CRITICAL NOTES.—
Genesis 41:14. He shaved himself and changed his raiment.] “The fact of Joseph having shaved himself is in striking accord with the Egyptian custom, which was to let the beard and hair grow in mourning only—otherwise most scrupulously shaving; whereas the Hebrews cultivated the hair and beard and shaved in token of mourning (see 2 Samuel 10:4-5; Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 16:6; Jeremiah 41:5; Amos 8:10), He changed his raiment, from the ordinary habit of the prison to that of ordinary life or even of festal rejoicing. The fact of his having it in his power to do so shews that he was not treated as ordinary prisoners are.” (See Genesis 39:22-23.)—(Alford.)—
Genesis 41:16. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.] Heb. “God will answer as to the peace (or welfare) of Pharaoh.” The meaning is, that God will give an answer such as shall prove to be for the welfare of Pharaoh.—
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 41:9-16
JOSEPH SUMMONED INTO PHARAOH’S PRESENCE
Consider—
I. His long waiting for notice and deliverance. For two long and weary years was Joseph lingering in that prison. He had to endure that trial of hope deferred that maketh the heart sick. The purest and wisest man in the land was shut up in a prison for two of the best years of his life. This seems to us a sad waste of power. But the religious mind will see in it the wisdom of God.
1. In regard to the education of character. The delays of Providence (as they seem to us) are part of our spiritual education. All this time, Joseph was learning God’s lessons. We require the teaching, not only of precepts, but also of events and trials. Joseph had faults of character to correct, much to unlearn; notoriously the spirit of censoriousness and pride. And two years were not too short a time to get the lessons of life’s true wisdom by heart. The wisdom of God in this painful chapter of Joseph’s history is also seen—
2. In its adaptation to the circumstances of the individual. During these two years of Joseph’s hard trial, events were not ripe for his deliverance. Divine Providence is not obliged to use forcing processes to precipitate events. Had Joseph been released before, he might have returned to his father’s house, or re-entered the service of Potiphar; and then in the natural course of things, how could Israel and Egypt have been preserved! The wisdom of God is yet further seen—
3. In its elevation above all human infirmities. God is not in haste to bring His work to its appointed end. Providence works by, what appear to us to be, slow methods. Short-sighted man must seize upon every tempting opportunity, but infinite wisdom knows no such infirmity. God allows those slowly to ripen whom He destines for a great work. Illustrated by the history of John the Baptist, who spent a life-time in the wilderness to prepare him for a brief ministry of a few months; and also by God’s own Son, who did not begin to preach the Gospel of the kingdom till He was thirty years old.
II. The manifest hand of God in it. Without doubt we have here the agency of man, and results which may be traced to the natural course of events. The chief butler suddenly remembers how Joseph interpreted his dream, and also that of his fellow-prisoner; and how remarkably the interpretation had been fulfilled. He mentions this extraordinary person to Pharaoh, who naturally sends for Joseph as the very man he wanted in his great perplexity. But we cannot here fail to see the manifest hand of God at work. It was God who sent this dream to Pharaoh, and it must follow that the interpreter of it must be divinely instructed. It was wisely ordered that Joseph should be under no obligation to Pharaoh for his deliverance. It is for his own sake that Pharaoh sends for Joseph. The chief butler was suffered to forget his friend, the prophet of his deliverance, and was forced to remember him only by circumstances. To neither of them was Joseph indebted. Thus it was God’s design that the chosen family should be under obligations to none. Their calling was to impart blessings to mankind, and not to receive.
III. His piety throughout the interview.
1. His simplicity of character. He makes no long speech. He does not use the opportunity to glorify himself, or to plead for liberty and reward. His manner was dignified and respectful, yet marked by great openness and simplicity of character. Joseph is the same in the palace or in the prison.
2. His humility. He indulged in no spirit of boasting, though this compliment from the king would have tempted weaker men to be vain and proud. (Genesis 41:15.) Joseph never forgot his character as a witness for God.
3. His calmness. He was conscious of God’s presence and of his own integrity, so he could afford to be calm before the rulers of this world.
