Genesis 41:40
in Genesis 41You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Genesis 41
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAccording unto thy word shall all my people be ruled - Literally, At thy mouth shall all my people kiss. In the eastern countries it is customary to kiss any thing that comes from a superior, and this is done by way of testifying respect and submission. In this sense the words in the text are to be understood: All the people shall pay the profoundest respect and obedience to all thy orders and commands. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou - This, in one word, is a perfect description of a prime minister.
This site's exposition
This proposal pleased Pharaoh
on Genesis 41:37-40
The plan pleases Pharaoh and all his officials, and the king asks whether anyone can be found in whom the Spirit of God abides. Clarke notes that the Hebrew behind that phrase is the pair of words used at Genesis 1:2, now in an Egyptian king's mouth. Pharaoh hands over his house and the rule of his people and keeps the throne. The man came out of a dungeon that morning.
This site's exposition
You shall be in charge of my house
The Hebrew behind obey your commands says the people will kiss at his word, a gesture of homage. Joseph has now been set over three houses, Potiphar's at 39:4, the prison at 39:22, and the king's. Each rise followed a fall.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See how all of a sudden the prisoner is made king of the whole of Egypt; the one sent to prison by the chief steward was raised by the king to the highest rank; his former master suddenly saw that the man whom he had cast into prison as an adulterer was awarded authority over the whole of Egypt. Do you see how important it is to bear trials thankfully? Hence Paul also said, "Distress promotes endurance, endurance promotes character, character promotes hope, and hope does not disappoint." So take note: Joseph bore distress with endurance, endurance gave him character, having such character he acted in hope, and hope did not disappoint him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, It is the wisdom of princes to prefer those, and the happiness of people to have those preferred, to places of power and trust, in whom the Spirit of God is.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Thou shall be over my house,...., Have the care of his domestic affairs, and be the principal man in his palace and court: and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; not only in his family, but in his whole kingdom; whatever he ordered and commanded them to do, they should it, or "all my people shall kiss" (s), that is, either their hand at the sight of him, or meeting him, in token of respect and veneration shall yield a ready and cheerful obedience to him, of which the kiss was a sign, see Psa 2:
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַתָּה֙ | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תִּהְיֶ֣ה | tihyeh | you will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בֵּיתִ֔י | beiti | house my | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּ֖יךָ | pikha | mouth your | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יִשַּׁ֣ק | yishak | it will kiss | H5401 → | 35 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עַמִּ֑י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רַ֥ק | rak | only | H7535 → | 109 times |
| הַכִּסֵּ֖א | hakise' | the throne | H3678 → | |
| אֶגְדַּ֥ל | ʾegdal | I will be great | H1431 → | 117 times |
| מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ | mimeka | more than you | H4480 → | 1188 times |
אַתָּה֙you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
תִּהְיֶ֣הyou will be
tihyehH1961 →3559 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בֵּיתִ֔יhouse my
beitiH1004 →2046 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
פִּ֖יךָmouth your
pikhaH6310 →498 times
יִשַּׁ֣קit will kiss
yishakH5401 →35 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
עַמִּ֑יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
רַ֥קonly
rakH7535 →109 times
הַכִּסֵּ֖אthe throne
hakise'H3678 →
אֶגְדַּ֥לI will be great
ʾegdalH1431 →117 times
מִמֶּֽךָּ׃more than you
mimekaH4480 →1188 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:28
Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.
- Matthew 25:21
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Matthew 25:23
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- 1 Kings 11:28
Through
Psalms 2:12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
it leads to
- Psalms 40:4
Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
- John 5:23
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
- Psalms 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
- Psalms 84:12
O LORD of Hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!
- Psalms 40:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 63.17; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.