Gen. 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Gen. 41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
Gen. 41:3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
Gen. 41:4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Gen. 41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
Gen. 41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Gen. 41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
Gen. 41:8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River (the main river in Egypt) and seven sleek and fat cows came to graze among the reeds. Then seven gaunt and ugly cows came up out of the river and ate the first seven cows. Then he woke up. He fell asleep again and dreamed that seven heads of healthy grain were growing on one stalk. After that, seven different heads of grain grew up that were thin and scorched by the wind. The unhealthy heads of grain swallowed the seven healthy heads of grain. Then he woke up again. He was quite troubled the next morning and sent for all his wise men and magicians. He told them the dreams, but no one could interpret them.
Historical note from Morris: “ The cow was the emblem of Isis, the revered Egyptian goddess of fertility.”
Gen. 41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
Gen. 41:10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker:
Gen. 41:11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
Gen. 41:12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
Gen. 41:13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
Finally, the chief butler remembered Joseph and admitted he had done wrong by not mentioning him earlier. He reminded Pharaoh of the time he had put him and the chief baker in prison. Then he told Pharaoh how they had dreamed; and Joseph, a Hebrew who served the captain of the guard, had interpreted their dreams. And events had proven his interpretations to be true.
Clarke regarding the butler: “It is not possible he could have forgotten the circumstance to which he here alludes; it was too intimately connected with all that was dear to him, to permit him ever to forget it. But it was not convenient for him to remember this before; and probably he would not have remembered it now, had he not seen, that giving this information in such a case was likely to serve his own interest. We are justified in thinking evil of this man because of his scandalous neglect of a person who foretold the rescue of his life from imminent destruction, and who, being unjustly confined, prayed to have his case fairly represented to the king that justice might be done him; but this courtier, though then in the same circumstances himself, found it convenient to forget the poor, friendless Hebrew slave!”
Gen. 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
Gen. 41:15 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.
Gen. 41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Gen. 41:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
Gen. 41:18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
Gen. 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
Gen. 41:20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
Gen. 41:21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
Gen. 41:22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
Gen. 41:23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
Gen. 41:24 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.
Pharaoh had Joseph brought up from the dungeon. He was allowed (or more likely required) to shave and change clothes before being brought before Pharaoh. The king told him that he had had dreams that no one could interpret and that he had heard that Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph quickly told Pharaoh that it was God who gave him the interpretations. Then Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams.
Application from Guzik: “Pharaoh’s dream was actually a revelation from God. He received it, but could not understand it. It was like a person who reads the Bible, but needs help from a man or woman of God to understand.”
Gen. 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Gen. 41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
Gen. 41:27 And 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.
Gen. 41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Gen. 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
Gen. 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
Gen. 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
Gen. 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Joseph explained to Pharaoh that his dreams were basically one and the same. The seven fat cows and healthy heads of grain represented seven years of plenty. The gaunt cows and scorched grain represented seven years of famine. The dream was a revelation that Egypt would experience seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. The abundance of the first seven years would soon be forgotten because the famine to follow would be so severe. Then he explained that the fact that he had two dreams emphasized that God had determined that this would certainly happen—and soon.
Gen. 41:33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
Gen. 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
Gen. 41:36 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 not through the famine.
Joseph went on to give Pharaoh advice on how to prepare for the seven years of famine. (This is a prisoner from the dungeon presuming to advise the King. Joseph was totally confident in his God and in following Him obediently.) He told Pharaoh to find a discerning and wise man to put in charge of the land of Egypt. He should appoint commissioners to take a fifth of the harvest in the seven good years and store the grain under the authority of the Pharaoh. These reserves would then provide for Egypt during the years of famine, and Egypt would not be ruined.
Guzik: “Now, Joseph began to apply wisdom to the knowledge. It’s good to remember the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge tells you what is going on; wisdom tells you what to do about it. Knowledge is the diagnosis; wisdom is directed to the cure.”
And again: "Joseph didn’t have to preach a sermon or lead a prayer for Pharaoh to see the Spirit of God upon him. He could see it in his character, in his message, in his knowledge, in his wisdom, and in his humility. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit can be seen in very practical ways, in our character, in our humility.”
Gen. 41:37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
Gen. 41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Gen. 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Gen. 41:40 Thou 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.
Gen. 41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Gen. 41:43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:46 And Joseph was thirty 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.
