Genesis 41:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

NIV: "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

NASB: Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, 'It has nothing to do with me; God will give Pharaoh an answer for his own good.'

CSB: "I am not able to," Joseph answered Pharaoh. "It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

NLT: It is beyond my power to do this,' Joseph replied. 'But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.'

KJV: And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

NKJV: So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “ It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

These words are humble, yet they are also bold. Joseph has been summoned before the ruler of Egypt, known by the title Pharaoh. Prior to this, Joseph was in prison on a false charge (Genesis 40:14–15). He has been summoned for a single reason: to interpret the king's dreams (Genesis 41:1–7). None of the court magicians or wise men have understood them; one of Joseph's fellow prisoners recalled his uncanny abilities (Genesis 41:9–13). As soon as he was made presentable, the Pharaoh asked Joseph if he can interpret dreams.

Joseph's boldness, in this case, comes in correcting the Pharaoh. He makes a point of insisting that it is God, not Joseph himself, who has the required knowledge. At the same time, he confidently says God will provide a truthful understanding of those dreams, through Joseph. This pattern of not taking credit for God's actions was part of Joseph's reputation as a man of honor (Genesis 40:8). Honestly admitting what one does or does not know, and what they can or cannot control, is a sign of integrity. People grew to know that Joseph was trustworthy, in part, because of decisions such as these.

Pharaoh will describe his dreams, to which Joseph will give both an interpretation and advice (Genesis 41:17–36).

Genesis 41:9–36 contains Joseph's explanation of Pharaoh's visions. When Egypt's ruler is bothered by vivid dreams, his formerly jailed cupbearer remembers a young Hebrew. This is Joseph, who explained the cupbearer's dream in prison (Genesis 40:23). Joseph explains that Pharaoh's dreams point to seven years of abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of desperate famine. Joseph boldly proposes a plan to manage the coming crisis.

Joseph's status in Genesis 41 begins as "forgotten Hebrew prison slave" and ends as "the second most powerful man in Egypt." The cupbearer from the previous chapter finally mentions Joseph two years later, when Pharaoh is troubled by dreams which wise men can't interpret. Joseph reveals the meaning of the dreams: seven years of abundance will be followed by seven years of great famine in the land. Pharaoh, recognizing that God's Spirit is with Joseph, makes him second in command over the entire nation and tasks him with preparing for the famine.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37:24–28). He then excelled in his work for an Egyptian official, only to be falsely accused and imprisoned (Genesis 39:20). There, he accurately interpreted dreams for servants of the Egyptian ruler (Genesis 40:20–22). Unfortunately, the restored cupbearer failed to mention Joseph, leaving him in prison for two more years (Genesis 40:23). A series of disturbing dreams leads to Joseph's audience with Pharaoh. This, in turn, leads to Joseph becoming the second most powerful man in the nation. The following chapters emphasize Joseph's reunion with his family. Details about his administration of food during the famine are recorded in Genesis 47:13–26.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.