CRITICAL NOTES.—
Genesis 41:40. According unto thy word shall all my people be ruled.] “Some of the Hebraists (e.g., Gesenius, Knobel) render it ‘on thy mouth shall my people kiss,’ and interpret it of the kiss of homage. But most of the others believe the meaning to be as in the text, objecting that the kiss of homage was reserved for princes.”—(Alford.)—
Genesis 41:42. His ring.] Joseph is appointed grand vizier by giving him the signet ring of the monarch. (Esther 3:10; Esther 8:2.) Vestures of fine linen.] The priesthood, which was the foremost caste of Egypt, wore only linen and cotton garments; and no man was allowed to enter a temple in a woollen garment (Herod. ii. 37, 81). A gold chain about his neck.] The Egyptian monuments and wall-paintings show that the gold chain was worn by persons of distinction. It was especially the badge of office worn by the judge and the prime minister. This was also the custom in Persia and Babylonia. (Daniel 5:7.)—
Genesis 41:43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had.] The second state chariot in the public procession. Herodotus tells us that Egypt was noted for chariots both for peaceful and for warlike purposes. (Herod. ii. 108.) They cried before him. The heralds, whose office it was to prepare the way for the royal procession. Bow the knee. “Some render the word, ‘Father, of the king,’ others, Bow the knee. But it is rather an Egyptian word and not Hebrew, and means, Cast yourselves down—do homage.”—(Jacobus.)—
Genesis 41:45. Zaphnath-paaneah.] His elevation is denoted by a new name (Genesis 17:5; Daniel 1:7), which means, Preserver of life. Jerome interpreted it in the Vulgate Salvator Mundi (Saviour of the world). Poti-pherah. “He who is of the sun,” There was a temple of the sun at On, which was the popular name for Heliopolis, meaning the house or city of the sun. It is called Aven (Exodus 30:17), and Bethshemesh (Jeremiah 43:13).—
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 41:37-45
PHARAOH ACCEPTS JOSEPH’S ADVICE
In which he shows:—
I. His wisdom and prudence.
1. In acting upon the best evidence he had. The interpretation seemed to be clear and just; the course advised, reasonable. Pharaoh did not wait for a demonstrated certainty; but seeing that the next step before him was clear, he took that step. This is just our position with regard to the will and and purpose of God as revealed in the Bible. The Bible speaks to us of many things which now we cannot prove. We have to believe much upon evidence which our reason might persuade us is inconclusive, but which faith teaches us to receive. We are told of a time in which we may lay up for the future, and it is our wisdom to make that provision while we have opportunity. The message of Joseph carried with it the conviction of truth. So does the message of the Bible. To the Christian, faith is the verification of the invisible.
2. In choosing a fit man for the crisis. Everything now pointed to Joseph as the right man for the times. Pharaoh appeals to his courtiers as to whether it was not the wisest course to appoint Joseph at the head of affairs. They make no answer; as they were, perhaps, a little jealous of this foreigner, like as the Babylonish nobles were towards Daniel. And Pharaoh also shows his prudence in removing all social disabilities from this foreigner. He asserts his own authority as the fountain of rank. (Genesis 41:40-41; Genesis 41:44.) He invests Joseph with the symbols and array of dignity and honour. (Genesis 41:42-43.) He naturalizes him by giving him a new name, and so removing Egyptian prejudices. Joseph was fitly named, “the salvation of life,” for he was in very deed the preserver of life, the salvation of his country. This new name would tend to exalt the character of Joseph in the eyes of all the people. Joseph’s social standing was further assured by his marriage with the daughter of the priest of On. (Genesis 41:45.) The priests of Egypt were the highest class in the State, the landed aristocracy. They attended, and even controlled the kings. Besides, Joseph’s father-in-law was the chief priest of On—the royal city. By marriage into this high caste Joseph’s social position was at once determined and secured.
