Sermon Tone Analysis

Sunday January 14, 2007

Genesis: Genesis 41:33-37-Joseph Makes Recommendations to Pharaoh

Lesson # 264

Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 41:1.

This morning we will continue with our studies of Genesis 41, which records Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams and making recommendations to him in light of these dreams, which results in Pharaoh promoting him to prime minister, second only to Pharaoh in Egypt.

This morning we will study Genesis 41:33-37, which contains Joseph’s recommendations to Pharaoh in light of his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams.

Genesis 41:1, “Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.”

Genesis 41:2, “And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass.”

Genesis 41:3, “Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.”

Genesis 41:4, “The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows.

Then Pharaoh awoke.”

Genesis 41:5, “He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good.”

Genesis 41:6, “Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.”

Genesis 41:7, “The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears.

Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.”

Genesis 41:8, “Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men.

And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.”

Genesis 41:9, “Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, ‘I would make mention today of my own offenses.’”

Genesis 41:10, “Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.”

Genesis 41:11, “We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.”

Genesis 41:12, “Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us.

To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.”

Genesis 41:13, “And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.”

Genesis 41:14, “Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.”

Genesis 41:15, “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’”

Genesis 41:16, “Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.’”

Genesis 41:17-18, “So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, ‘In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass.’”

Genesis 41:19-20, “Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.”

Genesis 41:21, “Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before.

Then I awoke.”

Genesis 41:22-24, “I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears.

Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

Genesis 41:25, “Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.’”

Genesis 41:26, “The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same.”

Genesis 41:27, “The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.”

Genesis 41:28, “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.”

Genesis 41:29-30, “Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land.”

Genesis 41:31, “So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.”

Genesis 41:32, “Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.”

Genesis 41:33, “Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”

“Now” is composed of the conjunction we (w+) (waw) and the adverb `attah (hT*u^) (at-taw), which together are used in an emphatic sense meaning, “in fact, now.”

The adverb `attah is frequently used in Scripture to introduce a new development or episode and in Genesis 41:33, along with the conjunction we introduces in an emphatic way Joseph’s recommendation to Pharaoh in light of his interpretation.

The expression “let Pharaoh” demonstrates Joseph’s tactfulness and that he recognizes and respects Pharaoh’s authority, which was given to Pharaoh by God since all authority originates with God (See Romans 13:1-7).

Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.

For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

“Look for” is the verb ra’ah (ha*r*) (raw-aw), which in this particular context means, “to search for” someone and so Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh in light of his interpretation that he “search” for someone in Egypt that could administrate the land of Egypt during the next fourteen years.

“Discerning” is the verb bin (/yB!) (bene), which refers to the power of judgment and perceptive insight and is manifested in the use of knowledge.

Therefore, Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he search for a man who has discernment in the sense that this man must have the ability to judge and have perceptive insight and can apply the knowledge gained from his interpretation of his dreams.

Pharaoh’s dreams and Joseph’s interpretation were a revelation of God’s will for the nation of Egypt during the next fourteen years and so Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he search for someone who has the spiritual discernment to act in accordance with this revelation.

Discernment refers to the faculty to discern, discriminate, and have acuteness of judgment and understanding in any given situation.

Spiritual discernment refers to the ability to separate, distinguish and choose between what is God’s will and what is evil (See Hebrews 5:14).

Therefore, Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he select a man to govern Egypt during the next fourteen years who would accept and act in accordance with the revelation of God’s will for Egypt during the next fourteen years, which was contained in Pharaoh’s dream and his interpretation.

He is recommending to Pharaoh that he search for a man who can learn from the knowledge of God’s will contained in his interpretation that was given to Joseph by the Holy Spirit and then have the capacity to apply that knowledge during the next fourteen years.

Discernment refers to the faculty to discern, discriminate, and have acuteness of judgment and understanding of the character and motives of people.

Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he select a man to govern Egypt during the next fourteen years who would possess the faculty to discern, discriminate and have acuteness of judgment and understanding of the character and motives of people so to not be taken advantage of.

Spiritual discernment refers to the power or ability to grasp and comprehend what is obscure to the soulish man.

Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he select a man who can govern Egypt over the next fourteen years who would have the ability to grasp and comprehend what is obscure to the soulish man.

Therefore, Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he select a man to govern his nation during the next fourteen years who would accept what the Holy Spirit communicated in Pharaoh’s dreams and Joseph’s interpretation and would choose a course of action in preparation for the coming famine.

Genesis 41:33, “Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”

“Wise” is the adjective chakham (<k*j*) (khaw-kawm), which refers “to professional skill and ability in administrating” the nation of Egypt in preparation for the coming famine.

