Genesis Bible Study: Genesis 41

Pharaoh's Dreams; Joseph Put in Charge

⁽¹⁾Two years* later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

*Two years: (literally "two years of days". Joseph had to wait 2 more years before God at long last brings things to pass to release Joseph. He had to have wondered what happened to the cup-bearer who could have been his ticket out of the prison! Joseph was unaware that God was working in the background not only for Joseph's release, but for Joseph's elevation and the preservation of Israel.

Joseph survived these two years without falling into total despair because he was aware that God was at work in the situation. When facing times of trial, the awareness that God is at work can make the difference between an attitude of despair and an attitude of hope. And we can face affliction with hope because we have been promised that God is at work during times of trouble. Paul teaches: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Rom. 8:28).

⁽²⁾In his dream, seven* fat, healthy-looking cows** suddenly came up out of the river*** and began grazing along its bank.

*seven: From the Seven days of Creation to the Seven Seals of Revelation, Scripture is saturated with the Number Seven.

Here is a brief excerpt from http://philologos.org/__eb-nis/seven.htm - Number in Scripture - Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance by E.W. Bullinger:

As a number the actual word and number "SEVEN" is used as no other number is. Seven and its compounds occur in multiples of seven in the Old Testament. "Seven" occurs 287 times, or 7 x 41. "Seventh," occurs 98 times, or 7 x 14. "Seven-fold," occurs 7 times. "Seventy& occurs 56 times, or 7 x 8. In the Hebrew, seven is shevah. It is from the root savah, to be full or satisfied, have enough of. Hence the meaning of the word "seven" is dominated by this root, for on the seventh day God rested from the work of Creation. It was full and complete, and good and perfect. Nothing could be added to it or taken from it without marring it. Hence the word Shavath, to cease, desist, rest, and Shabbath, Sabbath, or day of rest. This root runs through various languages; e.g., Sanscrit, saptan; Greek, epta (hepta); Latin, septem. All these preserve the "t," which in the Semitic and Teutonic languages is dropped out; e.g. Gothic, sibun; Germ., sieben; Eng., seven. It is seven, therefore, that stamps with perfection and completeness that in connection with which it is used. Of time, it tells of the Sabbath, and marks off the week of seven days, which, artificial as it may seem to be, is universal and immemorial in its observance amongst all nations and in all times. It tells of that eternal Sabbath-keeping which remains for the people of God in all its everlasting perfection.

**cows: The cow was the emblem of Isis. In the Egyptian "Book of the Dead", Osiris is represented as a bull, accompanied by seven cows (British Museum). This was the basis of the dream, and gave it such significance and mystery. (The Companion Bible - E. W. Bullinger).

***river: The Nile River was sacred.

⁽³⁾Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows.

⁽⁴⁾Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up

⁽⁵⁾Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump.

⁽⁶⁾Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind*.

*east wind: From the desert – considered as the worst kind. Exodus 10:12-15 - Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and eat all the crops still left after the hailstorm." So Moses raised his staff, and the LORD caused an east wind to blow all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts. And the locusts swarmed over the land of Egypt from border to border. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never again been one like it. For the locusts covered the surface of the whole country, making the ground look black. They ate all the plants and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not one green thing remained, neither tree nor plant, throughout the land of Egypt.

⁽⁷⁾And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.

⁽⁸⁾The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant.

⁽⁹⁾Then the king's cup-bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said.

⁽¹⁰⁾"Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard.

⁽¹¹⁾One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning.

⁽¹²⁾We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant,

⁽¹³⁾and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole."

⁽¹⁴⁾Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily* from the dungeon**. After a quick shave** and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence.

*hastily: - Hebrew - "made him run". Joseph was completely unprepared for what was about to transpire, yet he'd been praying for release for years. At long last, God's time had arrived. How would we have been in these circumstances - God sometimes allows us to go through some tough times to prepare us for His purposes. Most Christians would have not only been discouraged, but would even have been like Job's wife - "Curse God and die"!

**dungeon: Literally, "pit" as in 40:15.

**shave: The beard was a disgrace in Egypt; shaving a disgrace in Palestine - 2 Samuel 10:4 (So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.)

⁽¹⁵⁾"I had a dream last night," Pharaoh told him, "and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you."

