Genesis 41:35

Gen 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

Ver. 35. And let them gather all the food.] This text warranteth providence in laying up for a rainy day. Solomon sends us to school to the ant to learn this lesson. {Pro 6:6} And it is well observed, that our Saviour had a purse for common store for himself and those about him. Neither was this a penny pouch, but a bag so big as needed a bearer. God would have us to be good husbands, and see that Condus be fortior promo, our comings in more than our layings out. "Parents" must "lay up for their children," {2Co 12:14} yea, "leave inheritance to children’s children," {Pro 13:22} playing the good husbands abroad and at home. {Pro 27:26-27}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 35. Under the hand of Pharaoh] To be completely at the disposal of the king.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

35. Under the hand of Pharaoh. Whereas prosperity so intoxicates men, that the greater part make no provision for themselves against the future, but absorb the present abundance by intemperance; Joseph advises the king to take care that the country may have its produce laid up in store. Besides, the common people would also form themselves to habits of frugality, when they understood that this great quantity of corn was not collected in vain by the king, but that a remedy was hereby sought for some unwonted calamity. In short, because luxury generally prevails in prosperity, and wastes the blessings of God, the bridle of authority was necessary. This is the reason why Joseph directed that garners should be established under the power of the king, and that corn should be gathered into them. He concludes at length, that the dream was useful, although at first sight, it would seem sad and inauspicious: because, immediately after the wound had been shown, the means of cure were suggested.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

35. let them gather all the food] This is rhetorical, and need not be pressed as contradicting the exaction of the one-fifth in Gen_41:34. But see Gen_41:48.

lay up corn] i.e. store up the grain in the keeping of the king’s officers. The establishment of state granaries appears here for the first time in history.

under the hand of Pharaoh] The king’s authority is never to be relaxed. The measures proposed will enhance the monarchy.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Pharaoh said unto his servants,.... That were about him, and with whom he was consulting about a proper person to be over this affair of gathering in the fruits of the earth in the time of plenty, and laying them up against a time of famine:

can we find such an one as this is, in whom the Spirit of God is? if we search among all the ranks and degrees of men throughout the kingdom, let them be of what character they will, we shall never find a man like this, who appears to have the Spirit of God, or "of the gods", as he in his Heathenish way spoke, and which he concluded from his vast knowledge of things; and especially of things future: hence the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret it, the spirit of prophecy from the Lord.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

General Information:

Joseph continues to counsel Pharaoh

Let them gather

"Allow the overseers to gather"

of these good years that are coming

This speaks of years as if they are something that travels and comes to a place. AT: "during the good years that will soon happen" (See: Metaphor)

store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh

The phrase "under the authority of Pharaoh" means Pharaoh gives them authority. AT: "use the authority of Pharaoh to store the grain" (See: Idiom)

They should preserve it

The word "they" refers to the overseers and represents the soldiers that they should command to guard the grain. AT: "The overseers should leave soldiers there to guard the grain" (See: Metonymy)

The food will be a supply for the land

Here "land" refers to the people. AT: "This food will be for the people" (See: Metonymy)

In this way the land will not be devastated by the famine

Here "land" stands for the people. This can be stated in active form. AT: "This way the people will not starve during the famine" (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)

translationWords

good

grain

authority

Pharaoh

famine

Egypt

devastate

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

את כל אֹכֶל ALL THE FOOD — The word אֹכֶל is a noun and therefore the accent is on the א and the last syllable has the vowel Patach Katan (a name Rashi uses for our Segol), whilst אוֹכֵל — which is a participle, as for instance, (Leviticus 7:25) “For whosoever eateth (אוֹכֵל) the fat” — has the accent on the ultimate syllable, on the כ, and has the vowel Kametz Katan (Zéré).

תחת יד פרעה UNDER THE HAND OF PHARAOH — under his control and in his storehouses.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ויקבצו את כל אוכל השנים, concerning this tax of twenty percent of the harvest, Joseph suggested that the appointed officials should collect the food thus set aside by Pharaoh during the seven years of plenty and store it near various cities under Pharaoh’s direct supervision so that it would be at hand when the years of famine would commence. This would be independent of what private individuals would put in storage on their own account. If this advice were followed, each city would have a substantial hoard of grain near at hand when the famine would break out and there would not be any panic or undue profiteering.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.