Genesis 41

AND it came to pass at the end of two full years After the Butlers restitution to his place. Heb. years of days, for full years, as 2 Sam. 14. 28. Ier. 28. 3. as a month of days is put for a full month, Gen. 29. 14. which is complete to a day., that Pharaoh dreamed: and behold, he stood by the river Nilus, called the River simply, because of its eminency, as Homer or Virgil are called, the Poet..

And behold, there came up out of the river This suits well with the nature of the thing, for both the fruitfulness and the barrenness of Egypt depended under God upon the increase or diminution of the waters of that River., seven well-favoured kine Which when they appeared in dreams did portend, in the opinion of the learned Egyptians, the years or times to come, and them either good or bad according to their quality., and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a medow.

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 Which shows how sparingly the river overflowed the Lands..

And the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine, did eat up the seven well-favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

And he slept, and dreamed the second time: and behold, seven ears of corn Which are fit and proper resemblances of the thing here intended, both because the fertility of a Land does mainly consist in the abundance and goodness of these, and because, ears of Corn appearing to any in a dream did, in the judgment of the Egyptian wise-men, signifie years, as Iosephus notes. came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

And behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the East-wind A boisterous wind, and in those parts of the World very pernicious to the fruits of the Earth, Ezek. 17. 10. and 19. 12. Hos. 13. 15., sprang up after them.

And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears: and Pharaoh awoke, and behold it was a dream Not a realthing, as Pharaoh in his sleep imagined it to be. Heb. behold the dream. i. e. The dream did not vanish, as dreams commonly do, but was fixed in his mind, and he could not shake it off: by which he saw that it was no common or natural, but a divine and significant, dream..

And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit was troubled Because he understood not the meaning of it, and dreaded the consequences of it. Compare Gen. 40. 6. Dan. 2. 1, 3. Matth. 27. 19., and he sent and called for all the Magicians Whose profession it was to discover secret and future things, which they did either by the observation of the Stars, or by other superstitious practises and the help of evil spirits. See Exod. 7. 11, and 8. 19. Dan. 2. 2, 10. of Egypt, and all the wise men Who were conversant in the study of nature, and by reason of their great sagacity did oft-times make happy conjectures. thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream He calls them both one dream, either because they seemed to portend the same thing, or because they were the product of one night and were divided only by a very little interruption.: but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

Then spake the chief Butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults Not against Ioseph by ingratitude, but against the King: by which expression he both acknowledgeth the Kings justice in imprisoning him and his clemency in pardoning him. this day.

Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guards house, both me, and the chief baker.

And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he: we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream Of which phrase see on Gen. 40. 5..

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.

And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was, me he Either 1. Pharaoh. But then he would have mentioned either his name or title, and not have spoken so slightly and indecently of him. Or rather 2. Ioseph, of whom he spake last, and who is here said to restore the one, and to hang the other, because he foretold those events, as Ieremy is said to pull down and destroy those Nations, Ier. 1. 10. whose destruction he did only foretell. restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

The Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon Or, Prison, by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole. For it is not probable that Ioseph who was now so much employed and entrusted with all the affairs of the prison and Prisoners, Gen. 39. 21, 22, 23. should still be kept in the dungeon properly so called.: and he shaved himself For till then he suffered his hair to grow, as the manner was for persons in prison or under great sorrow, 2 Sam. 19. 24. But to appear in a mournful dress before the King was not convenient, nor usual. Compare Esth. 4. 4., and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

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.

And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, it is not in me I cannot do this by any power or virtue or art of my own, for I am but a man, as your Magicians are, but only by inspiration from the great God. Thus he gives the honour from himself unto God, and leads Pharaoh to the knowledge of the true God. For the phrase compare Matth. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10.: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Or, May God give, &c. It is my desire that God would vouchsa... e to Pharaoh a comfortable and happy answer..

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of a River.

And behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed, and well-favoured, and they sed in a medow.

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.

And the lean, and the ill-favoured kine, did eat up the first seven fat kine.

And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them They seemed to be neither fatter in the flesh, nor fuller in their bodies. As many times in Famine men eat much, but are not satisfied, because God withdraws his blessing from it, by which alone it is that meat nourisheth us., but they were still ill-favoured, as at the beginning: So I awoke.

And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good.

And behold, seven ears withered, thin, and blasted with the East-wind, sprung up after them.

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.

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one To wit, In its design and signification, both dreams portend the same thing., God has showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The seven good kine are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

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.

This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do, he shows unto Pharaoh.

Behold, there come seven years of great plenty, throughout all the land of Egypt.

And there shall arise after them seven years of famine, and all the plenty shall be forgotten There shall be no relicks of it to keep it in mens minds, which will be so taken up with the contemplation of their present misery and future danger, that they will have neither heart nor leasure to reflect upon their former plenty, the remembrance whereof will but aggravate the present calamity. in the land of Egypt: and the famine shall consume the land.

And the plenty shall not be known in the land, by reason of that famine following: for it shall be very grievous.

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.

Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up Not by force or violence, for Ioseph would never be the author of such unrighteous Counsels, but by purchase at the common price, which was like to be very low in that case, and therefore might easily be compassed by that rich and mighty Prince. the fifth part Quest. Why not half, seeing the years of Famine were as many as the years of plenty? Answ. Because 1. Men would and should live more sparingly in times of Famine. 2. It was likely that very many men would lay up great quantities of Corn in those years, partly because they could not spend it all, and partly in expectation of a scarcer and dearer time, when they might either use it themselves or... ell it to their advantage. 3. The fifth part of those years of great plenty, might be more then the half, yea equal to the whole crop of ordinary years. of the land of Egypt, in the seven plenteous years.

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.

