Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Parallel Translations
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Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
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And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
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And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.'
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Genesis 41:16 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,
- Genesis 40:8 They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”
- Daniel 2:47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”
- Numbers 12:6 He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.
- Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?
- Daniel 2:18-23 that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. I thank you, and praise you, you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
- Daniel 4:2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.
- Acts 3:7 He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- Daniel 2:28-30 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these: “As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
- Acts 14:14-15 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
- Genesis 37:14 He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
- 2 Kings 6:27 He said, “If Yahweh doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From of the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”
- Luke 19:42 saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 16. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.…
16. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Joseph added this from the kindly feeling of his heart; for he did not yet comprehend what the nature of the oracle would be. Therefore he could not, in his character as a prophet, promise a successful and desirable issue; but, as it was his duty sincerely to deliver what he received from the Lord, however sad and severe it might prove; so, on the other hand, this liberty presented no obstacle to his wishing a joyful issue to the king. Therefore, what is here said to the king concerning peace, is a prayer rather than a prophecy.
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.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Hebrew, answer peace.
Hebrew, answer peace.
As though he would say, if I interpret thy dream it cometh of God, and not of me.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is]…
Gen 41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Ver. 16. It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh, &c.] This is the voice of all that have true worth in them: they are humble upon the knowledge of their perfections; they vilify and nullify themselves before God and men: like true balm, that put into water, sinks to the bottom; or like a vessel cast into the sea, which the more it fills, the deeper it sinks. And this is the bottom and bosom of humility, and very next degree to exaltation, as here.
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I cannot do this by any power, or virtue,…
I cannot do this by any power, or virtue, or art of my own, for I am but a man, as your magicians are, but only by inspiration from the great God. Thus he gives the honour from himself unto God, and leads Pharaoh to the knowledge of the true God. For the phrase compare Mat 10:20; 1Co 15:10.
God shall give; or, may God give, & c. It is my desire that God would vouchsafe to Pharaoh a comfortable and happy answer.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, it is not in…
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, it is not in me,.... Which expresses his great modesty, that he did not arrogate such skill and wisdom to himself; declaring that he had no such power and abilities in and of himself, to interpret dreams; what he had was a gift of God, and wholly depended upon his influence, and the revelation he was pleased to make to him of such things:
God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace; such an answer to his request in the interpretation of his dream, as shall give him full content, and make his mind quiet and easy, and which shall tend to the welfare of him and his kingdom. Some render the words as a prayer or wish, "may God give Pharaoh", &c. (i); so as it were addressing his God, that he would be pleased to make known to him his interpretation of the dream to the satisfaction of Pharaoh: but the other sense seems best, which expresses his faith in God, that he would do it, and to whom it should be ascribed, and not unto himself.
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(i) "respondeat", Vatablus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain (1.) He gives honour to God; It is not…
(1.) He gives honour to God; It is not in me; God must give it. Great gifts then appear most graceful and illustrious, when those that have them use them humbly, and take not the praise of them to themselves, but give it to God, (2.) He shews respect to Pharaoh, and hearty goodwill to him, supposing that the interpretation would be an answer of peace. Those that consult God's oracles may expect an answer of peace.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 16. It is not in me, c.] בלעדי…
Verse 16. It is not in me, c.] 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Gen 41:16. It is not in me — I…
Gen 41:16. It is not in me — I cannot do this by any virtue, or power, or art of my own; but only by the inspiration of the great God. 1st, Thus he gives the honour to God, to whom it was due, and leads Pharaoh to the knowledge of him. Great gifts then appear most graceful and illustrious, when those that have them use them humbly, and take not the praise of them to themselves, but give it to God. 2d, He shows respect to Pharaoh, and hearty goodwill to him, supposing that the interpretation would be an answer of peace. Those that consult God’s oracles may expect an answer of peace.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Without, &c. The interpretation does not proceed from any…
Without, &c. The interpretation does not proceed from any natural acquirement, but from God alone. (Chaldean) (Tirinus) --- The Samaritan and Aquila read, "Without me God will not give," &c. See Matthew x. 20.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 16. God shall give… peace — Literally, God shall…
16. God shall give… peace — Literally, God shall answer the peace of Pharaoh. Joseph emphatically points out the divine and supernatural aspect of the dreams, and takes no glory to himself.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 16. It is not in me] Rather, “nay, far…
16. It is not in me] Rather, “nay, far from it,” as in Gen_14:24. Joseph, as in Gen_40:8, disclaims any power in himself. God’s servant may be His propheta, or spokesman; but he is not as God, nor is he a magician.
an answer of peace] Joseph replies, with suitable courtesy, literally, “God will make answer with the peace of Pharaoh.” The answer of God will be the well-being of Pharaoh. “Peace,” i.e. “welfare,” as in Gen_37:14, “whether it be well,” lit. “peace.”
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LXX ἄνευ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ σωτήριον, the meaning of which is doubtful: “without God there will be no answer of peace.” Lat. absque me Deus respondebit prospera Pharaoni. The Syriac makes a question of it, “Thinkest thou that apart from God one will answer?” on the lines of Balaam’s answer in Num_22:18; Num_22:38.
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.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in…
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me (literally, not I): God Elohim. (of Gen_40:8) shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace literally, shall answer the peace of Pharaoh, i.e. what shall be for the welfare of Pharaoh. The rendering Aneu tou qeou oujk ajpokriqhsetai torion Faraio (LXX), though giving the sense, fails in accuracy of translation.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 41:16 Joseph knew that only God could tell what…
41:16 Joseph knew that only God could tell what Pharaoh’s dreams meant (cp. 40:8), and he was confident that God would do so, because he had given the dreams for a purpose (41:25, 28).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.