Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 41:16
16“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
Genesis 41:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
- New International Version (NIV)“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Context of Genesis 41:16
14So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh. 15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
Read all of Genesis 41Genesis 41:16 word by word
וַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֱלֹהִ֕ים יַעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Genesis 41:16
- Genesis 40:8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
- Numbers 12:6He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.
- 2 Kings 6:27He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?”
- Daniel 2:18urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 4:2I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
- Acts 3:7Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.
- Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
- Genesis 37:14Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,
- Luke 19:42and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
Commentaries on Genesis 41:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16It is not in me, etc. - בלעדי biladai, without or independently of me - I am not essential to thy comfort, God himself has thee under his care. And he will send thee, or answer thee, peace; thou shalt have prosperity (שלום shelom ) howsoever ominous thy dreams may appear. By this answer he not only conciliated the mind of the king, but led him to expect his help from that God from whom alone all comfort, protection, and prosperity, must proceed.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-57Verses 1-57 - Joseph Was Exalted 1. יאר ye'or “river, canal,” mostly applied to the Nile. Some suppose the word to be Coptic. 2. אחוּ 'āchû “sedge, reed-grass, marsh-grass.” This word is probably Coptic. 8. חרטמים charṭumı̂ym ̓̀ exēgētai ̔͂ hierogrammateis “sacred scribes, hieroglyphs.” חרט chereṭ “stylus,” a graving tool. 43. אברך 'abrēk “bend the knee.” In this sense it is put for הברך habrēk imperative hiphil of ברך bārak Those who take the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-32Verses 9-32 God's time for the enlargement of his people is the fittest time. If the chief butler had got Joseph to be released from prison, it is probable he would have gone back to the land of the Hebrews. Then he had neither been so blessed himself, nor such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he proved. Joseph, when introduced to Pharaoh, gives honour to God. Pharaoh had dreamed that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Joseph knew that only God could explain Pharaoh’s dreams (compare 40:8). He was sure God would reveal their meaning, as the dreams had a purpose (41:25, 28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. Pharaoh said, ... I have dreamed a dream--The king's brief statement of the service required brought out the genuine piety of Joseph; disclaiming all merit, he ascribed whatever gifts or sagacity he possessed to the divine source of all wisdom, and he declared his own inability to penetrate futurity; but, at the same time, he expressed his confident persuasion that God would reveal what was necessary to be known.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 41:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 41
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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