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.

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God Or, of the Gods, in his Heathen Language. One whom God has endowed with such admirable Knowledge and Wisdome. is?

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has showed thee all this i. e. Has given thee this extraordinary gift of fore-seeing and foretelling things to come and of giving such sage advise for the future., there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word (i. e.) direction and command. Heb. mo... th, which is oft put for command, as Exod. 17. 1. and 38. 21. Numb. 3. 16, 39, &c. shall all my people be ruled Or, be fed; they shall receive their provisions from thy hand and according to thy disposal. Others shall kiss, viz. the hand, as inferiours used to do upon their address to or conference with great persons. See Io... 31. 27. Hosea 13. 2. But it was frivolous for Ioseph to command them to do that which by the custom of the place they were obliged and wont to do. Some render the words thus, and that agreeable to the Hebrew, at thy mouth shall the people kiss. Which may be understood either properly, as inferiours did sometimes kiss their superiors in token of their homage. See 1 Sam. 10. 1. or rather metaphorically, as the same phrase is used Psal. 2. 12. Prov. 24. 26. receive all thy commands with reverence and submission.: only in the throne i. e. In soveraign power and dignity. will I be greater than thou.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh took off his ring Which was both a token of highest dignity and an instrument of greatest power, by which he had authority to make and... ign what decrees he thought fit in the Kings name. See Esth. 3. 10. and 8.... 2. from his hand, and put it upon Josephs hand, and arayed him in vestures of fine linen Wherewith the greatest Potentates were arayed. See Prov. 31. 22, 24. Ezek. 16. 10. Luk. 16. 19. Rev. 19. 8., and put a gold chain Another badge of great honour. See Prov. 1. 9. Ezek. 16. 11. Dan. 5. 7, 16, 29. about his neck.

And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had In the Kings second Chariot, that he might be known and owned to be the next person to the King in power and dignity. Compare 2 Chron. 35. 24. Esth. 6. 8. and 10. 3. Dan. 5. 29.: and they cryed before him, Bowe the knee They commanded all that passed by him or came to him to show their reverent respect to him in this manner. Compare Esth. 3. 2. Others tender father, to signifie that he was to be owned as the father of the Countrey, because by his prudence and care he had provided for them all and saved them from utter ruine.: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh (i. e.) I only am the King, I reserve to my self the soveraign power over thee and over all. As the name of Caesar among the Romans was commonly used for the Emperour, so the name of Pharaoh for the King. Or thus, I have the supreme power, and therefore as I have authority to give thee the following power, so I will make it good to thee and oblige all my people to observe and obey thee., and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot No man shall do any thing in the publick affairs of the Kingdom concerning matters of War or Peace, without thy commission or licence. in all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh called Josephs name Zaphnath-Paaneah (i. e.) The revealer of secrets, as the Hebrews generally understand it, and with them most others., and he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah Not that Potiphar, Gen. 39. 1. both because he had another Title and dwelt in another place, and because it is not probable Ioseph would have married the daughter of so unchast a mother, but another and a greater person. It is the observation of a late ingenious and learned writer, that among the Egyptians there were three words or endings of words near akin, but differing in signification, and in the degree of dignity and authority to which those names were annexed, Phar, which belonged to inferiour officers, and Pherah, which was given to those of greater dignity and power, and Pharaoh, which was appropriated to the King., Priest Or Prince as the word signifies, Exod. 18. 1. 2 Sam. 8. 18. and 20. 26. and elsewhere. This sense is the more probable both from Iosephs high quality, and from his holy disposition, whereby he hated Idolatry, and would never have married the daughter of an idolatrous Priest. of On A famous City of Egypt called also Aven, Ezek. 30. 17. and afterwards, as some think, Heliopolis, now Damiata. See Ier. 43. 13. and Joseph went out Upon his employment and to execute the Kings command, and his own counsel. over all the land of Egypt.

(And Joseph was thirty years old Which is here noted to teach us, 1. That Iosephs short affliction was recompensed with a much longer prosperity, even for 80 years. 2. That Iosephs excellent wisdom did not proceed from his large and long experience, but from the singular gift of God. when he stood As his chief minister: to stand before another is the posture and designation of a servant, as 1 Sam. 16. 21. Dan. 1. 19. before Pharaoh King of Egypt,) and Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout ali the land of Egypt To provide places for his stores, and to constitute officers for the management of them..

And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls Or, unto handfuls, to wit, growing upon one stalk: or, unto heaps: or, as the antients render it, for the barns or storehouses, i. e. in such plenty that all their storehouses were filled with heaps of corn..

And he gathered up all the food That is, either all sorts of grain which was proper for food: or all which he intended to gather, to wit, the fifth part, ver. 34. 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.

And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the Sea, very much, until he left numbring: for it was without number.

And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah, Priest of On bare unto him.

And Joseph called the name of the first-born, Manasseh: for God, said he, has made me forget (i. e.) Has expelled all sorrowful remembrance of it by my present comfort and glory. all my toyl, and all my fathers house (i. e.) The toil of my fathers house, or the toil and misery which for many years I have endured by means of my fathers family, and my own brethren who sold me hither. A figure called Hendyadis..

And the name of the second called he Ephraim: for God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction (i. e.) In the land which hitherto has been to me a land of affliction..

And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said, and the dearth was in all lands In all the neighbouring countries, as appears by comparing this with Gen. 42. 1.: but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

And when all the land of Egypt was famished; the people cryed to Pharaoh As to their King and common father. Compare 2 King. 6. 26. for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph: what he says to you, do.

And the famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the store-houses and sold unto the Egyptians, and the famine waxed sore in all the land of Egypt.

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn, because that the famine was so sore in all lands.