Genesis 41

Zaphenat-Pa’aneah (pronounced tsof·nath' pah·nā'·akh), in Egyptian hieroglyphics may be Ḏdp3nṯrfanḫ. The ankh, seen at the end of the name, is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyph that symbolizes life which we see at the end of this title. The name given to Joseph has been said to mean ‘He who is called Ipiankhu’. Ipiankhu can mean the "vizier" (ipi) of "life"(ank) of "Hu"(h), "the personification of the creator of life".^[1]. In Genesis 41:38 Pharaoh said Joseph had the "Spirit of God" who is the spirit of life. Pharaoh saw that spirit of the life giver in Joseph and gave him a name that expressed that idea. The Ankh in Egypt is also known as the key of life or the key of the Nile. As an Egyptian vizier he may been, as some suspect, a Sekhemhet. Joseph's^[2] name Zaphenath when transformed into Egyptian the name has been matched with the word Sekhemhet. Why Sekhem(k)het? Sekhem(k)het can mean "grey or (red)^[3] haired ruler over all". Many associate Joseph with the name Imhotep. There were many who were called by Imhotep, a name that means “the One Who Comes in Peace.”
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Comments
Abimelech was told in a dream^[4] that he was a dead man because the woman he had taken was a man's wife.^[5] Dreams were significant in Egyptian culture.
A kine is a cow or heifer and represented wealth.
V5 we see the Pharaoh dreamed a similar dream but with corn or grain plants, seven good and seven withered.
V8 The magicians (חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י)^[6] of Egypt (מִצְרַ֖יִם)^[7]
the chief butler (הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים)^[8] tells the story of Joseph, the Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, foretelling the meaning of their own dreams when he was in prison.
14-27V Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him the dream
28-39V Joseph explains the dream and what the Pharaoh shall do picking "a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt." And in the "eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants" Joseph was that man.
40-44V Joseph received power in Egypt second only to pharaoh.
45V He was named Zaphnathpaaneah ( צפנת פענח Tsophnath Pa`neach—pronounced tsof·nath' pah·nā'·akh)^[9] and married the daughter of the priest of On which made his children Manasseh and Ephraim heirs.
The Famine came and Joseph was the savior of the people in Egypt. A question is when did this take place? Conventional Egyptologists place him under the Hyksos (15th/16th dynasty). Rohl places him in the (11th-)12th dynasty and proposed Amenemhet III (Nimaatre Amenemhet) as his pharaoh with Joseph functioning as Ipiankhu. Moller & Wyatt place him in the 3rd dynasty. As more and more is learned some suspect that the "pharaoh/king" Sekhem(k)het of the 3rd dynasty is a candidate and can mean "grey or (red)^[3] haired ruler over all". Joseph was really a vizier, not king, but he had the power.
Joseph was a ‘revealer of godly secrets’ which in Egyptian might appear as Ḏdp3nṯrfanḫ from the hieroglyphics. Rohl and Kitchen propose that Zaphenat-Pa’aneah means ‘He who is called Ipiankhu’. There was an early vizier named Ipi where the name became synonymous with any vizier. If we look at ipi-ank-hu we get the "vizier of ank" who is the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for "life".
Hu (ḥw), in ancient Egypt, was "the personification of a religious term, the 'creative utterance'". The hieroglyph for Hu (ḥw) in ancient Egypt is a personification of the word of creation. It is depicted as a man with the hieroglyph for tongue above his head.
Ipiankhu with a man having a tongue above his head would be a Vizier of life Blessed of Ra^[1] .
Eventually there was an offer grain for ‘money’ (Genesis 47:14—Heb. כֶּסֶף keceph i.e. silver40). Monetary silver and gold was placed in Pharaoh’s treasury and then their remaining most valuable commodities—their livestock—for grain was forfeited although they may have retained legal possession. Finally in the last part of the Famine all the people, except the priests, promised one-fifth of their labor and therefore their right to own land for more grain (Genesis 47:19).
Questions
Was Joseph predestined to become this high positioned person in in Judea?
1

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

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

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

3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.