Pharaoh and his officials liked the plan. Pharaoh asked his servants if there was anyone like Joseph who had the spirit of the gods. He turned to Joseph and said that since God had made all this known to him, no one must be as discerning and wise as he. So he made him the highest ruler in the land of Egypt, subject only to the Pharaoh. (I think Pharaoh recognized that Joseph’s God was a powerful god—but I don’t think he realized that He was THE God.) Pharaoh then took the signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s hand. He dressed Joseph in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He also assigned him to ride in the second chariot, and the people were made to bow before him. All of these actions testified to his newly appointed position. He explained that he was Pharaoh, but that everyone else in the land would answer to Joseph. He gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphnathpaaneah, and gave him Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On, as his wife. Joseph was 30 years old at that time.
On = “The Egyptian city Heliopolis (“city of the sun”). Located at the southern tip of the Nile Delta….” (Eerdman’s Dictionary)
Clarke re “stood before Pharaoh” - “This phrase always means admission to the immediate presence of the sovereign, and having the honor of his most unlimited confidence. Among the Asiatic princes, the privilege of coming even to their seat, of standing before them, etc., was granted only to the highest favorites.”
Gen. 41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
Gen. 41:48 And he gathered 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.
Gen. 41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
Joseph traveled throughout the land of Egypt and supervised the collection and storage of the grain grown in the different cities over the next seven years. The grains from the surrounding fields were stored in each city. He stored up huge quantities of grain “like the sands of the sea.” It was so much that it was impossible to keep an accurate record.
Gen. 41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
Gen. 41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
Gen. 41:52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
During the seven years of plenty, Asenath gave birth to two sons. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh (derived from Hebrew for “forget”) because God had made him forget all his trouble and his home. The second son was named Ephraim (sounds like Hebrew for “twice fruitful”) because God had made him fruitful in the land of his suffering.
Thought - It’s interesting to note that the Jewish people actually have the blood of several nationalities in them as you look at some of the marriages that were made by Jacob and his descendants.
Gen. 41:53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
Gen. 41:54 And 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.
Gen. 41:55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
Gen. 41:56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Then came the seven years of famine. There was famine in all the other lands surrounding Egypt as well—but only Egypt had food. When the Egyptian people began to feel the effects of the famine, they cried to Pharaoh and he sent them to Joseph. So Joseph opened the storehouses and began selling grain to them. People from other countries began coming to Egypt to buy grain as well.
Good application from Henry: “ Certain ominous signs today, for example, seem to suggest that Americans will soon have to give up many of the creature comforts which they have come to regard as rights and necessities; and such deprivations, if they come, will undoubtedly be considered impossibly traumatic by most of us. The story of Joseph in Egypt, if nothing else, should warn us that the blessings of prosperity come from the LORD and can as easily be removed by the LORD, as He wills.”
Gen. 42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
Gen. 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Gen. 42:3 And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
Gen. 42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
Gen. 42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt and sent his sons to buy grain to provide for his household. We are told that Joseph was 17 when he had the dreams regarding his brothers bowing down to him. Thirteen years later, he had become the second in command in Egypt; while his brothers are still under the direction of their father. Joseph is now at least 37 (allowing for the seven years of plenty). Jacob sent all of his sons to buy grain except Benjamin, Rachel’s only other son besides Joseph. He didn’t want to take a chance on losing him too.
Gen. 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
Gen. 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Gen. 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Joseph personally oversaw the selling of the grain. When his brothers arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground, showing respect and hoping for favor for their request. He recognized them immediately, but pretended to be a stranger. He spoke harshly to them and asked where they were from. They told him they had come from Canaan to buy food. Still, they did not recognize him.
Gen. 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
Gen. 42:10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
Gen. 42:11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
Gen. 42:12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
Gen. 42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
Gen. 42:14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
Joseph remembered his dreams when he saw them bow before him. He accused them of being spies coming to see if Egypt was vulnerable to attack. They assured him that they had only come to buy food. They explained that they were 12 brothers, the sons of one man; the youngest brother was at home and one “is not” (meaning he is dead). Joseph insisted that they were spies.
