Genesis 41:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."

NIV: You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

NASB: You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people shall be obedient to you; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you.'

CSB: You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only I, as king, will be greater than you."

NLT: You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.'

KJV: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

NKJV: You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

In a remarkable turn of events, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to be his second in command over all of Egypt. Pharaoh, demonstrating humility and concern for his kingdom, has recognized that God's Spirit is with Joseph, making him the wisest and most discerning man in all of Egypt (Genesis 41:38–39). He is convinced that Joseph's revelation of God's plan is authentic (Genesis 41:28–32), and he wants Joseph to manage the preparations for the coming seven years of devastating famine (Genesis 41:33–36).

Joseph, for his part, might have been overwhelmed with these events. He woke up that morning in a seemingly endless string of days in prison for a crime he did not commit (Genesis 40:14–15). He will end this encounter as the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, perhaps the most potent nation in the world at that time.

Pharaoh specifically says that Joseph will be over his own house, the palace of Egypt. Every person in the land will respond to Joseph's orders by "kowtowing" or "kissing the ground." In other words, all will be made to obey him. Pharaoh, of course, will continue to hold the throne and the ultimate authority, but he will entrust to Joseph command over everything else. This follows a pattern in Joseph's life, where others entrust him with near-absolute responsibility (Genesis 39:4–5, 21–23).

Genesis 41:37–57 describes Joseph's sudden and breathtaking rise to power. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is convinced that God's Spirit is with Joseph, after seeing him interpret dreams and offer sound advice. He appoints Joseph to be the second most powerful man in the nation. His main task is to prepare for the devastating famine to come. Pharaoh gives to Joseph his own signet ring, along with a new Egyptian name and wife. Joseph sets about to use Pharaoh's authority to gather and store massive amounts of grain. This stockpile, built during the seven years of abundance can then be accessed when the famine strikes (Genesis 47:13–26).

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.