Bible Commentaries

A. M. 2289. B.C. 1715. two full years. {Shenathayim yamim,} "two years of days," two complete solar revolutions; as a month of days is a full month

29:14

that Pharaoh

20:3, 37:5-10, 40:5, Judges 7:13,14, Esther 6:1, Job 33:15,16, Daniel 2:1-3, Daniel 4:5-18, 7:1-8, Matthew 27:19

the river

31:21, Exodus 1:22, 4:9, Deuteronomy 11:10, Isaiah 19:5, Ezekiel 29:3,9

there came

a meadow

Or, rather, "on, or among the reeds or sedges;" for so achoo is generally supposed to denote (see Job 8:11); so called, according to Mr. Parkhurst, from its fitness for making ropes, or the like, to connect or join things together, from achah, to join, connect: thus the Latin juncus, a bulrush, a jungendo, from joining, for the same reason. He supposes it to be that sort of reed growing near the Nile which Hasselquist describes as "having scarce any branches, but numerous leaves, which are narrow, smooth, channelled on the upper surface, and the plant about eleven feet high. The Egyptians make ropes of the leaves."

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.

ill favoured

4,20,21

So Pharaoh awoke

1 Kings 3:15

seven ears

A species of wheat, which grows in Egypt, bears, when perfect, seven ears on one stalk, as its natural conformation. It differs from ours in having a solid stem, or at least a stem full of pith, in order to yield sufficient nourishment and support to so great a weight as the ears which it bears.

rank

Heb. fat.

Deuteronomy 32:14

blasted

Ezekiel 17:10, 19:12, Hosea 13:15

a dream

20:3, 37:5

his spirit

40:6, Daniel 2:1-3, 4:5,19, 5:6, 7:28, 8:27, Habakkuk 3:16

the magicians of Egypt

The word here used (chartummim) may mean no more than interpreters of abstruse or difficult subjects; especially of dreams and visions, which formed a considerable part of the ancient pagan religion; and the Egyptian priests were the first who professed this art. The word may be of affinity with, or derived from, the Persian chiradmand, wise, learned, judicious, intelligent, from chirad, understanding, judgment, and mand, endowed with. They seem to have been such persons as Josephus calls sacred scribes; or professors of sacred learning.

Exodus 7:11,22, 8:7,18,19, 9:11, Leviticus 19:31, 20:6, Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Isaiah 8:19, Isaiah 19:3, 29:14, 47:12,13, Daniel 1:20, 2:2, 4:7, 5:7,11, Acts 17:18

the wise men

Matthew 2:1, Acts 7:22

but there

40:8, Job 5:12,13, Psalms 25:14, Isaiah 19:11-13, 29:14, Daniel 2:4-11,27,28, Daniel 5:8, 1 Corinthians 1:19, 3:18-20

I do remember

40:1-3,14,23

Pharaoh

39:20, 40:2,3

captain

37:36

40:5-8

servant

37:36, 39:1,20

interpreted

40:12-19

me he restored

40:12,20-22, Jeremiah 1:10, Ezekiel 43:3

sent

1 Samuel 2:7,8, Psalms 105:19-22, 113:7,8

and they brought him hastily

Heb. made him run.

Exodus 10:16, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 113:7,8, Daniel 2:25

he shaved

2 Samuel 19:24, 2 Kings 25:29, Esther 4:1-4, 5:1, Isaiah 61:3,10, Jeremiah 52:32,33

I have heard

9-13, Psalms 25:14, Daniel 5:12,16

that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it

or, when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it.

It is not

40:8, Numbers 12:6, 2 Kings 6:27, Daniel 2:18-23,28-30,47, 4:2, Acts 3:7,12, Acts 14:14,15, 1 Corinthians 15:10, 2 Corinthians 3:5

peace

37:14, Luke 19:42

Genesis 41:1-7

Jeremiah 24:1-3,5,8

eaten them up

Heb. come to the inward parts of them.

Ezekiel 3:3, Revelation 10:9,10

still

Psalms 37:19, Isaiah 9:20

withered

or, small. thin.