4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

Second Dream

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

Spirit troubled

8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

When Pharaoh was wroth

9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:

11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

Pharaoh sent and called

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

Joseph not him but God

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

The Kine come

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.

Again the dream of corn

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, 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.

Joseph said unto Pharaoh

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:

Famine comes

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.

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

Let Pharaoh look

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

And Pharaoh said

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Joseph Rises to Power

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

Zaphnathpaaneah

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

Joseph two sons

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Seven years of plenteousness

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

famine was over all the face of the earth

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Footnotes

↑ ^{Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 Ra was considered the "Supreme Power, Eternal One Who burns His enemies, Flaming One, Flame Which shoots a tongue of fire." "Hu" is also of God which was the personifying of the power of the spoken word of God.
↑ 03130 יוֹסֵף‎ Yowceph yo-safe’ future of 03254 YodSamech Pei yacaph to add, Greek 2501 Ιωσηφ; n pr m; [BDB-415b] {See TWOT on 874 @@ "874b" } AV-Joseph 213; 213 Joseph= "Jehovah has added"
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies

3) a son of Asaph

4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah
↑ ^{Jump up to: 3.0} ^3.1 In Egyptian hieroglyphics, there isn't a single symbol directly representing "grey haired red hair". If you wanted to depict the concept grey haired you would likely combine the hieroglyph for "red" (often represented by a hermit ibis) with a symbol indicating old age, a man with a staff or depiction of wrinkles, suggesting white hair, depending on the context and artistic style.
↑ 02472 חֲלוֹם‎ chalowm khal-ome’ or (shortened) חלם‎ chalom khal-ome’ from 02492 to dream; n m; [BDB-321b] {See TWOT on 663 @@ "663a" } AV-dream 64, dreamer + 01167 1; 65
1) dream
1a) dream (ordinary)

1b) dream (with prophetic meaning)
↑ Genesis 20:3 But 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.
↑
02748 חַרְטֹם‎ chartom [khar-tome’] ChetReishTetMem from the same as 02747 cheret engraving tool; n m; [BDB-355a] [{See TWOT on 738 @@ "738b" }] AV-magician 11; 11
1) diviner, magician, astrologer
1a) engraver, writer (only in derivative sense of one possessed of occult knowledge)
- ח Chet The Life Force - Dynamic nature of - cause and effect - give life and live.[fence, thread, hedge, chamber...cycle] (Numeric value: 8)
- ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)
- ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)
- מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)
↑
04714 מִצְרַיִם‎ Mitsrayim mits-rah’-yim dual of 04693 without the Yodmem besieged places; n pr loc/n pr gent; [BDB-595b] {See TWOT on 1235 } AV-Egypt 586, Egyptian 90, Mizraim 4, Egyptians + 01121 1; 681
Egypt= "land of the Copts"

n pr loc

1) a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows

Egyptians= "double straits"

adj pr gent

2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt
- Came to mean a place of bondage
↑
08248 שָׁקָה‎ shaqah shaw-kaw’ a primitive root; v; [BDB-1052a] {See TWOT on 2452 } AV-drink 43, water 17, butler 9, cupbearer 3, misc 1; 74
1) to give to drink, irrigate, drink, water, cause to drink water
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to water, irrigate

1a2) to water, give drink to

1b) (Pual) to be watered

1c) (Niphal) variant
- The chief butler (הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים) of Genesis 41 may have done more than carry drink for the pharaoh since the word translated chief is Sar (שַׂ֣ר) or prince.
↑ The exact meaning of "Tsaphenath Paneach" is debated, but it is often interpreted as "God speaks, he lives" or "revealer of secrets."

[ratongue-1] {Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 Ra was considered the "Supreme Power, Eternal One Who burns His enemies, Flaming One, Flame Which shoots a tongue of fire." "Hu" is also of God which was the personifying of the power of the spoken word of God.

