Genesis 41:1

Authorized King James Version

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And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

Original Language Analysis

וַיְהִ֕י H1961
וַיְהִ֕י
Strong's: H1961
Word #: 1 of 10
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
מִקֵּ֖ץ And it came to pass at the end H7093
מִקֵּ֖ץ And it came to pass at the end
Strong's: H7093
Word #: 2 of 10
an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
שְׁנָתַ֣יִם years H8141
שְׁנָתַ֣יִם years
Strong's: H8141
Word #: 3 of 10
a year (as a revolution of time)
יָמִ֑ים of two full H3117
יָמִ֑ים of two full
Strong's: H3117
Word #: 4 of 10
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
וּפַרְעֹ֣ה that Pharaoh H6547
וּפַרְעֹ֣ה that Pharaoh
Strong's: H6547
Word #: 5 of 10
paroh, a general title of egyptian kings
חֹלֵ֔ם dreamed H2492
חֹלֵ֔ם dreamed
Strong's: H2492
Word #: 6 of 10
properly, to bind firmly, i.e., (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream
וְהִנֵּ֖ה H2009
וְהִנֵּ֖ה
Strong's: H2009
Word #: 7 of 10
lo!
עֹמֵ֥ד and behold he stood H5975
עֹמֵ֥ד and behold he stood
Strong's: H5975
Word #: 8 of 10
to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
עַל H5921
עַל
Strong's: H5921
Word #: 9 of 10
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
הַיְאֹֽר׃ by the river H2975
הַיְאֹֽר׃ by the river
Strong's: H2975
Word #: 10 of 10
a channel, e.g., a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the nile, as the one river of egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the tigris, as the m

Cross References

Isaiah 19:5And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.Exodus 1:22And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.Exodus 4:9And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.Matthew 27:19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.Genesis 31:21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.Genesis 29:14And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.Genesis 20:3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.Genesis 40:5And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.Deuteronomy 11:10For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:Ezekiel 29:9And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it.

Analysis & Commentary

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the... This passage is part of the Joseph narrative, a masterfully crafted account demonstrating God's sovereign providence working through human choices and circumstances to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The Joseph cycle shows how God transforms evil intentions into instruments of salvation.

Central themes include divine providence orchestrating events toward redemptive ends, the testing and refinement of character through suffering and success, forgiveness overcoming betrayal and injustice, and the preservation of God's covenant people through famine. Joseph's rise from slavery to second-in-command of Egypt illustrates how God exalts the humble and uses seeming disasters for ultimate good.

Theologically, these chapters reveal:

  1. God's meticulous sovereignty over all events, even evil human actions
  2. suffering as preparation for future service rather than punishment
  3. forgiveness as reflecting divine character and enabling reconciliation
  4. God's covenant faithfulness across generations ensuring the survival and blessing of His people
  5. how present suffering gains meaning when viewed from the perspective of God's larger purposes.

Joseph's words "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (50:20) epitomize biblical theodicy and providence.

Historical Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Questions for Reflection

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