6, 2 Kings 19:26, Psalms 129:6,7, Hosea 8:7, 9:16, 13:15

blasted

All the mischief done to corn or fruit by blasting, smutting, mildew, etc. are attributed to the east wind. (See Parallel Passages.) In Egypt it is peculiarly destructive, because it comes through the parched deserts of Arabia, often destroying vast numbers of people. The destructive nature of the Sam, Simoom, Smoom, or Samiel, is mentioned by almost all travellers. When this pestilential wind advances, its approach is indicated by a redness in the air. The principal stream of the blast always moves in a line of about 20 yards in breadth, and 12 feet above the surface of the earth; but its parching influence pervades all places to a considerable distance. The only means of preservation from its noxious influence is to lie flat, with the face upon the ground, till the blast be over. Camels and other animals instinctively perceive its approach, and bury their mouths and nostrils in the ground. It rarely last more than seven or eight minutes, but so poisonous are its effects, that it instantly suffocates those who are unfortunate enough to inhale it.

I told this

8, Exodus 8:19, Daniel 4:7

God

16, Exodus 9:14, Joshua 11:6, Psalms 98:2, Isaiah 41:22,23, 43:9, Daniel 2:28,29, Daniel 2:45,47, Amos 3:7, Matthew 24:40, Mark 13:23, Ephesians 1:17, Revelation 4:1

are

or, signify.

2,5,29,47,53, 40:18, Exodus 12:11, 1 Corinthians 10:4

good ears are seven

40:12

the dream is one

2:24, Exodus 26:6, 1 John 5:7

seven years of famine

2 Samuel 24:19, 2 Kings 8:1

What God

16,25

26,46,49

seven years

27,54, 2 Samuel 24:13, 1 Kings 17:1, 2 Kings 8:1, Luke 4:25, James 5:17

shall be

21,51, Proverbs 31:7, Isaiah 65:16

consume

47:13, Psalms 105:16

the plenty

It is well known, that in Egypt there is scarcely any rain, the country depending for its fertility upon the overflowing of the Nile; and that the fertility is in proportion to the duration and quality of the overflow, in order to saturate the land and prepare for the seed. Pliny has given a scale, by which the plenty or dearth may ascertained; which may be considered as perfectly correct. The ordinary height of the inundations is 16 cubits. When the waters are lower than this standard, they do not overflow the whole ground; when above this standard they are too long in running off. In the first case, the ground is not saturated; by the second, the waters are detained so long on the ground that seed-time is lost. The province marks both. If it rise only 12 cubits, a famine is the consequence; at 13 hunger prevails; 14 produces general rejoicing; 15 perfect security; and 16 all the luxuries of life.

grievous

Heb. heavy.

1 Samuel 5:6, Isaiah 24:20

doubled

37:7,9, Job 33:14,15, 2 Corinthians 13:1

it is because

Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 14:24-27, 46:10,11, Matthew 24:35

established by

or, prepared of.

Isaiah 30:33, Matthew 25:34,41, Mark 10:40, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Revelation 9:15

therefore

Daniel 4:27

look out

Exodus 18:19-22, Deuteronomy 1:13, Acts 6:3

officers

or, overseers.

Numbers 31:14, 2 Kings 11:11,12, 2 Chronicles 34:12, Nehemiah 11:9

and take

Job 5:20, Psalms 33:19, Proverbs 6:6-8, 22:3, 27:12, Luke 16:5

gather

48,49,56, 45:6,7

hand

Exodus 4:13

that the

47:13-25

perish not

Heb. be not cut off.

the thing

Psalms 105:19, Proverbs 10:20, 25:11, Acts 7:10

good

Joshua 22:30, 2 Samuel 3:36, 1 Kings 21:2

in whom

Numbers 27:18, Job 32:8, Daniel 4:6,8,18, 5:11,14, 6:3

16,25,28,33

Thou shalt

39:4-6, 45:8,9,26, Psalms 105:21,22, Proverbs 22:29, Daniel 2:46-48, 5:29, 6:3

be ruled

Heb. be armed, or kiss.