4. His kindly consideration for others. Pharaoh might have reason for the worst fears when he heard of the interpretation of the baker’s dream. Though a king he was not exempt from the common evils of human nature; nor from death—the chief calamity. But Joseph hastens to remove all fear of an unfavourable interpretation from his mind, by assuring him that the future had in it nothing but what would make for the peace of Pharaoh. Thus Joseph combined faithfulness to God’s cause with kindness and consideration for man.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Genesis 41:9. He ought, indeed, to have remembered his fault against Joseph and against God, whose goodness he concealed when he ought to have published it. But this fault seems to have made little or no impression on his mind. His former faults he acknowledged in deference to the king.—(Bush.)
A right courtier’s speech! He so relates the history of his imprisonment that he takes all the blame thereof to himself; gives Pharaoh the full commendation of his justice and clemency. (Trapp.)
There is a morbid feeling which delights in railing against human nature; but there is a wiser lesson to be gained from this story than merely speaking of the butler’s ungratefulness. Consider, first, the suspense in which he was respecting his trial, and then the onerous duties that he had to perform. Then remember, too, that what Joseph did for him after all was not so much, it was merely the interpretation of his dream. The lesson that we draw from this is: In this world we do too little and we expect too much. We bless a poor man by giving to him, and we expect that we have made him our debtor for life. You fancy that the world has forgotten you. Reason with yourselves. For this world from which you expect so much, what have you done? And if you find that you have done little and received much, what marvel is it that you receive no more? The only marvel is that we have received so much.—(Robertson.)
The memory of the chief butler. Forgetfulness of the small—a sharp remembrance in the service of the great.—(Lange).
Genesis 41:10-13. He now recites the circumstances in which he became acquainted with Joseph, and his wonderful success in interpreting dreams. It is not so much to do Joseph a favour that he commends him as it is to raise himself in Pharaoh’s esteem.—(Jacobus.)
And he interpreted to us our dreams. And well you requited him! But better late than never, though a ready dispatch doubleth the benefit. Howbeit God had an overruling hand in it, for Joseph’s greatest good. He turneth the world’s ingratitude to the salvation of His servants.—(Trapp.)
Joseph as opposed to the Egyptian interpreters of dreams, Moses as opposed to the Egyptian sorcerers, Christ as opposed to the Scribes and Pharisees, Paul as opposed to heresies, etc., or, in other words, the contrast between Divine wisdom and the wisdom of this world—a contrast that pervades all history.—(Lange.)
Genesis 41:14. The word of the Lord had sufficiently tried Joseph. The mystery of Providence concerning him was now to be cleared up.
It is said of Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 19:24, that he had not washed his clothes, nor washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, from the time that David left Jerusalem, because of Absolom, till he returned again in peace to his father’s house. By like signs Joseph expressed his humiliation under those afflictions which Divine Providence had laid upon him. But now, when called before the king, he laid aside his mourning apparel, that he might appear with decency and due respect in the royal presence. Doubtless when he exchanged his prison garments for such as are worn in king’s palaces, his heart rejoiced less in the change of his circumstances, than in the favour of God, who had “put off his sackcloth, and girded him with gladness, to the end that his glory might sing praise to the Lord.”—(Bush.)
Genesis 41:15. Pharaoh desires to learn from Joseph. The highest in station must be ready to learn from the lowest. Wisdom is not to be despised because it has a humble dwelling in some obscure child of man.
A Christian is not to judge the gifts according to the person, but the persons according to the gifts.—(Cramer.)
Joseph had now an opportunity, which he did not suffer to pass unimproved, of shewing forth the superiority of his own God to the gods of Egypt, and of pouring contempt upon the boasted wisdom of the magicians.—(Bush.)
Genesis 41:16. No man is fit to declare the counsels of God who is not deeply sensible of his own unfitness without receiving light and help from above.—(Bush.)
Observe the graceful way in which Joseph refers all to God. He says, “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Observe also his calmness; this was produced by the consciousness of God’s presence. He was not there to consider what men would think of him; he felt that the gift was from God. It is only this feeling that can effectually crush the flutterings of vanity. “What hast thou,” says the Apostle, “that thou didst not receive?”—(Robertson.)