Genesis 41:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

NIV: So Pharaoh asked them, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?'

NASB: Then Pharaoh said to his servants, 'Can we find a man like this, in whom there is a divine spirit?'

CSB: and he said to them, "Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God's spirit in him? "

NLT: So Pharaoh asked his officials, 'Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?'

KJV: And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

NKJV: And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Joseph has revealed to Pharaoh that his prophetic dreams (Genesis 41:17–24) are from Joseph's God. They point to seven years of great abundance in the region followed by seven years of all-consuming famine (Genesis 41:28–32). Joseph has proposed a plan to prepare for that famine: handing great authority to a discerning man to manage the coming crisis (Genesis 41:33–36). Rather than being offended at a slave offering advice to a king, Pharaoh and his advisers like the proposal (Genesis 41:37).

Pharaoh's question here is probably rhetorical—it is not literally a question, but a statement. The "man like this," most likely, is Joseph. What Pharaoh is saying is, "we're not going to find anyone better to take on this role than this very man." The way Joseph has interpreted the dreams and immediately given sound advice makes it clear the Spirit of the God rests in him. Pharaoh now has firsthand experience of God's power through Joseph. Egypt's king, naturally, wants that power working for him and his kingdom.

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.

Accessed 5/18/2024 10:59:11 PM