Not only did Joseph possess the spiritual discernment to understand the revelation from God contained in Pharaoh’s dreams but also he had the ability to administrate the nation of Egypt in that he could select a course of action in preparation for the coming famine based upon his interpretation.

Joseph was prepared to assume the position of prime minister of Egypt since God had prepared him by having him work for Potiphar for fourteen years as his personal servant.

His administrative talents were cultivated and fine tuned while working under Potiphar for fourteen years, administrating Potiphar’s entire household and managing his entire estate.

Of course, Joseph is the only man in Egypt who could fulfill these requirements since Pharaoh had just discovered that none of his occult priests could fulfill these requirements.

So Joseph in essence, is tactfully saying to Pharaoh, “Don’t make the same mistake twice.”

In fact, by speaking tactfully to Pharaoh, Joseph is demonstrating discernment since discernment also involves “tact,” which is the ability to understand relationships and situations with a view to practical action.

Tact is a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense and is the skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

Without mentioning himself, Joseph is tactfully recommending to Pharaoh in this delicate situation that he select someone to govern Egypt during the next fourteen years who would be like himself, one who is spiritual.

Not only did God give Joseph the ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams but He also gave him the ability to formulate a comprehensive plan to meet the coming severe famine.

Not only did Pharaoh’s dreams and Joseph’s interpretation of these dreams originate from God but also his plan did as well.

Therefore, Joseph is presenting to Pharaoh the option of choosing himself or his occult priests who failed in interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams since they were unbelievers and soulish and did not possess the wisdom of God whereas he was a believer and spiritual and possessed the wisdom of God.

“Set” is the verb shith (tyv!) (sheeth), which means, “to put in place, to install, to place in office” and so Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he “install, place in office” a man who could administrate during the next fourteen years.

Genesis 41:34, “Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.”

The expression “let Pharaoh” again demonstrates Joseph’s tactfulness and that he recognizes and respects Pharaoh’s authority, which was given to Pharaoh by God since all authority originates with God (See Romans 13:1-7).

“Appoint” is the verb paqadh (dq^P*) (paw-kad), which is in the hiphil (intensive) stem and used in an administrative context meaning, “to appoint a person over something, as well as entrusting someone with the responsibility to do something.”

Therefore, the verb paqadh indicates that Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he appoint a person who could be entrusted with the responsibility of administrating the nation of Egypt during the next fourteen years.

“Overseers” is the noun paqidh (hD*q|P+) (paw-keed), which is derived from the verb paqadh, which refers to a subordinate who has been promoted to a position of authority over others, whether it be as a civil administrator, a military official or cultic overseer.

Therefore, Joseph is recommending to Pharaoh that he appoint and promote individuals into positions of authority as civil administrators who would be subordinate to the wise and discerning chief administrator whom Pharaoh would install in office and would help the chief administrator execute his plan.

Genesis 41:35, “Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it.”

Genesis 41:36, “Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”

Joseph recommends to Pharaoh that these administrators take one fifth of the harvest during each of the seven years of prosperity by Pharaoh’s authority and keep it in reserve in the various cities in Egypt and guard it.

Consequently, when the seven years of famine arrive, the people of Egypt will be able to live off the reserves and so Pharaoh would need to appoint a man who would have great discipline and foresight to execute this plan.

Genesis 41:32-36 records Joseph recommending that three measures be taken to avert disaster caused by the coming famine: (1) Appoint a wise and discerning national leader (2) Appoint regional overseers (3) Institute urban grain storage facilities.

Genesis 41:37, “Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.”

Genesis 41:37 describes Pharaoh and his servants warmly receiving Joseph’s recommendations even though he had given a gloomy interpretation of the dreams this did not bother Pharaoh since he too viewed his dreams as a warning of impending disaster.

Also, Pharaoh warmly received Joseph’s advice because Joseph had followed up his interpretation with positive recommendations as to how Pharaoh was to act to avoid an economic and social disaster in his country.

We must remember that not only was Pharaoh’s dreams divine in origin and Joseph’s interpretation but also Joseph’s recommendations and so it was wise of Pharaoh to accept Joseph’s recommendations.

Notice that during Joseph’s entire conversation with Pharaoh that he never mentions his unjust imprisonment or that he was unjustly sold into slavery by his brothers and never attempts to strike a deal with Pharaoh to secure his freedom, which reveals his great humility and his great faith in the Lord to deliver him when He sees fit.