In Daniel Chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream, but refuses to tell his "wise" men what it was!:

One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that disturbed him so much that he couldn't sleep. He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, he said, "I have had a dream that troubles me. Tell me what I dreamed, for I must know what it means." Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means." But the king said to the astrologers, "I am serious about this. If you don't tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be demolished into heaps of rubble! But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!" They said again, "Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means." The king replied, "I can see through your trick! You are trying to stall for time because you know I am serious about what I said. If you don't tell me the dream, you will be condemned. You have conspired to tell me lies in hopes that something will change. But tell me the dream, and then I will know that you can tell me what it means." The astrologers replied to the king, "There isn't a man alive who can tell Your Majesty his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! This is an impossible thing the king requires. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live among people." The king was furious when he heard this, and he sent out orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon. And because of the king's decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends. When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, "Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?" So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time so he could tell the king what the dream meant. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven, saying,

"Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he alone has all wisdom and power. He determines the course of world events; he removes kings and sets others on the throne. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he himself is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded." ... Daniel replied, "There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can tell the king such things. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

⁽¹⁶⁾"It is beyond my power to do this," Joseph replied. "But God* will tell you what it means and will set you at ease."

*God: - (Elohim). Unlike the magicians and the wise men who would have given the credit to themselves had they been able to do it, but Joseph clearly gives the credit solely to God (Elohim). Remember that Pharaoh was considered to be a god, so this is a pretty bold statement from Joseph, ascribing his ability solely to his God. Also, note that Joseph doesn't start by saying, "If you will set me free, I'll interpret the dream for you"! He also doesn't say "Jehovah".

⁽¹⁷⁾So Pharaoh told him the dream. "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River," he said.

⁽¹⁸⁾"Suddenly, seven fat, healthy-looking cows came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank.

⁽¹⁹⁾But then seven other cows came up from the river. They were very thin and gaunt--in fact, I've never seen such ugly animals in all the land of Egypt.

⁽²⁰⁾These thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat ones that had come out of the river first,

⁽²¹⁾but afterward they were still as ugly and gaunt as before! Then I woke up.

⁽²²⁾"A little later I had another dream. This time there were seven heads of grain on one stalk, and all seven heads were plump and full.

⁽²³⁾Then out of the same stalk came seven withered heads, shriveled by the east wind.

⁽²⁴⁾And the withered heads swallowed up the plump ones! I told these dreams to my magicians, but not one of them could tell me what they mean."

⁽²⁵⁾"Both dreams mean the same thing," Joseph told Pharaoh. "God was telling you what he is about to do.

⁽²⁶⁾The seven fat cows and the seven plump heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.

⁽²⁷⁾The seven thin, ugly cows and the seven withered heads of grain represent seven years of famine.

⁽²⁸⁾This will happen just as I have described it, for God has shown you what he is about to do.

⁽²⁹⁾The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt.

⁽³⁰⁾But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten and wiped out. Famine will destroy the land.

⁽³¹⁾This famine will be so terrible that even the memory of the good years will be erased.

⁽³²⁾As for having the dream twice, it means that the matter has been decreed by God and that he will make these events happen soon.

⁽³³⁾"My suggestion* is that you find the wisest man in Egypt and put him in charge of a nationwide program.

suggestion: Joseph had not been asked for a suggestion - it's pretty bold for a prisoner/slave to advise Pharaoh!

⁽³⁴⁾Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land, and let them collect one-fifth* of all the crops during the seven good years.

*one-fifth: 20%. It seems it was customary for Pharaoh to take 10% of the grain in Egypt as a tax. Essentially, Joseph doubled the taxes over the next seven years.

⁽³⁵⁾Have them gather all the food and grain of these good years into the royal storehouses, and store it away so there will be food in the cities.

⁽³⁶⁾That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come. Otherwise disaster will surely strike the land, and all the people will die."

⁽³⁷⁾Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his advisers.

⁽³⁸⁾As they discussed who should be appointed for the job, Pharaoh said, "Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit* of God**."

*spirit: Hebrew - ruach = spirit or breath = a divine spirit or inspiration.

**God: Hebrew - Elohim. This is plural - could be translated "the gods". No mention of Jehovah by Joseph or Pharaoh in this chapter. What Pharaoh meant by "Elohim" and what Joseph meant were probably entirely different.

