Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 41
Overview:
Pharaoh's dreams.
(1-8) Joseph interprets
Pharaoh's dreams.
(9-32) Joseph's counsel, He is highly advanced.
(33-45) Joseph's
children, The beginning of the
Famine.
(46-57)
1-8 The means of
Joseph's being freed from
Prison were
Pharaoh's dreams, as here related. Now that
God No longer speaks
to us in that way, it is
No matter how little we either heed
dreams, or tell them. The telling of foolish dreams can make
No
better than foolish talk. But these dreams showed that they were
sent of
God; when he awoke,
Pharaoh's
Spirit was troubled.
9-32 God's time for the enlargement of his people is the
fittest time. If the chief
Butler had got
Joseph to be released
from
Prison, it is probable he would have gone back to the land
of the
Hebrews. Then he had neither been
So blessed himself, nor
such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he proved.
Joseph,
when introduced to
Pharaoh, gives honour to
God.
Pharaoh had
dreamed that he stood upon the bank of the
River Nile, and saw
the
Kine, both the
Fat ones, and the lean ones, come out of the
River.
Egypt has
No Rain, but the plenty of the
Year depends
upon the overflowing of the
River Nile. See how many ways
Providence has of dispensing its
Gifts; yet our dependence is
still the same upon the First Cause, who makes every
Creature
what it is to us, be it
Rain or
River. See to what changes the
comforts of this
Life are subject. We cannot be sure that
to-morrow shall be as this
Day, or next
Year as this. We must
learn how to want, as
Well as how to abound.
Mark the
Goodness
of
God in sending the
Seven years of plenty before those of
Famine, that provision might be made. The produce of the
Earth
is sometimes more, and sometimes less; yet, take one with
another, he that gathers much, has nothing over; and he that
gathers little, has
No lack, Ex 16:18. And see the perishing
nature of our worldly enjoyments. The great harvests of the
years of plenty were quite lost, and swallowed up in the years
of
Famine; and that which seemed very much, yet did but just
serve to keep the people alive. There is
Bread which lasts to
eternal
Life, which it is worth while to labour for. They that
make the things of this world their good things, will find
little pleasure in remembering that they have received them.
33-45 Joseph gave good advice to
Pharaoh. Fair warning should
always be followed
By good counsel.
God has in his
Word told us
of a
Day of trial before us, when we shall need all the
Grace we
can have. Now, therefore, provide accordingly.
Pharaoh gave
Joseph an honourable
Testimony. He is a
Man in whom the
Spirit
of
God is; and such men ought to be valued.
Pharaoh puts upon
Joseph marks of honour. He gave him such a name as spoke the
value he had for him, Zaphnath-paaneah, "a revealer of secrets."
This preferment of
Joseph encourages all to trust in
God. Some
translate
Joseph's new name, "the
Saviour of the world." The
brightest glories, even of the upper world, are
Put upon
Christ,
the highest trust lodged in his
Hand, and all power given him,
both in
Heaven and
Earth.
46-57 In the names of his two sons,
Manasseh and
Ephraim,
Joseph owned the Divine
Providence. 1. He was made to forget his
misery. 2. He was made fruitful in the land of his affliction.
The
Seven plenteous years came, and were ended. We ought to look
forward to the
End of the days, both of our prosperity and of
our opportunity. We must not be secure in prosperity, nor
slothful in making good use of opportunity. Years of plenty will
End; what thy
Hand finds to do, do it; and gather in gathering
time. The
Dearth came, and the
Famine was not only in
Egypt, but
in other lands.
Joseph was diligent in laying up, while the
plenty lasted. He was prudent and careful in giving out, when
the
Famine came.
Joseph was engaged in useful and important
labours. Yet it was in the midst of this his activity that his
Father Jacob said,
Joseph is not! What a large portion of our
troubles would be done away if we knew the whole
Truth! Let
these events lead us to
Jesus. There is a
Famine of the
Bread of
Life throughout the whole
Earth. Go to
Jesus, and what he bids
you, do. Attend to his voice, apply to him; he will open his
treasures, and satisfy with
Goodness the hungry soul of every
Age and nation, without
Money and without price. But those who
slight this provision must starve, and his enemies will be
destroyed.