II. His piety. When we speak of Pharaoh’s piety, it is not intended that it should be reckoned by our modern Christian standard. God accepts according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. Surely it was a heaven-taught instinct which led Pharaoh to recognise the spirit of God in Joseph. He believed that he had before him a man who enjoyed intercourse with God, and who was inspired by Him. (Genesis 41:38-39.) And his conviction of the Godlike character and calling of Joseph was stronger than the tyranny of any feelings bred by a sense of propriety, or by the stern law of custom. It required strong principle to overcome national prejudices and the rigour of social order. But Pharaoh braved all consequences, so convinced was he that Joseph was a man taught of God. Even this promoting of Joseph’s alliance with the daughter of the priest of the sun does not forbid us to believe in the piety of Pharaoh. For in all this idolatry there can be discovered some lingering traces of the one true God. The world was then too young to have arrived at a rigid and sharply-defined distinction between polytheism and monotheism. The Pharaoh of Abraham’s day feels the power of Him whose name is Jehovah. (Genesis 12:7.) Abimelech acknowledges the God of Abraham and Isaac. (Genesis 20:3-7; Genesis 21:22-23; Genesis 26:28-29.) Joseph had mentioned the true God to Pharaoh, and this was not without its blessed effect. Joseph was permitted to worship the God of his fathers, and we have reason to believe that Pharaoh, to some extent, entered into the spirit of that worship. “In the account of Pharaoh’s dealings with Joseph, the Egyptian monarch appears to have acted with the strictest honesty and integrity, and as a reward he was supernaturally apprised of the famine which should come upon his land. When he exclaims concerning Joseph, ‘Can we find such a man as this, a man in whom the spirit of the Lord is?’ he seems to have been actuated by a spirit of real piety. Hard it would be, indeed, to question the salvability of a monarch who could come to this pious resolution, which is recorded in Genesis 41:39. There are frequent allusions in Scripture to the tenderness with which God treated the heathen nations who beheld His judgments on the Israelites. (Ezekiel 20:5-10.) This tenderness towards the Egyptians and other heathen nations, can be explained only on a desire not to aggravate their sins, and this affords us no slight ground for our general argument. “In whose sight I made myself known unto them (the heathen), by bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:9.) “I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.” (Genesis 41:41.)—(Grinfield “On the Salvability of the Heathen.”)
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Genesis 41:37-38. Can we find such a man as this? Hence some collect that Joseph preached many more things to the king, of God, His power, providence, goodness, etc., than are here recorded; and was therefore so admired, and advanced to the office of teaching his senators wisdom. “To bind his princes to his soul, and make wise his elders” (Psalms 105:22), as the original hath it.—Trapp.
It is a sign of great wisdom to be able to give the best counsel; but it is a sign of wisdom also to be able to appreciate such counsel when it is given, and to be ready to follow it. Pharaoh was sensible that a divine person or a divine influence had enlightened Joseph’s mind and given him this extraordinary knowledge. His proposal therefore, to honour Joseph was a virtual honouring of the God whom he served. His affairs, he was convinced, would be most likely to prosper in the hands of a a man whom God loved and taught.—(Bush.)
Genesis 41:39. The king’s conclusion shows how greatly Egypt esteemed the higher knowledge; since it confirms the opinion which made this nation so renowned for wisdom among the ancients.—(Lange.)
Joseph honoured God before Pharaoh, and God honoured Joseph in the sight of Pharaoh. A little time ago he was traduced as one of the vilest of men; now the king honours him as a man of incomparable worth. We may learn from this not to be greatly dejected by reproach, nor puffed up by praise. The best of men have passed through good report and evil report.—(Bush.)
Genesis 41:40. They that bestow places of charge in Church or commonwealth upon undeserving persons, for by-respects, shall have Pharaoh to rise up in judgment against them.—(Trapp.)
Genesis 41:41-45. Behold one hour hath changed his fetters into a chain of gold, his rags into fine linen, his stocks into a chariot, his jail into a palace; Potiphar’s captive into his master’s lord; the noise of his chains into Abrech. He, whose chastity refused the wanton allurements of the wife of Potiphar, had now given him to his wife the daughter of Potipherah. Humility goes before honour; serving and suffering are the best tutors to government. How well are God’s children paid for their patience! How happy are the issues of the faithful! Never any man repented him of the advancement of a good man.—(Bp. Hall.)