GEN 41

Genesis 41:42

WEB

Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.

BSB

Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

KJV

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;

Matthew Henry

Verses 33–45

Genesis 41:33–45

Here is, I. The good advice that Joseph gave to Pharaoh, which was, 1. That in the years of plenty he should lay up for the years of famine, buy up corn when it was cheap, that he might both enrich himself and supply the country when it would be dear and scarce. Note, Fair warning should always be followed with good counsel. Therefore the prudent man foresees the evil, that he may hide himself. God has in his word told us of a day of trial and exigence before us, when we shall need all the grace we can get, and all little enough, "Now, therefore, provide accordingly." Note, further, Times of gathering must be diligently improved, because there will come a time of spending. Let us go to the ant, and learn of her this wisdom, Pro 6:6-8. 2. Because that which is everybody's work commonly proves nobody's work, he advises Pharaoh to appoint officers who should make it their business, and to select some one person to preside in the affair, Gen 41:33. Probably, if Joseph had not advised this, it would not have been done; Pharaoh's counsellors could no more improve the dream than his magicians interpret it; therefore it is said of him (Psa 105:22) that he taught the senators wisdom. Hence we may justly infer with Solomon (Ecc 4:13), Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king.

II. The great honour that Pharaoh did to Joseph. 1. He gave him an honourable testimony: He is a man in whom the Spirit of God is; and this puts a great excellency upon any man; such men ought to be valued, Gen 41:38. He is a nonsuch for prudence: There is none so discreet and wise as thou art, Gen 41:39. Now he is abundantly recompensed for the disgrace that had been done him; and his righteousness is as the morning light, Psa 37:6. 2. He put him into an honourable office; not only employed him to buy up corn, but made him prime-minister of state, comptroller of the household - Thou shalt be over my house, chief justice of the kingdom - according to thy word shall all my people be ruled, or armed, as some read it, and then it bespeaks him general of the forces. Him commission was very ample: I have set thee over all the land of Egypt (Gen 41:41); without thee shall no man life up his hand or foot (Gen 41:44); all the affairs of the kingdom must pass through his hand. Nay (Gen 41:40), only in the throne will I be greater than thou. Note, It is the wisdom of princes to prefer those, and the happiness of people to have those preferred, to places of power and trust, in whom the Spirit of God is. It is probable that there were those about the court who opposed Joseph's preferment, which occasioned Pharaoh so often to repeat the grant, and with that solemn sanction (Gen 41:44), I am Pharaoh. When the proposal was made that there should be a corn-master-general nominated, it is said (Gen 41:37), Pharaoh's servants were all pleased with the proposal, each hoping for the place; but when Pharaoh said to them, "Joseph shall be the man," we do not read that they made him any answer, being uneasy at it, and acquiescing only because they could not help it. Joseph had enemies, no doubt, archers that shot at him, and hated him (Gen 49:23), as Daniel, Dan 6:4. 3. He put upon him all the marks of honour imaginable, to recommend him to the esteem and respect of the people as the king's favourite, and one whom he delighted to honour. (1.) He gave him his own ring, as a ratification of his commission, and in token of peculiar favour; or it was like delivering him the great seal. (2.) He put fine clothes upon him, instead of his prison garments. For those that are in kings' palaces must wear soft clothing; he that, in the morning, was dragging his fetters of iron, before night was adorned with a chain of gold. (3.) He made him ride in the second chariot to his own, and ordered all to do homage to him: "Bow the knee, as to Pharaoh himself." (4.) He gave him a new name, to show his authority over him, and yet such a name as bespoke the value he had for him, Zaphnathpaaneah - A revealer of secrets. (5.) He married him honourably to a prince's daughter. Where God had been liberal in giving wisdom and other merits, Pharaoh was not sparing in conferring honours. Now this preferment of Joseph was, [1.] An abundant recompense for his innocent and patient suffering, a lasting instance of the equity and goodness of Providence, and an encouragement to all good people to trust in a good God. [2.] It was typical of the exaltation of Christ, that great revealer of secrets (Joh 1:18), or, as some translate Joseph's new name, the Saviour of the world. The brightest glories of the upper world are put upon him, the highest trust is lodged in his hand, and all power is given to him both in heaven and earth. He is gatherer, keeper, and disposer, of all the stores of divine grace, and chief ruler of the kingdom of God among men. The work of minsters is to cry before him, "Bow the knee; kiss the Son."

Cross-references: Prov 6:6 · Gen 41:33 · Ps 105:22 · Eccl 4:13 · Gen 41:38 · Gen 41:39 · Ps 37:6 · Gen 41:41 · Gen 41:44 · Gen 41:40 · Gen 41:37 · Gen 49:23 · Dan 6:4 · John 1:18

Hebrew interlinear

H5493

סוּרçûwr/soor/

v — turn

Derivation: or שׂוּר; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root;

to turn off (literally or figuratively)

KJV: be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), × grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, × be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.

