The Meaning of Genesis 41:43 Explained

Genesis 41:43

KJV: 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.

YLT: and causeth him to ride in the second chariot which he hath, and they proclaim before him, 'Bow the knee!' and -- to put him over all the land of Egypt.

Darby: And he caused him to ride in the second chariot that he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee! and he set him over all the land of Egypt.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 41:43 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 41:37-57 - Joseph, Exalted, Prepares For Famine
The Spirit of God was evidently in Joseph, but so far from rendering him a mere visionary, it made him eminently practical. Have your visions of God, but descend from your housetop to answer the men who knock at your door! See Acts 10:1-48. In this story we see reflected the glories of our Lord, who was raised to the throne, to become a Prince and a Savior, the Giver of the Bread of Life to the perishing souls of men. But He sells without money and without price! Joseph's marriage to an Egyptian bride reminds us of our Lord's union with the Gentile Church, on the significance of which Paul so strenuously insists. If you live for God, He will see to your interests. Such joy will be yours that you will forget your sorrows (Manasseh) and become fruitful in the land of affliction (Ephraim). [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 41

1  Pharaoh has two dreams
9  Joseph interprets them
33  He gives Pharaoh counsel, and is highly advanced, and married
46  The seven years of plenty
50  He begets children
53  The famine begins

What do the individual words in Genesis 41:43 mean?

And he had ride him in chariot the second which he had And they cried out before him Bow the knee so he set over all the land of Egypt
וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו ! אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן עַ֖ל כָּל־ אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם

וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב  And  he  had  ride 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת  in  chariot 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙  the  second 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁנֶה  
Sense: double, copy, second, repetition.
ל֔וֹ  he  had 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ  And  they  cried  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לְפָנָ֖יו  before  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
! אַבְרֵ֑ךְ  Bow  the  knee 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַבְרֵךְ  
Sense: (meaning dubious)—a shout made to announce Joseph’s chariot.
וְנָת֣וֹן  so  he  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
עַ֖ל  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֶ֥רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.