Genesis 41

This chapter belongs to the Joseph narrative of Genesis 37–50. In Genesis 40, Joseph interpreted the chief butler's dream while in prison, but the butler forgot him. This chapter opens two full years later with Pharaoh's dreams.

Outline

• Verses 1–8 Pharaoh has two dreams. In the first, seven lean cows eat up seven fat cows; in the second, seven thin ears of grain devour seven full ears. None of the magicians or wise men of Egypt can interpret the dreams.
• Verses 9–13 The chief butler remembers the young Hebrew who interpreted his dream in prison and tells Pharaoh about him.
• Verses 14–24 Joseph shaves, changes his clothes, and stands before Pharaoh. He answers that interpretation belongs to God, and Pharaoh recounts his dreams.
• Verses 25–36 Joseph explains that the two dreams are one. He declares that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine, and he proposes that a fifth of the produce be collected during the years of plenty and stored in the cities.
• Verses 37–45 Pharaoh appoints Joseph ruler over all the land of Egypt and gives him his signet ring, garments of fine linen, and a gold chain. He names him Zaphnath-paaneah and gives him Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, as his wife.
• Verses 46–52 Joseph is thirty years old at this time. During the years of plenty he stores up grain beyond measure, and he has two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
• Verses 53–57 When the famine begins, Joseph opens the storehouses and sells grain. People from all countries also come to Egypt to buy food.

Key Verses

• Genesis 41:16 "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." — Joseph attributes the ability to interpret dreams not to himself but to God.
• Genesis 41:38 "a man in whom the Spirit of God is" — A foreign king acknowledges that the Spirit of God is with Joseph.
• Genesis 41:51–52 — The meanings of the two sons' names, "God … hath made me forget" and "God hath caused me to be fruitful," express the suffering and restoration Joseph experienced.

Characters and Places

• Joseph — A son of Jacob. In this chapter he is released from prison and becomes ruler over Egypt.
• Pharaoh — The title of the king of Egypt. The text does not give this king's name.
• The chief butler — Pharaoh's official, restored to his position in chapter 40, who tells Pharaoh about Joseph.
• Asenath — The daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, and Joseph's wife.
• Manasseh and Ephraim — Joseph's two sons, whose names later became the names of tribes of Israel.
• Egypt — The setting of the narrative.
• On — The city where Potipherah served as priest, commonly identified with the place later called Heliopolis.

Points for Reflection

• There are two interpretations of "the Spirit of God" in verse 38 (rendered "하나님의 신" in the Korean Revised Version and "하나님의 영" in the New Korean Revised Version). One holds that it refers to the Spirit of God; another holds that, because the Hebrew Elohim is plural in form, Pharaoh, as a foreign king, meant "the spirit of the gods."
• The exact meanings of the word translated "Bow the knee" in verse 43 and of the name "Zaphnath-paaneah" in verse 45 are uncertain, and scholars interpret them differently.
• The text does not state Pharaoh's name or period. Claims linking this narrative to a particular dynasty are conjectures from outside the text.
• Many sermons and commentaries read Joseph, who is exalted after suffering, as a type of Christ—an interpretation that sees an earlier person or event as foreshadowing a later one. Others hold that such interpretation should be used with restraint, since the New Testament does not state this directly.
• Psalm 105:16–22 in the Old Testament and Stephen's sermon in Acts 7 (Acts 7:9–10) in the New Testament both recall Joseph's appointment by Pharaoh.

In the Korean Church

The Joseph narrative is frequently taught in Sunday schools. In preaching, this chapter is commonly cited for themes such as exaltation after suffering, God's providence, and the wisdom of the steward who prepares in years of plenty for years of famine.