Gen. 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Gen. 42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
Gen. 42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
Gen. 42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
Gen. 42:19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
Gen. 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
Now Joseph is going to give them an opportunity to prove themselves. One of them must go to bring the youngest brother to him while the others remained in custody in prison. First, he put them all in custody for three days. On the third day Joseph came and modified his request. He told them that he feared God; and if they obeyed, they would live. One of the brothers must stay as a hostage in prison while the others returned with food for their families. He insisted, however, that they must bring their youngest brother back with them to verify their story and avoid death. So they agreed.
Gen. 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
Gen. 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Gen. 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
The brothers immediately decided that they were being punished for how they had treated Joseph. They remembered his distress when he had pleaded for his life and just knew that they were reaping the consequences of their actions. Reuben reminded them that he had tried to get them not to harm Joseph, and now they were being held to account. They had been discussing all of this out loud, not realizing that Joseph could understand them since he had been using an interpreter.
Gen. 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
Gen. 42:25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
Gen. 42:26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
Gen. 42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.
Gen. 42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
Joseph was so emotionally moved that he had to turn away because of his tears. When he spoke again, he had Simeon taken and bound right in front of them. Then he ordered his men to fill their sacks with grain and put their silver in them as well. They were also given provisions for their journey. Then they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. When they stopped for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey. When he found his silver in the top of the sack, he immediately told his brothers; and their hearts sank. They trembled in fear and wondered together what God was doing to them.
It seems to me that each one of them would have opened their sacks right then and there to see if they contained silver too; but they didn’t. At least it is to their credit that they recognized that any punishment they received was from God and that they deserved it because of their treatment of Joseph. They had been living with quite a load of guilt for 20+ years.
At www.lampresource.com, Wayne Walter stated some thoughts worth considering in his article on 10th Sedrah.
“Joseph had already made his peace with God concerning all that had happened to him. He knew the destiny of himself and his brothers was tied to God’s promise to their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joseph was in a position not to tear down but to build up. He would try his brothers. He would call forth from them compassion and love for one another. He would rend confession and sorrow for their past conduct to pour out of them like water unto God. They would realize and acknowledge who they were and what it was they were chosen for. They would be humbled and stand the measure. They would know sacrifice and redemption, and all due to the wisdom and firm gentleness of Joseph.”
Gen. 42:29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
Gen. 42:30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
Gen. 42:31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
Gen. 42:32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
Gen. 42:33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
Gen. 42:34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
When they got home to Jacob in Canaan, they told him everything that had happened. They told him that they had to take Benjamin back with them as proof of their honesty to rescue Simeon and be able to buy grain.
Gen. 42:35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
Gen. 42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
Gen. 42:37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
Gen. 42:38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
When they began to empty their sacks, each man’s pouch of silver was in the top. This really scared them. Jacob was distraught. It’s interesting that he said, “Me have ye bereaved of my children.” I wonder if he suspected the brothers all along of getting rid of Joseph. Then he blamed them for Simeon’s plight and told them that no way were they taking Benjamin too. Reuben was desperate—He told Jacob that he could kill both of his sons if he did not bring Benjamin back. It’s really strange to me that he would even think that Jacob would want to kill his own grandsons in vengeance. Even though he had obvious favorites, I’m sure Jacob loved all of his children and grandchildren. Jacob was adamant that Benjamin could not go. Joseph was dead, and he was the only one of Rachel’s children left. To lose him would be more than he could bear.
Guzik re Jacob’s attitude: “In all this, there is a sobering contrast between Jacob and Joseph. Joseph had far worse circumstances, but he never took the attitude all these things are against me.”
Great thoughts from Clarke: “The ways of Providence are often to us dark and perplexed, so that we are ready to imagine that good can never result from what appears to us to be directly contrary to our interest; and we are often tempted to think that those very providential dealings of God, which have for their object our present and eternal welfare, are rather proofs of his displeasure, or evidences of his vindictive judgment. All these things are against me, said poor desponding Jacob; whereas, instead of being against him, all these things were for him; and by all these means was the merciful God working for the preservation of himself and his family, and the fulfillment of his ancient promise, that the posterity of Abraham should be as the stars of heaven for multitude. How strange is it that our faith, after so many evidences of his goodness, should still be so weak; and that our opinion of him should be so imperfect, that we can never trust in him but while he is under our own eye! If we see him producing good, we can believe that he is doing so, and this is all. If we believe not, he abides faithful; but our unbelief must make our own way extremely perplexing and difficult.”