Gen. 41 Pharaoh’s two dreams, Gen. 41:1–7. He is troubled; sends for interpreters; their inability, Gen. 41:8. The chief butler, sensible of his fault, remembers Joseph, Gen. 41:9; commends him to Pharaoh, Gen. 41:10–13, who causes him to be brought before him, Gen.

Two full years, after the butler’s restitution to his place. Heb. Years of days, for full years, as 2 Sam. 14:28, Jer. 28:3; as a month of days is put for a full month, Gen. 29:14, which is complete to a day.

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.

Which shows how sparingly the river overflowed the lands.

Ears of corn are fit and proper resemblances of the thing here intended, both because the fertility of a land doth 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, signify years, as Josephus…

A boisterous wind, and in those parts of the world very pernicious to the fruits of the earth, Ezek. 17:10, Ezek. 19:12, Hos. 13:15.

Not a real thing, 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.

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, Dan. 2:3, Matt. 27:19.

Not against Joseph by ingratitude, but against the king; by which expression he both acknowledgeth the king’s justice in imprisoning him, and his clemency in pardoning him.

Of which phrase see Poole on “Gen. 40:5”.

Me he restored; 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.

The dungeon, or prison, by a synecdoche of the part for the whole. For it is not probable that Joseph, who was now so much employed, and intrusted with all the affairs of the prison and prisoners, Gen. 39:21–23, should still be kept in the dungeon properly so called.

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 Matt. 10:20, 1 Cor. 15:10.

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.

The dream of Pharaoh is one, to wit, in its design and signification; both dreams portend the same thing.

There shall be no relics of it to keep it in men’s minds, which will be so taken up with the contemplation of their present misery and future danger, that they will have neither heart nor leisure to reflect upon their former plenty, the remembrance whereof will but aggravate the present calamity.

Not by force or violence, for Joseph 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. Quest.

Or, of the gods, in his heathen language. One whom God hath endowed with such admirable knowledge and wisdom.

God hath showed thee all this, i.e. hath given thee this extraordinary gift of foreseeing and foretelling things to come, and of giving such sage advice for the future.

According unto thy word, i.e. direction and command, Heb. mouth, which is oft put for command, (as Ex. 17:1, Ex. 38:21, Num. 3:16, Num. 3:39;c.,) shall all my poeple be ruled, or, be fed; they shall receive their provisions from thy hand, and according to thy disposal. Others, shall kiss, viz.

His ring was both a token of highest dignity, and an instrument of greatest power, by which he had authority to make and sign what decrees he thought fit in the king’s name. See Est. 3:10, Est. 8:2. With fine linen the greatest potentates were arrayed. See Prov. 31:22, Prov. 31:24, Ezek.

In the second chariot; in the king’s 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, Est. 6:8, Est. 10:3, Dan. 5:29.

I am Pharaoh, i.e. I only am the king, I reserve to myself the sovereign power over thee, and over all. As the name of Caesar among the Romans was commonly used for the emperor, so the name of Pharaoh for the king.

Zaphnath-paaneah, i.e. The revealer of secrets, as the Hebrews generally understand it, and with them most others. Poti-pherah, not that Potiphar, Gen.

Joseph’s age is here noted to teach us, 1. That Joseph’s short affliction was recompensed with a much longer prosperity, even for eighty years. 2. That Joseph’s excellent wisdom did not proceed from his large and long experience, but from the singular gift of God.

Or, unto handfuls, to wit, growing upon one stalk; or, unto heaps; or, as the ancients render it, for the barns or storehouses; i.e. in such plenty, that all their storehouses were filled with heaps of corn.

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, Gen. 41:34.

i.e. Hath expelled all sorrowful remembrance of it by my present comfort and glory. All my toil, and all my father’s house, i.e. the toil of my father’s house, or the toil and misery which for many years I have endured by means of my father’s family, and my own brethren, who sold me hither; a…

1711 In the land which hitherto hath been to me a land of affliction.

In all lands; in all the neighbouring countries, appears by comparing this with Gen. 42:1.

The people cried to Pharaoh, as to their king and common father. Compare 2 Kings 6:26.