GEN 41

Genesis 41:17

WEB

Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;

BSB

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

KJV

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

Matthew Henry

Verses 17–32

Genesis 41:17–32

Here, I. Pharaoh relates his dream. He dreamt that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both the fat ones and the lean ones, come out of the river. For the kingdom of Egypt had no rain, as appears, Zac 14:18, but the plenty of the year depended upon the overflowing of the river, and it was about one certain time of the year that it overflowed. If it rose to fifteen or sixteen cubits, there was plenty; if to twelve or thirteen only, or under, there was scarcity. See how many ways Providence has of dispensing its gifts; yet, whatever the second causes are, our dependence is still the same upon the first Cause, who makes every creature that to us that it is, be it rain or river.

II. Joseph interprets his dream, and tells him that it signified seven years of plenty now immediately to ensue, which should be succeeded by as many years of famine. Observe, 1. The two dreams signified the same thing, but the repetition was to denote the certainty, the nearness, and the importance, of the event, Gen 41:32. Thus God has often shown the immutability of his counsel by two immutable things, Heb 6:17, Heb 6:18. The covenant is sealed with two sacraments; and in the one of them there are both bread and wine, wherein the dream is one, and yet it is doubled, for the thing is certain. 2. Yet the two dreams had a distinct reference to the two things wherein we most experience plenty and scarcity, namely, grass and corn. The plenty and scarcity of grass for the cattle were signified by the fat kine and the lean ones; the plenty and scarcity of herb for the service of man by the full ears and the thin ones. 3. See what changes the comforts of this life are subject to. After great plenty may come great scarcity; how strong soever we may think our mountain stands, if God speak the word, it will soon be moved. We cannot be sure that tomorrow shall be as this day, next year as this, and much more abundant, Isa 56:12. We must learn how to want, as well as how to abound. 4. See the goodness of God in sending the seven years of plenty before those of famine, that provision might be made accordingly. Thus he sets the one over-against the other, Ecc 7:14. With what wonderful wisdom has Providence, that great housekeeper, ordered the affairs of this numerous family from the beginning hitherto! Great variety of seasons there have been, and the product of the earth is sometimes more and sometimes less; yet, take one time with another, what was miraculous concerning the manna is ordinarily verified in the common course of Providence, He that gathers much has nothing over, and he that gathers little has no lack, Exo 16:18. 5. See the perishing nature of our worldly enjoyments. The great increase of the years of plenty was quite lost and swallowed up in the years of famine; and the overplus of it, which seemed very much, yet did but just serve to keep men alive, Gen 41:29-31. Meat for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them, Co1 6:13. There is bread which endures to everlasting life, which shall not be forgotten, and which it is worth while to labour for, Joh 6:27. Those that make the things of this world their good things will find but little pleasure in remembering that they have received them, Luk 16:25. 6. Observe, God revealed this beforehand to Pharaoh, who, as king of Egypt, was to be the father of his country, and to make prudent provision for them. Magistrates are called shepherds, whose care it must be, not only to rule, but to feed.

Cross-references: Zech 14:18 · Gen 41:32 · Heb 6:17 · Heb 6:18 · Isa 56:12 · Eccl 7:14 · Exod 16:18 · Gen 41:29 · 1Cor 6:13 · John 6:27 · Luke 16:25

Hebrew interlinear

H1696

דָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/

v — arrange, speak, subdue

Derivation: a primitive root;

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, × well, × work.

דָבַר

vb — speak

[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)

Qal speak

Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk

Pi. speak

Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for

Hithp. speaking this word

Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues

H6547

פַּרְעֹהParʻôh/par-o'/

n-m — Paroh

Derivation: of Egyptian derivation;

Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings

KJV: Pharaoh.

פַּרְעֹה

n.m — Pharaoh

פַּרְעֹה 275 n.m. Pharaoh, title of Egyptian kings

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H3130

יוֹסֵףYôwçêph/yo-safe'/

n-pr-m — Joseph

Derivation: future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active participle adding);

Joseph, the name of seven Israelites

KJV: Joseph. Compare 3084.

יוֹסֵף

n.pr.m — Joseph

יוֹסֵף 212 and יְהוֹסֵף n.pr.m. (he adds, increases)

1. elder son of Jacob and Rachael

2. a man of Issachar

3. a son of Asaph

4. one of those who took strange wives

5. a priest

H2472

חֲלוֹםchălôwm/khal-ome'/

n-m — dream

Derivation: or (shortened) חֲלֹם; from 2492;

a dream

KJV: dream(-er).

חֲלוֹם

n.m — dream

חֲלוֹם n.m. dream

1. ordinary dream of sleep

2. dreams with prophetic meaning

H2005

הֵןhên/hane/

prt — lo!, if

Derivation: a primitive particle;

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

KJV: behold, if, lo, though.

הֵן

demonstr.adv — lo!

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

H5975

עָמַדʻâmad/aw-mad'/

v — stand

Derivation: a primitive root;

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

KJV: abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.

עָמַד

take one’s stand

עָמַד 620 take one's stand, stand

Qal 435

1.

a. take one's stand, and (esp. pt.) stand, be in a standing attitude

b. stand forth

c. take a stand against, in opposition to

d. present oneself before

e. attend upon, be(come) servant of

f. stand afar

g. stand (silent)

h. stand (appealingly)

i. stand, subj. רֶגֶל

j. stand, of water

2.

a. stand still, stop, cease moving

b. = be inactive

c. = be attentive

d. stop, cease doing a thing

3.

a. tarry, delay

b. remain

c. continue, abide

d. endure

e. be steadfast

f. persist

4. make a stand, hold one's ground

5. stand upright

6.

a. arise, appear, come on the scene

b. stand forth, appear = come into being

c. rise up as foe

7. rare usages

Hiph. 83

1. station, set

2. cause to stand firm

3. cause to stand up, set up, erect

4. present one before king

5. appoint

6. other meanings

Hoph. be presented

H5921

עַלʻal/al/

prep — above, over, upon, against

Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

עַל

subst — above

עַל, עָ֑ל

I. subst. height

II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

a.

(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears

(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done

2. It expresses excess

3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence

4. It expresses addition

5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over

6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)

7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)

8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative

9. With other particles:

III. As conj.

a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that

b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent

c. עַל alone:

(a). because

(b). notwithstanding that, although

IV. Compounds:

1. with כְּ (rare and late)

a. as concerning, as upon

b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay

2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by

H8193

שָׂפָהsâphâh/saw-faw'/

n-f — lip, language, margin

Derivation: or (in dual and plural) שֶׂפֶת; probably from 5595 or 8192 through the idea of termination (compare 5490);

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)

KJV: band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.

שָׂפָה

n.f — lip

שָׂפָה 176 n.f. lip, speech, edge

1. lip

2. language

3. edge: shore of sea; bank of river

H2975

יְאֹרyᵉʼôr/yeh-ore'/

n-m — channel, Nile, Tigris

Derivation: of Egyptian origin;

a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of Assyria

KJV: brook, flood, river, stream.

יְאֹר

n.m — stream of the Nile

יְאֹר, יְאוֹר n.m. stream of the Nile, stream, canal

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