וַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַחֲרֵ֨י הוֹדִ֧יעַ אֱלֹהִ֛ים אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶת־כָּל־זֹ֑את אֵין־נָב֥וֹן וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃

Pharaoh said to Joseph: After God has disclosed all this to you, there is no one as insightful and wise as you. Pharaoh was deeply impressed by Joseph. Perhaps Joseph’s appearance contributed to this, as he appeared in civilian clothes and presumably, by that point, spoke fluent Egyptian. Like most of those who had encountered Joseph, Pharaoh recognized his wisdom and potential, and he realized that Joseph merited even divinely inspired insight.

אַתָּה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כָּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

Consequently, Pharaoh authorized Joseph to act in accordance with his interpretation and suggestions: You will be in charge of my house, and all my people shall be sustained [ yishak ] at your directive . Alternatively, this may be interpreted to mean that the people would be able to bear arms only at Joseph’s directive. Yet another interpretation is that all would come to kiss him, as everyone would honor and admire Joseph and would be subservient to him. These latter interpretations are based on different meanings of the root nun - shin - kuf , which can mean “weapon” or “kiss.” Pharaoh further states: Although your authority is limited to a specific matter, due to its vital nature, only the throne will I make too great for you. I shall not relinquish the throne, but I will empower you to as great an extent as possible.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Pharaoh said to Joseph: See, I have set you over the entire land of Egypt. You are in charge of all of Egypt with regard to these matters.

וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃

Pharaoh removed his signet ring from upon his hand. Since the signet ring contained an official seal, its transfer to Joseph was a significant step in his empowerment. And he placed it upon Joseph’s hand; once Joseph was granted his position of authority, he dressed him in garments of linen, and he placed a gold chain on his neck.

וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

He had him ride in the alternate chariot that he had, the chariot he would use when the king’s regular chariot was unavailable. Pharaoh kept his personal chariot exclusively for himself. And they cried before him: Kneel. When Joseph traveled in his chariot, all were obliged to kneel before him. And he was set over the entire land of Egypt. Pharaoh formally and publicly announced that Joseph was in charge of all of Egypt.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Pharaoh summarized the matter and said to Joseph: I am Pharaoh, descendant of the gods, ruler and governor, and yet, beyond that, without you no man shall lift his hand or his foot in the entire land of Egypt. You have full authority over everything that is done in the land.

וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֣ה שֵׁם־יוֹסֵף֮ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵחַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Tzafenat Paneah; and as Joseph was now an important figure, Pharaoh arranged for him to be married: He gave him Asenat, daughter of Poti Fera, priest of On, as a wife. Joseph came out over the land of Egypt; he traversed the land as its ruler and began to organize its internal affairs.

וְיוֹסֵף֙ בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעָמְד֕וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיַּעְבֹ֖ר בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Joseph was thirty years old as he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Thirteen years had passed since his original dreams, due to which he was sold and exiled from his land (37:2). Since that time his status had changed beyond recognition. Joseph came out from before Pharaoh, and he passed through the entire land of Egypt in order to put into practice his advice to Pharaoh.

וַתַּ֣עַשׂ הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע לִקְמָצִֽים׃

The earth produced, during the seven years of plenty, in abundance [ kematzim ]. The grains of a single stalk amounted to a handful [ kometz ], or several handfuls. Alternatively, some explain that this means that the earth produced enough to fill the storehouses. In any event, the verse expresses the fact that the yield of the land was extensive.

וַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ אֶת־כָּל־אֹ֣כֶל ׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּתֶּן־אֹ֖כֶל בֶּעָרִ֑ים אֹ֧כֶל שְׂדֵה־הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִיבֹתֶ֖יהָ נָתַ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃

He, Joseph, gathered all the food of the seven years that was in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities; he placed the food of the fields that was around the city in it. In every city Joseph stored the produce that grew in its environs, both in order to keep the produce in the local climate to which it was accustomed, and also because each city could estimate accurately the amount of produce required for its inhabitants.

וַיִּצְבֹּ֨ר יוֹסֵ֥ף בָּ֛ר כְּח֥וֹל הַיָּ֖ם הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד עַ֛ד כִּי־חָדַ֥ל לִסְפֹּ֖ר כִּי־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

Joseph amassed grain like the sand of the sea, very much, until one stopped counting as it was without number. An enormous amount of produce grew each year. It is possible that this verse should be understood literally: At first they tried keeping records, but eventually they gave up, overwhelmed by the sheer mass of produce.

וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלַּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן׃

Two sons were born to Joseph during the years of plenty before the advent of the year of the famine, who were born to him by Asenat, daughter of Poti Fera, priest of On.

וַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, as he felt: God has made me forget [ nashani ] all my toil, my suffering and hardship, and the trouble of my father’s entire house, from which I suffered for many years, as I am now a new person.

וְאֵ֛ת שֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י קָרָ֣א אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עָנְיִֽי׃

He called the name of the second son Efraim, as he said: Not only have I forgotten my suffering, but now God has made me fruitful [ hifrani ] in that I have become successful and risen to prominence in the land of my affliction.