⁽³⁹⁾Turning to Joseph, Pharaoh said, "Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the land!

Joseph has now gone from the pit to the pinnacle, but it took some 13 years to happen. From the outside, Joseph looked like an "overnight success," but it was more than 13 years in the making. Joseph is a good example of a man who seemed to have all the gifts and talents for leadership, but God developed his character and talents over many years. Gifts and talents may be impressive and immediate, but character is what God looks for and always takes time to develop.

⁽⁴⁰⁾I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours."

⁽⁴¹⁾And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt."

⁽⁴²⁾Then Pharaoh placed his own signet ring* on Joseph's finger as a symbol of his authority. He dressed him in beautiful clothing** and placed the royal gold chain about his neck.

signet ring: Used as an official signature. Remember Jacob's ring?

**clothing: Like the coat he wore many years before in Palestine?

Moses goes on to describe the ceremony by which Joseph was installed as second-in-command. Joseph was given the Pharaoh's signet ring, robes of fine linen, a parade, Pharaohic authority, a new name and a wife. Joseph, who was in the depths of prison just minutes before, was surely stunned by all this, and was most certainly praising the Lord under his breath throughout the whole ceremony.

⁽⁴³⁾Pharaoh also gave Joseph the chariot of his second-in-command, and wherever he went the command was shouted, "Kneel down!" So Joseph was put in charge of all Egypt.

⁽⁴⁴⁾And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am the king, but no one will move a hand or a foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval."

Philippians 2:7-10: He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Romans 8:18 (KJV): For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

⁽⁴⁵⁾Pharaoh renamed him Zaphenath-paneah* and gave him a wife--a young woman named Asenath**, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis***. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.

*Zaphenath-paneah, an Egyptian combination of Zap (abundance) nt (of) pa (the) aneh (life) probably means "abundance of life".

**Asenath: "Dedicated to Neith" - Neith was the Egyptian equivalent of the goddess Minerva.

***Heliopolis: Hebrew - "On" also in 41:50. "City of the Sun". This was the center of the worship of the sun god Re and was the university of Old Egypt.

⁽⁴⁶⁾He was thirty* years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he made a tour of inspection throughout the land.

thirty: He's been gone from his home for 13 years.

⁽⁴⁷⁾And sure enough, for the next seven years there were bumper crops everywhere.

⁽⁴⁸⁾During those years, Joseph took a portion of all the crops grown in Egypt and stored them for the government in nearby cities.

⁽⁴⁹⁾After seven years, the granaries were filled to overflowing. There was so much grain, like sand on the seashore, that the people could not keep track of the amount.

⁽⁵⁰⁾During this time, before the arrival of the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.

⁽⁵¹⁾Joseph named his older son Manasseh*, for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father."

*Manasseh sounds like a Hebrew term that means "causing to forget." This was because God made Joseph to forget all the previous pain and trial in his life. Joseph did not forget the faith of his fathers even though he rose to great glory in Egypt and had an Egyptian wife. As a sign of this his children were given Hebrew names not Egyptian names. When tragedy strikes, we think, "Oh, how can I forget this? How will I ever be able to live a `normal' life?" Certainly, when he was sold into slavery, Joseph thought that he would never be happy again. But, God blessed him, so that he was able to "forget father's household", and receive joy through his new family in Egypt. When tragedy strikes, it is appropriate to pray that God would help you forget the stinging pain of the tragedy, so that you may be able live in the comfort of His love, and in the joy that comes through fulfilling His plan for your life. Reference: Scripture Studies - Genesis 41: http://www.scripturestudies.com/Vol5/E5/e5_ot.html

⁽⁵²⁾Joseph named his second son Ephraim*, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering."

*Ephraim sounds like a Hebrew term that means "fruitful."

⁽⁵³⁾At last the seven years of plenty came to an end.

⁽⁵⁴⁾Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There were crop failures in all the surrounding countries, too, but in Egypt there was plenty of grain in the storehouses.

⁽⁵⁵⁾Throughout the land of Egypt the people began to starve. They pleaded with Pharaoh for food, and he told them, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."

⁽⁵⁶⁾So with severe famine everywhere in the land, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.

⁽⁵⁷⁾And people from surrounding lands also came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

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