创世纪
经文
41:1 过了两年法老作梦。梦见自己站在河边。
41:2 有七只母牛从河里上来、又美好、又肥壮在芦荻中吃草。
41:3 随后又有七只母牛从河里上来、又丑陋、又干瘦、与那七只母牛一同站在河边。
41:4 这又丑陋、又干瘦的七只母牛、吃尽了那又美好、又肥壮的七只母牛。法老就醒了。
41:5 他又睡着、第二回作梦。梦见一棵麦子长了七个穗子、又肥大、又佳美。
41:6 随后又长了七个穗子、又细弱、又被东风吹焦了。
41:7 这细弱的穗子、吞了那七个又肥大又饱满的穗子。法老醒了、不料是个梦。
41:8 到了早晨、法老心里不安、就差人召了埃及所有的术士和博士来。法老就把所作的梦告诉他们、却没有人能给法老圆解。
41:9 那时酒政对法老说、我今日想起我的罪来。
41:10 从前法老恼怒臣仆、把我和膳长下在护卫长府布的监里。
41:11 我们二人同夜各作一梦、各梦都有讲解。
41:12 在那里同着我们有一个希伯来的少年人、是护卫长的仆人、我们告诉他、他就把我们的梦圆解、是按着各人的梦圆解的。
41:13 后来正如他给我们圆解的成就了。我官复原职、膳长被挂起来了。
41:14 法老遂即差人去召约瑟。他们便急忙带他出监、他就剃头、刮脸、换衣裳、进到法老面前。
41:15 法老对约瑟说、我作了一梦没有人能解、我听见人说、你听了梦就能解。
41:16 约瑟回答法老说、这不在乎我、 神必将平安的话回答法老。
41:17 法老对约瑟说、我梦见我站在河边。
41:18 有七只母牛从河里上来、又肥壮、又美好、在芦荻中吃草。
41:19 随后又有七只母牛上来、又软弱、又丑陋、又干瘦、在埃及遍地、我没有见过这样不好的。
41:20 这又干瘦、又丑陋的母牛、吃尽了那以先的七只肥母牛。
41:21 吃了以后、却看不出是吃了、那丑陋的样子仍旧和先前一样。我就醒了。
41:22 我又梦见一棵麦子、长了七个穗子、又饱满、又佳美。
41:23 随后又长了七个穗子、枯槁细弱、被东风吹焦了。
41:24 这些细弱的穗子、吞了那七个佳美的穗子。我将这梦告诉了术士、却没有人能给我解说。
41:25 约瑟对法老说、法老的梦乃是一个、 神已将所要作的事指示法老了。
41:26 七只好母牛是七年。七个好穗子也是七年。这梦乃是一个。
41:27 那随后上来的七只又干瘦、又丑陋的母牛是七年、那七个虚空被东风吹焦的穗子也是七年。都是七个荒年。
41:28 这就是我对法老所说、 神已将所要作的事显明给法老了。
41:29 埃及遍地必来七个大丰年。
41:30 随后又要来七个荒年、甚至埃及地都忘了先前的丰收、全地必被饥荒所灭。
41:31 因那以后的饥荒甚大、便不觉得先前的丰收了。
41:32 至于法老两回作梦、是因 神命定这事、而且必速速成就。
41:33 所以法老当拣选一个有聪明有智慧的人、派他治理埃及地。
41:34 法老当这样行、又派官员管理这地。当七个丰年的时候、征收埃及地的五分之一。
41:35 叫他们把将来丰年一切的粮食聚敛起来、积蓄五谷、收存在各城里作食物、归于法老的手下。
41:36 所积蓄的粮食、可以防备埃及地将来的七个荒年、免得这地被饥荒所灭。
41:37 法老和他一切臣仆、都以这事为妙。
41:38 法老对臣仆说、像这样的人、有 神的灵在他里头、我们岂能找得着呢。
41:39 法老对约瑟说、 神既将这事都指示你、可见没有人像你这样有聪明有智慧。
41:40 你可以掌管我的家、我的民都必听从你的话、惟独在宝座上我比你大。
41:41 法老又对约瑟说、我派你治理埃及全地。
41:42 法老就摘下手上打印的戒指、戴在约瑟的手上。给他穿上细麻衣、把金链戴在他的颈项上。
41:43 又叫约瑟坐他的副车、喝道的在前呼叫说、跪下。这样、法老派他治理埃及全地。
41:44 法老对约瑟说、我是法老、在埃及全地、若没有你的命令、不许人擅自办事。〔原文作动手动脚〕
41:45 法老赐名给约瑟、叫撒发那忒巴内亚。又将安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳、给他为妻。约瑟就出去巡行埃及地。
41:46 约瑟见埃及王法老的时候、年三十岁。他从法老面前出去遍行埃及全地。
41:47 七个丰年之内、地的出产极丰极盛。〔原文作一把一把的〕
41:48 约瑟聚敛埃及地七个丰年一切的粮食、把粮食积存在各城里、各城周围田地的粮食、都积存在本城里。
41:49 约瑟积蓄五谷甚多、如同海边的沙、无法计算、因为谷不可胜数。
41:50 荒年未到以前、安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳给约瑟生了两个儿子。
41:51 约瑟给长子起名叫玛拿西、〔就是使之忘了的意思〕因为他说、 神使我忘了一切的困苦、和我父的全家。
41:52 他给次子起名叫以法莲、〔就是使之昌盛的意思〕因为他说、 神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。
41:53 埃及地的七个丰年一完、
41:54 七个荒年就来了、正如约瑟所说的。各地都有饥荒、惟独埃及全地有粮食。
41:55 及至埃及全地有了饥荒、众民向法老哀求粮食、法老对他们说、你们往约瑟那里去、凡他所说的你们都要作。
41:56 当时饥荒遍满天下、约瑟开了各处的仓、粜粮给埃及人。在埃及地饥荒甚大。
41:57 各地的人都往埃及去、到约瑟那里籴粮、因为天下的饥荒甚大。
Louis Voyer’s Devotional
FROM PRISON TO PALACE - PART 6
In our ongoing study of Genesis chapter 41 where we read of Joseph’s elevation from an Egyptian prison to a high and honoured position second only to Pharoah, we noted first of all in verse 42 what Joseph received from the Monarch’s own hand as ‘emblems’ of his new exalted role in the kingdom:
• a ring or a signet
• vestures or clothes of fine linen
• a gold chain around his neck.
A question arises immediately: does the vindication of Joseph mean that all believers who have suffered the unfairness of false accusation and discrimination live to see their vindication in their earthly lifetime? Is this always the case as it was for Joseph?
