Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 41:16
16“I am not able to,” Joseph answered Pharaoh. “It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable 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
14Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh. 15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it.” “I am not able to,” Joseph answered Pharaoh. “It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and grazed 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
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 41:16
- Genesis 40:8“We had dreams,” they said to him, “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: “Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.
- 2 Kings 6:27He answered, “If the Lord doesn’t help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?”
- Daniel 2:18urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men.
- Daniel 4:2I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Most High God has done for me.
- Acts 3:7Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.
- Acts 14:14The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.
- Genesis 37:14Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Hebron Valley, and he went to Shechem.
- Luke 19:42saying, “If you knew this day what would bring 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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