[Yowceph-2] 03130 יוֹסֵף‎ Yowceph yo-safe’ future of 03254 YodSamech Pei yacaph to add, Greek 2501 Ιωσηφ; n pr m; [BDB-415b] {See TWOT on 874 @@ "874b" } AV-Joseph 213; 213 Joseph= "Jehovah has added"
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies

3) a son of Asaph

4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah

[greyred-3] {Jump up to: 3.0} ^3.1 In Egyptian hieroglyphics, there isn't a single symbol directly representing "grey haired red hair". If you wanted to depict the concept grey haired you would likely combine the hieroglyph for "red" (often represented by a hermit ibis) with a symbol indicating old age, a man with a staff or depiction of wrinkles, suggesting white hair, depending on the context and artistic style.

[chalowm-4] 02472 חֲלוֹם‎ chalowm khal-ome’ or (shortened) חלם‎ chalom khal-ome’ from 02492 to dream; n m; [BDB-321b] {See TWOT on 663 @@ "663a" } AV-dream 64, dreamer + 01167 1; 65
1) dream
1a) dream (ordinary)

1b) dream (with prophetic meaning)

[5] Genesis 20:3 But 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.

[chartom-6] 02748 חַרְטֹם‎ chartom [khar-tome’] ChetReishTetMem from the same as 02747 cheret engraving tool; n m; [BDB-355a] [{See TWOT on 738 @@ "738b" }] AV-magician 11; 11
1) diviner, magician, astrologer
1a) engraver, writer (only in derivative sense of one possessed of occult knowledge)

ח Chet The Life Force - Dynamic nature of - cause and effect - give life and live.[fence, thread, hedge, chamber...cycle] (Numeric value: 8)

ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)

ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)

מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)

[7] ח Chet The Life Force - Dynamic nature of - cause and effect - give life and live.[fence, thread, hedge, chamber...cycle] (Numeric value: 8)

[8] ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)

[9] ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)

[10] מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)

[Mitsrayim-7] 04714 מִצְרַיִם‎ Mitsrayim mits-rah’-yim dual of 04693 without the Yodmem besieged places; n pr loc/n pr gent; [BDB-595b] {See TWOT on 1235 } AV-Egypt 586, Egyptian 90, Mizraim 4, Egyptians + 01121 1; 681
Egypt= "land of the Copts"

n pr loc

1) a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows

Egyptians= "double straits"

adj pr gent

2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt

Came to mean a place of bondage

[12] Came to mean a place of bondage

[shaqah-8] 08248 שָׁקָה‎ shaqah shaw-kaw’ a primitive root; v; [BDB-1052a] {See TWOT on 2452 } AV-drink 43, water 17, butler 9, cupbearer 3, misc 1; 74
1) to give to drink, irrigate, drink, water, cause to drink water
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to water, irrigate

1a2) to water, give drink to

1b) (Pual) to be watered

1c) (Niphal) variant

The chief butler (הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים) of Genesis 41 may have done more than carry drink for the pharaoh since the word translated chief is Sar (שַׂ֣ר) or prince.

[14] The chief butler (הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים) of Genesis 41 may have done more than carry drink for the pharaoh since the word translated chief is Sar (שַׂ֣ר) or prince.

[9] The exact meaning of "Tsaphenath Paneach" is debated, but it is often interpreted as "God speaks, he lives" or "revealer of secrets."

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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[7]

[8]

[9]

Genesis 41

Contents

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

Second Dream

Spirit troubled

When Pharaoh was wroth

Pharaoh sent and called

Joseph not him but God

The Kine come

Again the dream of corn

Joseph said unto Pharaoh

Famine comes

Let Pharaoh look

And Pharaoh said

Joseph Rises to Power

Zaphnathpaaneah

Joseph two sons

Seven years of plenteousness

famine was over all the face of the earth

Footnotes

Navigation menu

Genesis 41

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

Second Dream

Spirit troubled

When Pharaoh was wroth

Pharaoh sent and called

Joseph not him but God

The Kine come

Again the dream of corn

Joseph said unto Pharaoh

Famine comes

Let Pharaoh look

And Pharaoh said

Joseph Rises to Power

Zaphnathpaaneah

Joseph two sons

Seven years of plenteousness

famine was over all the face of the earth

Footnotes

Navigation menu

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