The Meaning of Genesis 41:42 Explained

Genesis 41:42

KJV: 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;

YLT: And 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,

Darby: And 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.

ASV: And 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;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Genesis 41:42 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 41:42 mean?

And took Pharaoh - his signet ring off his hand and put it on hand of Joseph and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a chain gold around his neck
וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־ טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־ יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־ שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־ צַוָּארֽוֹ

וַיָּ֨סַר  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
פַּרְעֹ֤ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙  his  signet  ring 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: טַבַּעַת  
Sense: ring, signet, signet ring.
מֵעַ֣ל  off 
Parse: Preposition-m
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.
יָד֔וֹ  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וַיִּתֵּ֥ן  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יַ֣ד  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יוֹסֵ֑ף  of  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ  and  he  clothed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
בִּגְדֵי־  in  garments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
שֵׁ֔שׁ  of  fine  linen 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁשׁ 
Sense: something bleached white, byssus, linen, fine linen.
וַיָּ֛שֶׂם  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
רְבִ֥ד  a  chain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רָבִיד  
Sense: chain (ornament for neck—necklace).
הַזָּהָ֖ב  gold 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
עַל־  around 
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.
צַוָּארֽוֹ  his  neck 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צַוָּאר 
Sense: neck, back of neck.