Genesis 41 · Verse 42

Genesis 41:42

And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Genesis 41:42, King James Version

Genesis 41:42 in other translations

BSBThen Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
WEBPharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.
ASVAnd Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
YLTAnd Pharaoh turneth aside his seal-ring from off his hand, and putteth it on the hand of Joseph, and clotheth him with garments of fine linen, and placeth a chain of gold on his neck,
DARBYAnd Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in clothes of byssus, and put a gold chain on his neck.
BBEThen Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and he had him clothed with the best linen, and put a chain of gold round his neck;
WebsterAnd Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

What does Genesis 41:42 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring - and put it upon Joseph's hand - In this ring was probably set the king's signet, by which the royal instruments were sealed; and thus Joseph was constituted what we would call Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. Vestures of fine linen - שש shesh. Whether this means linen or cotton is not known. It seems to have been a term by which both were denominated; or it may be some other substance or cloth with which we are unacquainted. If the fine linen of Egypt was such as that which invests the bodies of the mummies, and these in general were persons of the first distinction, and consequently were enveloped in cloth of the finest quality, it was only fine comparatively speaking, Egypt being the only place at that time where such cloth was manufactured. I have often examined the cloth about the bodies of the most splendidly ornamented mummies, and found it sackcloth when compared with the fine Irish linens. As this shesh appears to have been a part of the royal clothing, it was probably both scarce and costly. "By comparing," says Parkhurst, "Exo 25:4, Exo 26:1, with 2Chr 2:14, and Exo 26:31, with 2Chr 3:14, it appears that בוץ buts, cotton, is called שש shesh; and by comparing Exo 28:42, with Exo 39:28, that בד bad, linen, is also called שש shesh; so that shesh seems a name expressive of either of these, from their cheerful vivid whiteness." Put a gold chain about his neck - This was not merely a badge of office. The chain might be intended to point out the union which should subsist between all parts of the government - the king, his ministers, and the people; as also that necessary dependence which they had reciprocally on each other, as well as the connection which must be preserved between the different members of the body politic, and the laws and institutions by which they were to be governed. Its being of gold might be intended to show the excellence, utility, and permanence of a government constituted on wise, just, and equal laws. We are justified in drawing such inferences as these, because in ancient times, in all nations, every thing was made an emblem or representation of some spiritual or moral subject it is strange that, probably without adverting to the reasons, the chain of gold worn about the neck is in different nations an emblem of civil authority.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 41:33-45

Joseph gave good advice to Pharaoh. Fair warning should always be followed by good counsel. God has in his word told us of a day of trial before us, when we shall need all the grace we can have. Now, therefore, provide accordingly. Pharaoh gave Joseph an honourable testimony. He is a man in whom the spirit of God is; and such men ought to be valued. Pharaoh puts upon Joseph marks of honour. He gave him such a name…

Read the full comment on Genesis 41:33-45 →

Genesis 41:42 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֨סַרvai.Ya.sarand he removedH5493
פַּרְעֹ֤הpar.'OhPharaohH6547
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ta.ba'.Tosignet-ring hisH2885
מֵעַ֣לme.'Alfrom onH5921
יָד֔וֹya.Dohand hisH3027
וַיִּתֵּ֥ןvai.yi.Tenand he setH5414
אֹתָ֖הּ'o.Tah<obj.> itH853
עַל\־'al-onH5921
יַ֣דyad[the] hand ofH3027
יוֹסֵ֑ףyo.SefJosephH3130
וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁvai.yal.Beshand he clothedH3847
אֹתוֹ֙'o.To<obj.> himH853
בִּגְדֵי\־big.dei-clothes ofH899
שֵׁ֔שׁSheshfine linenH8336
וַיָּ֛שֶׂםvai.Ya.semand he putH7760
רְבִ֥דre.Vid[the] chain ofH7242
הַזָּהָ֖בha.za.Hav<the> goldH2091
עַל\־'al-onH5921
צַוָּארֽוֹ\׃tza.va.Roneck hisH6677

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 41:42

  • Daniel 5:7

    The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Daniel 5:29

    Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Esther 3:10

    And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.

  • Esther 8:2

    And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

  • Daniel 5:16

    And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Esther 8:15

    And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

  • Esther 8:10

    And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

  • Ezekiel 27:7

    Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.

  • Proverbs 31:22

    She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

  • Song of Solomon 1:10

    Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

  • Esther 3:12

    Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

  • Esther 8:8

    Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his ring.
Es 3:10,12; 6:7-12; 8:2,8,10,15; 10:3; Da 2:46,47; 5:7,29; Lu 15:22
fine linen. or, silk.
Eze 27:7
a gold chain.
Pr 1:9; 31:22,24; So 1:10; Eze 16:10,11; Da 5:7,16,29; Lu 19:16-19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 41:41

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

  • Genesis 41:42

    And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

  • Genesis 41:43

    And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Read all of Genesis 41

Genesis 41:42 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Faraón quitó su anillo de su mano, y púsolo en la mano de José, é hízole vestir de ropas de lino finísimo, y puso un collar de oro en su cuello;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le Pharaon ôta son anneau de sa main, et le mit à la main de Joseph, et il le revêtit de vêtements de byssus, et mit un collier d’or à son cou;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Pharao nahm seinen Siegelring von seiner Hand und tat ihn an die Hand Josephs, und er kleidete ihn in Kleider von Byssus und legte die goldene Kette um seinen Hals.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tulitque annulum de manu sua, et dedit eum in manu ejus: vestivitque eum stola byssina, et collo torquem auream circumposuit.