Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 41:44

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

Verse 44. I am Pharaoh] The same as if he had said, I am the king; for Pharaoh was the common title of the sovereigns of Egypt.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I am Pharaoh, i.e. I only am the king, I reserve to myself the sovereign power over thee, and over all. As the name of Caesar among the Romans was commonly used for the emperor, so the name of Pharaoh for the king. Or thus, I have the supreme power, and therefore as I have authority to give thee the following power, so I will make it good to thee, and oblige all my people to observe and obey thee. No man shall do any thing in the public affairs of the kingdom concerning matters of war or peace without thy commission or licence.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

44. These ceremonies ofinvestiture were closed in usual form by the king in council solemnlyratifying the appointment.

I am Pharaoh, and withoutthee, &c.a proverbial mode of expression for great power.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh,…. Or I am king, which the word Pharaoh signifies, as Josephus z says; and that this is not a proper name, but a title of office, seems plain from these words; and the sense either is, that though Pharaoh had raised Joseph to such high honour and dignity, yet he alone was king: or this he said to show his power and authority to do what he had done, and would stand by him, and support him in his office and grandeur:

and without thee shall not a man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt; which is to be taken not in a strict literal sense, but proverbially, signifying, that nothing should be done in the nation of any moment or importance, relating to political affairs, but what was by his order and authority; the hands and feet being the principal instruments of action. The Targum of Jonathan is,

“without thy word (or order) a man shall not lift up his hand to gird on armour, or his foot to mount a horse;”

signifying thereby, that all things relating to war and peace should be altogether under his direction.

z Antiqu. l. 8. c. 6. sect. 2.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

“ I am Pharaoh, ” he said to him, “ and without thee shall no man lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt; ” i.e., I am the actual king, and thou, the next to me, shalt rule over all my people.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Gen 41:44. I am Pharaoh That is, I reserve to myself only the title of Pharaoh or King; thou shalt possess the whole power; or, rather, I am Pharaoh; I retain the dignity, and first place, as king; thou shalt be absolute and independent of all others but me. Some understand it as an oath; so true as I am Pharaoh, I swear by my name and my sceptre.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Gen 41:44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

Ver. 44. I am Pharaoh. ] Of a root ( ) that signifieth to make bare, because, say some, he was to be bared – that is, sifted and manifested by Joseph.

Without thee shall no man lift up his hand. ] And yet the Egyptians, in Seneca’s time, however, were a proud peremptory people, apt to cast contempt and contumely upon their governors, were they never so upright and unblamable. a Joseph had said, Without me, God shall answer Pharaoh; and now he heareth, Without thee shall no man, &c.

a Aegyptus loquax et ingeniosa in contumeliam praefectorum provincia: in qua qui vitaverit culpam, non effugit infamiam. – Seneca.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)