History shows clearly that this is not the case. For not a few are called to “be faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10).
But whether vindicated in life or in death, all will attest to the truth of God’s promise in Isaiah 54:4 - “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed”.
(1) We shall not be ashamed of our faith.
• Carping critics may assail the Scriptures upon which we ground our belief - but our Lord will make it more and more clear to all that in His Book there is no error, no excess, no omission.
• It is never a discredit to be a simple believer in Jesus: for as it has been said: “the faith which looks alone to Jesus is a crown of honour on any man’s head…”
(2) We shall not be ashamed of our hope.
• How we shall glory in the Lord who first gave us lively hope and then gave us that which we had hoped for!
(3) We shall not be ashamed of our love.
• Jesus is to us altogether lovely: and never shall we have to blush because we have yielded our hearts to Him.
• For the sight of our glorious Well-Beloved shall fully justify the most enthusiastic attachment to Him.
Remember - none will blame the martyrs for dying for Him. When the enemies of Christ are one day clothed with everlasting contempt - the lovers of Jesus shall find themselves honoured by all holy beings because they chose the reproach of Christ more than the vain treasures of Egypt.
Vindicated now or then - it matters not! For vindicated all His own shall be!
A GREATER THAN JOSEPH
Before we move on today - let us ever keep before our minds that Joseph was exalted purely on the ground of his personal worth and for his service unto God that he performed for Egypt’s profit.
What a lovely parallel to this we find in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet because the Son of God excelled Joseph in personal worth and service - so much is His exaltation the higher:
“Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him…”
(see Philippians 2:6-11).
The crucified One is now the glorified One. Indeed the One whom men once put upon a gibbet has now been placed by God upon His throne. Once, He was here in humiliation and shame - but no longer!
For this Jesus is “gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him” (1 Peter 3:22).
All power has been given unto Jesus Christ in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). To Him, God has given over the control and the government of the world.
AUTHORITY PUBLICLY OWNED
“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” (Genesis 41:43).
On the day of Pentecost, Peter declared to the Jews who had crucified the Saviour - “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
But my dear reader: Have you recognized this yourself or owned it? Have you recognized the exalted dignity of Christ, and by faith seen that the One who died on the Cross of Calvary is now seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high?
Have you submitted to His Lordship - so that you live now only to please Him who died in your place? Have you bowed the knee before Him, a Person - and not to a set of theological precepts?