1 Samuel 10:1, Job 31:27, Psalms 2:12

44, 39:5,22, Esther 10:3, Proverbs 17:2, 22:29, Daniel 2:7,8, 4:2,3, 6:3, Matthew 28:18, Philippians 2:9-11

his ring

Esther 3:10,12, 6:7-12, 8:2,8,10,15, 10:3, Daniel 2:46,47, 5:7,29, Luke 15:22

fine linen

or, silk.

Ezekiel 27:7

a gold chain

Proverbs 1:9, 31:22,24, Song of Solomon 1:10, Ezekiel 16:10,11, Daniel 5:7,16,29, Luke 19:16-19

and they

Esther 6:8,9

Bow the knee

or, Tender father.

45:8

Heb

Abrech.

Philippians 2:10

ruler

42:6,30,33, 45:8,26, Acts 7:10

lift up his hand

Exodus 11:7

Zaphnath-paaneah

Which in Coptic signifies a revealer of secrets, or, the man to whom secrets are revealed. Jerome says this name signified in Egyptian, Savatorem mundi, "the Saviour of the world;" and Psotem-phaneh, in Coptic, is certainly "salvation of the world," from [SOT] for [soteria] salvation, em, the sign of the genitive case, and [PHENEH], world. If this interpretation be correct, Pharaoh must have meant Egypt by the world, or which Joseph might be justly termed the Saviour. We know that the Romans called their empire Universis Orbis-Orbis Terrarum, "all the world:" the Chinese say the same of their empire at the present day, and the phrase is used in the East: Nadir Shah is described on his coins as "Conqueror of the World," i.e., Persia. See the same phraseology applied to Syria, Palestine, etc.

Luke 2:1, Acts 11:28

priest of

or, prince.

14:18, Exodus 2:16; *marg:; 2 Samuel 8:18, 20:26; *Heb:

On

46:20, Ezekiel 30:17

Aven

years

37:2, Numbers 4:3, 2 Samuel 5:4, Luke 3:23

he stood

1 Samuel 16:21, 1 Kings 12:6,8, Proverbs 22:29, Daniel 1:19, Luke 21:36, Jude 1:24

From A

&M. 2289, B.C. 1715, to A.M. 2296, B.C. 1708. handfuls.

26:12, Psalms 72:16

34-36, 47:21

22:17, Judges 6:5, 7:12, 1 Samuel 13:5, Job 1:3, Psalms 78:27, Jeremiah 33:22

unto Joseph

46:20, 48:5

Asenath

45, 46:20

priest

or, prince.

2 Samuel 8:18

called

A.M. 2292. B.C. 1712.

48:5,13,14,18-20, Deuteronomy 33:17

Manasseh

i.e., Forgetting.

30, Psalms 45:10, Isaiah 57:16

forget

Psalms 30:5,11, Proverbs 31:7, Isaiah 65:16

A. M. 2293. B.C. 1711. called he

29:32-35, 30:6-13, 50:23

Ephraim

i.e., Fruitful.

48:16-19, 49:22, Isaiah 40:1,2

the land

Psalms 105:17,18, Amos 6:6, Acts 7:10

A. M. 2296. B.C. 1708

29-31, Psalms 73:20, Luke 16:25

the seven

3,4,6,7,27, 45:11, Psalms 105:16, Acts 7:11

according

and the dearth

42:2,5,6, 43:1, 45:11, 47:13

famished

2 Kings 6:25-29, Jeremiah 14:1-6, Lamentations 4:3-10

Go unto

40,41, Psalms 105:20-22, Matthew 3:17, 17:5, John 1:14-16, Philippians 4:19, Colossians 1:19

the face

Isaiah 23:17, Zechariah 5:3, Luke 21:35, Acts 17:26

all the storehouses

Heb. all wherein was. sold.

42:6, 47:14-24

all countries

42:1,5, 50:20, Deuteronomy 9:28, Psalms 105:16,17

in all lands

54,56