. 8. 1. 2 Sa. 24. 13. See ver. 27,54.
6 It shall be as if it had not been at all, by reason of the succeeding famine.—Kidder.
31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.7
7 Heb. heavy.
32 And for that the dream was ydoubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established8 by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
y ch. 37. 7, 9. Job 33. 14,15.
8 Or, prepared.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint zofficers over the land, and atake up the fifth part9 of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
z Or, overseers, Nu. 31.14. 2 Ki. 11.12. 2 Ch. 34.12. Ne. 11.9.
9 Joseph laid up but a fifth part in the king's granaries, as many others in the land laid also up a part of these plentiful crops.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the bhand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
A.M. 2289. B.C. 1715.
b Power, appointment, Ex.4.13.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not1 through the famine.
1 Heb. be not cut off.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man din whom the Spirit of God is?2
2 Pharaoh and his servants were evidently believers in the true God. This faith, if not derived from some earlier and unrecorded source, may be traced to the visit and sojourning of Abram, and the miraculous testimony, Ge.12.19, which Jehovah then exhibited in the protection of Sarah, and which Pharaoh implicitly acknowledged in his remonstrance with Abram. This will account for the readiness with which Pharaoh listens to Joseph, and his servants acquiesce in his advancement to power. They received him as a prophet of the true God.—C.
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40 Thoue shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
e ch. 45. 8, 9, 26. Ps. 105.21,22. Ac.7.10. Da. 2.46,47; 5.29.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, fI have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
f Da.2.7,8. Ps.113.7. Job 29. 22, 25. Pr.17.2; 22.29. ch.39.5,22.
42 And Pharaoh took off his gring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen,3 and put a goldh chain about his neck:4
3 Or, silk.
h Pr. 31.22,24. Eze. 16.10. Lu.19.16-19. Da. 5.7.
4 These were badges of his power and dignity. The ring in particular was a mark of honour, and a sign of his authority to seal what he pleased in the king's name.
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow5 the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
5 Or, tender father; or, most blessed. [The word here employed appears to be Egyptian, and its meaning is disputed. Kalisch translates it 'governor,' which is probably correct.—P.]
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh,6 and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
6 As sure as I am king, none shall be allowed to do aught in the administration of government, or management of the stores, without thy advice and warrant.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah;7 and he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah ipriest of On.8 And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
7 A revealer of secrets. [Jerome translates this Salvator Mundi, 'Saviour of the world.'—P.]
i Or, prince, ch. 14. 18. 2 Sa.8.18.
8 These three names indicate pretty clearly the nature of the religion at that time prevailing in Egypt. Asenath signifies 'belonging to Neith,' and Neith was the Egyptian Minerva. Potipherah means 'belonging to the Sun;' and On seems to have been identical with the Syrian Baal—the Sun-god. The Egyptians, in fact, were wholly given to idolatry.—P.
46 (And Joseph was kthirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.) And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48 And he lgathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
l Bought up a fifth part of it, ver.34.
49 And Joseph gathered corn mas the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50 Andn unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah priest9 of On, bare unto him.
n ch.46.20; 48.5.
9 Or, prince.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn oManasseh:1 For God, said he, hath made me pforget all my toil, and all my father's house.2
o That is, forgetting, Is.67.16.
1 1712.
p Ps.30.5,11. Pr.31.7. Ps.45.10.
2 How shall we excuse Joseph for his neglect of communicating with his father? Up till the beginning of the last seven years he had been a bondslave or a prisoner, so could not communicate. Now, during seven years, the affairs of a palace and of a whole kingdom overwhelm him But business is not his apology, prudence is his defence. Shall he communicate with brothers who hated and sold him, and thus doubly imbitter the old age of his father, by embroiling him with his whole family? Other reasons may have operated, but these are sufficient to explain and excuse his silence. That his heart was with them, his future conduct will declare.—C.
52 And the name of the second called he qEphraim:3 For God4 hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
54 Andr the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people scried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, tGo unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
s 2 Ki.6.26.
t Ps. 105.20-22, with Ps.68.18. Col.1.19. Jn. 1.14,16. Phi.4.19.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth.6 And Joseph opened all the storehouses,7 and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
6 Or, land.
7 Heb. all wherein was.
57 And all ucountries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
u Neighbouring, Ps. 105.16,17. ch.42.1; 50. 20.
Notes
[Ver. 1. The fertility and the very existence of Egypt depend upon the Nile. No rain falls in the country, but the want is supplied by the periodical rise and fall of the river. Having its source amid the mountains of Central Africa, it is affected by the tropical rains. It begins to rise about the middle of June. Two months afterwards the water overflows the banks and inundates the country. It attains its greatest height about the autumnal equinox; and then falling slowly, sinks to its lowest level. The rise during a good year is about 27 feet at Cairo. A few feet above this causes a destructive flood; and a few feet less a famine. P.]
Ver. 2. [The word translated 'meadow' is Egyptian, and signifies the 'marsh-grass' which grows abundantly along the banks of the Nile. P.]
Reflections.—Certain, though slow, is the execution of God's purposes of favour to his people; and by the most insignificant, or even extravagant, means he often accomplishes them. But when patience hath had her perfect work, God can easily furnish the means of his people's deliverance: and wehn his time of delivering his people comes, he causes men to remember and to do their duty towards them; and wisely to accomplish his purpose. How amiable and excellent, when great gifts and great graces are adorned with the deepest humility, referring all the glory to God, and behaving modestly towards men! But changeable and perishing are all earthly enjoyments, especially desirable ones. Let me then use them with caution, and lay up in heaven a better and enduring substance; for it is infinitely necessary to provide without delay against future, against everlasting wants. In the meanwhile we must esteem it an undeserved mercy, that God hath set prosperity and adversity, plenty and famine, debasement and glory, the one against the other. How glorious the character in which extensive knowledge, firm friendship, active diligence, unshaken fidelity, forgetfulness of injuries received, and hearty acknowledgment of God in all things, are remarkably connected! Happy the nation the management of which is intrusted to such persons! But chiefly rejoice, my soul, that Jesus was taken from prison and from judgment, and hath all power given to him in heaven and on earth, in order to bestow blessings on perishing sinners! Rejoice that God hath made him to forget his labour, and made him fruitful in the land of his affliction! He seeth his seed, the travail of his soul, and is satisfied. And what a mercy is it that all nations have access to him, not to buy with money, but to receive all the blessings of time and eternity from him without money and without price.