If not, may you be constrained to do so without further delay (yea, voluntarily and gladly) - so that you may not be among the eternally lost who shall on a coming Day be compelled to do so! For God hath sworn “that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
To make this confession willingly means that you have passed from death to life, from judgment to security - and that you have become a child of God and a citizen of a kingdom which can never be destroyed.
A NEW NAME
We are told in Genesis 41:45 that Joseph was given a new name by Pharoah. He was henceforth to be called Zaphnath-Paaneah. It was not unusual in ancient days to give new names to people on particular occasions.
This was often done to indicate a time when a person had come under new masters. Some examples of this can be found elsewhere in the Bible: for instance in 2 Kings 23:34 (when Eliakim was given the new name of Jehoahaz by Pharoah Necho - when he was appointed king in place of his father Josiah).
So too was Daniel given the new name: Belteshazzar by the chief of the eunuchs in the courts of Babylon. Furthermore his Jewish friends: Hananiah, Mischael and Azariah were respectively given the new names: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego (see Daniel 1:7).
In the case at hand, the new name Zaphnath-Paaneah was given to Joseph as an honorary title. It was, as it were, designed to convey the high esteem in which he was held by the Egyptian king.
There is no general consensus among commentators as to the meaning of Joseph’s new Egyptian name - or
Zaphnath-Paaneah. None are universally in agreement if it means:
• Saviour of the world
• abundance of life
• revealer of secrets
A German scholar suggested that it could well mean:
God speaks and He lives. If this was in truth the real meaning of the name given to Joseph by Pharoah, it would be a marvelous testimony to the character of God which the Egyptian ruler saw in him. Oh, that the same would be noticed in us as God’s children!
Finally, remember that upon His exaltation at the right hand of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was given a Name which is above all names.
The Greek word for Lord is kyrios. It was the word or the term by which Roman citizens acknowledged the divinity of Caesar. It was therefore a divine title which claimed that none was higher than Caesar.
Within the Roman empire, there was also a test word or phrase which was used to ‘check the loyalty’ of the citizens: Kyrios Kaiser (Caesar is Lord.)
Christians, who did not say this, were often executed. For when they said Jesus is Lord, they acknowledged that HE ALONE was divine, and not Caesar.
Remember: it is not enough to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Demons do that and tremble. But the issue is: do you own Him today as YOUR Lord. Is He? Indeed, does His Name, which is above all names, sound sweetly in your ear when you hear it spoken?
A BRIDE
We also read in the second part of Genesis 41:45 that Pharoah gave Joseph a wife: or Asenath, the daughter of a man named Potiphera - a priest of On. We are not told of any other details of Asenath or of her father.
It would appear that Pharoah intended by this union to honour Joseph by strengthening his connection with a prominent Egyptian family. Let us also remember that the will of Pharoah was the law of the land of Egypt. It was not in Joseph’s power to turn down this arranged marriage.
(When we read in Matt. 22:2, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son”, I wonder if we have ever considered that our union to Jesus was also an arranged marriage?)
Now that being said, this marriage does raise obvious questions. Was it right for Joseph as a believer in the One and only true God to marry an unbeliever from a foreign nation?
One Jewish tradition has it that Asenath was already a convert to Joseph’s God. But this isn’t at all suggested in the text. Neither are we warranted in any fashion to condemn Joseph for marrying Asenath when the text itself does not remonstrate or criticize him.
But let all Christians take heed however: this example in the Word of God is NOT to be used as an excuse to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever (as it is taught clearly in the Scriptures).
Historical Footnote
My readers may find this of some interest. The city of On mentioned in reference to the father of Asenath is called Aven in Ezekiel 30:17. On was one of the oldest cities in the world, situated on the east side of the Nile about five miles above modern Cairo.
The city of On was also called Heliopolis by the Greeks or the City of the Sun. Located not far from Memphis in Egypt, this city had Arabs for its founders. Which led a commentator to remark:
“Being an Arabian colony, Heliopolis would not have had in it the base superstitions of Egypt. Rather, the city would have retained some of the patriarchal or the Abrahamic religion to have made a female from there like Asenath to be nearer to the faith of Joseph than in any other part of Egypt.”
FINAL NOTE
We read in Genesis 41:50-51 that two sons were born of the union in marriage of Joseph and Asenath: the firstborn named Manasseh and the youngest bearing the name Ephraim.
The fact that the two sons were given Hebrew names
(who later would assume roles as tribal leaders in the nation of Israel alongside Joseph’s brothers) can lead us to think that Asenath had become a believer in the God of Israel.
We will in our next study note how the names given to his two sons describe the two distinct chapters which Joseph had experienced: Manasseh (or, suffering) and then Ephraim (or, fruitful).