סוּר

vb — turn aside

סוּר and [שׂוּר] 300 vb. turn aside

Qal

1. turn aside, out of one's course

2. depart

3. of lifeless things = be removed

4. = come to an end

Pô‛lēl he turned aside my ways (my steps)

Hiph.

1. cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away

2. rarer uses

Pô‛lēl be taken away, removed

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

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H2885

טַבַּעַתṭabbaʻath/tab-bah'-ath/

n-m — seal, sunk, signet, ring

Derivation: from 2883;

properly, a seal (as sunk into the wax), i.e. signet (for sealing); hence (generally) a ring of any kind

KJV: ring.

טַבַּ֫עַת

n.f — signet

טַבַּ֫עַת n.f. signet, signet-ring, ring

1. signet-ring

2. ring, as ornament

3. most often (only in Ex.) of rings for staves of ark, for curtains, for ephod, and other sacred furniture

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

H3027

יָדyâd/yawd/

n-f — hand, open, power, means, direction, closed

Derivation: a primitive word;

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]

KJV: ( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, × presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.

יָד

n.f — hand

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

1. hand

2. Fig. = strength, power

3. Fig. = side

4. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

a. sign, monument

b. part, fractional part or share

c. time, repetition

d. axle-trees

e. stays, supports for laver

f. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

g. a (beckoning) hand

5. יַד with prep.

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

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

H3847

לָבַשׁlâbash/law-bash'/

v — wrap around, put on a garment, clothe

Derivation: or לָבֵשׁ; a primitive root;

properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively

KJV: (in) apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on, upon), wear.

לָבֵשׁ

vb — put on

לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed

Qal

1.

a. lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)

b. very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with

c. lit. put on

d. once

e. clothed with

f. and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon

Pu. arrayed

Hiph. clothe, array with

H899

בֶּגֶדbeged/behg'-ed/

n-m — covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

Derivation: from 898;

a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage

KJV: apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, × very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.

בֶּ֫גֶד

n.m — garment

בֶּ֫גֶד n.m. garment, covering

בֶּ֫גֶד

n.[m.] — treachery

בֶּ֫גֶד n.[m.] treachery Is 24:16 Je 12:1.

H8336

שֵׁשׁshêsh/shaysh/

n-m — bleached, white

Derivation: or (for alliteration with 4897) שְׁשִׁי; for 7893;

bleached stuff, i.e. white linen or (by analogy) marble

KJV: × blue, fine (twined) linen, marble, silk.

שֵׁשׁ

n.m — alabaster

שֵׁשׁ n.m. id. [שַׁ֫יִשׁ]; material of pavement

שֵׁשׁ

n.m — byssus

שֵׁשׁ n.m. byssus, fine Egyptian linen

H7760

שׂוּםsûwm/soom/

v — put

Derivation: or שִׂים; a primitive root;

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

KJV: × any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, name, × on, ordain, order, paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, stedfastly, take, × tell, tread down, (over-)turn, × wholly, work.

שׂוּם

vb — put

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

1.

a. put, set, in a place

b. put something upon

c. put, lay, set

d. put, c. בֵּין

2. set, direct

3.

a. set, ordain, in a place

b. set, establish a law, statute

c. set, found a nation

d. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

e. set, constitute, make

f. set, determine, fix, bounds

4.

a. set, station, at a post

b. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

c. set up altars

d. = plant, wheat

e. set, fix (countenance)

5.

a. make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

b. make, constitute

c. work, bring to pass

d. appoint, give

e. set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

שׂוּמָה

n. f — token of unluckiness

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

H7242

רָבִידrâbîyd/raw-beed'/

n-m — collar

Derivation: from 7234;

a collar (as spread around the neck)

KJV: chain.

רָבִיד

n.[m.] — chain

רָבִיד n.[m.] chain, ornament for neck

H2091

זָהָבzâhâb/zaw-hawb'/

n-m — gold, something gold-colored, oil, clear sky

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to shimmer;

gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky

KJV: gold(-en), fair weather.

זָהָב

n.m — gold

זָהָב 385 n.m. gold

1. = gold-ore, gold in raw state

2. gold as wealth

3. gold as spoil of war

4. gold as merchandise

5. gold as costly gift

6. gold as material

7. gold described by its source

8. gold defined by var. adj. and pts.

9. as measure of weight and value

10. = golden oil, from colour

11. often named with

12. the chief vbs. used

H6677

צַוָּארtsavvâʼr/tsav-vawr'/

n-m — neck, bound

Derivation: or צַוָּר; (Nehemiah 3:5), or צַוָּרֹן; (Song of Solomon 4:9), or (feminine) צַוָּארָה; (Micah 2:3), intensively from 6696 in the sense of binding;

the back of the neck (as that on which burdens are bound)

KJV: neck.

צַוָּאר

n.m — neck

צַוָּאר n.m. neck, back of neck

צַוָּרוֹן

n.[m.]pl — necklace

[צַוָּרוֹן] n.[m.]pl. necklace;—sf. Ct 4:9.

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