Genesis 41:17-32 - Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

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CRITICAL NOTES.—

Genesis 41:32. The dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice.] This denotes the certainty and nearness of the event. (1 Kings 11:9; Job 33:14; Psalms 62:11.)—

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 41:17-32

JOSEPH AS A PROPHET

In interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph shows himself a true prophet of the Lord. He has all the marks of those who are called to reveal the Divine mind to man.

I. Boldness. The true prophet has no fear of man. He speaks the word which God hath given him, regardless of consequences. He is ready to reprove even kings—to utter truths, however unwelcome. It required some courage to enter upon the perilous task of announcing to this Egyptian despot a famine of seven years. But Joseph had all the boldness of a man who felt that he was inspired by God.

II. Directness. Joseph spoke out at once, without any hesitation. There was no shuffling to gain time; no muttering—no incantations, after the manner of heathen oracles and prophets. This simple and clear directness is the special characteristic of Holy Scriptures; and by which they are distinguished from the literature of the world, which upon the deepest and most concerning questions never reaches a stable conclusion.

III. Positiveness. Joseph’s interpretation was throughout explicit and clear. There are no signs of doubt or misgiving. This Divine certainty is the common mark of all God’s prophets.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Genesis 41:17. Here begins Joseph’s rise. Being in prison, he struck not fire, though he had a good brain; but waited till it came down from heaven to him, first in the butler’s dream, and now in Pharaoh’s.—(Trapp.)

It was happy for Pharaoh and for Egypt that the magicians confessed their incapacity to interpret this dream. Had they pretended to give some meaning to it out of the imagination of their own hearts, it is probable that he would have rested satisfied with it, and sought no further. Consequently when the seven years of plenty came, the abundance might have been spent in dissipation, and no provision made against the long and terrible famine. But when he was convinced that the mind of God was not with the magicians, he was forced to seek for light where he could find it.—(Bush.)

Genesis 41:18-24. Even to the heathen and to infidels, God sometimes reveals great and secret things, to the end that it may become known how His Divine care and Providence may be traced everywhere within and without the Church.—(Starke.)

Genesis 41:25-32. Joseph no doubt felt happy in seizing this opportunity to speak of his own God, the Ruler of the world, to Pharaoh, and particularly to proclaim His providence and foreknowledge. He knew that events would soon confirm his words, and that Pharaoh’s mind was already prepared to receive it.—(Bush).

Important truths are repeated in the Scriptures. God speaks once, yea, twice to man.
Joseph marks his God-consciousness more distinctly before Pharaoh, by saying Ha-Elohim, thus making Elohim concrete by means of the article.—(Lange.)

Related Commentaries of Genesis 41:17

Genesis 41:17-32

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

23 And, behold, seven ears, withered,b thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.c

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is establishedd by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.