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Genesis 41:45
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43 And he had him ride in the second achariot which he had; band they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him cover all the land of Egypt.  
44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name1 Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife aAsenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.  
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he astood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.  
47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth1 abundantly.  
48 So 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; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.
Commentaries:
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
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What Does Genesis 41:45 Mean?



Genesis 41:45

When Joseph was promoted, the king gave him a new name. Biblically, a new name usually indicates a significant change of relationship with God. Clear examples are Jacob ("supplanter"), whose name God changed to Israel ("God prevails"), and Saul ("desired"), who became Paul ("little").

Joseph's new name is so difficult to translate that scholars have suggested a number of variations. The most common variations of Zaphnath-Paaneah are "says the God, he will live"; "the God spoke and he came to life"; or "the Living One has spoken." A secondary group of variations are "preserver of the age"; "revealer of the secret"; "abundance of life"; or "sustainer of life." Unger's Bible Dictionary defines it as "savior of the world."

Regardless of how it would most accurately translate into modern English, enough of its meaning is available to see its sense. The circumstance forced the pagan Egyptians to admit before all mankind for all time that a miracle had occurred in their presence—from a God they did not even know—through a humble but very capable Hebrew prisoner.

John W. Ritenbaugh
God's Promises Are Sure!

Related Topics: "abundance of life" | "revealer of the secret" | "savior of the world" | "says the God, he will live" | "sustainer of life" | "the God spoke and he came to life" | "the Living One has spoken" | Israel as "God prevails" | Jacob as "supplanter" | Jacob's New Name | Joseph's New Name | New Name | Saul | Saul as "desired" | Saul's New Name | Zaphnath-Paaneah




Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Genesis 41:45:

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16


 
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