"Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.””
Here Pharaoh immediately calls to have Joseph brought to him because he had heard from the chief cup bearer that Joseph had accurately interpreted both his dream and the dream of the chief baker. So Joseph was brought out of the ‘dungeon’ (where he had been falsely held for the past thirteen years) that he might interpret the Pharaoh's dream. Now because the Egyptians always kept their faces shaved and wore nice clothes, they immediately had Joseph shaved and gave him appropriate attire to wear, before they brought him to Pharaoh who was anxious to understand his dreams.
As we can see in our text, Pharaoh tells Joseph he has heard of his ability to interpret dreams. However Joseph immediately tells Pharaoh that this ability is not in him, but that it comes from God. This response shows the humility that now has been worked into his life from the Lord as a result of his thirteen years in prison. Previously, when just a boy Joseph had dreamed dreams about himself and the fact that one day he would be exalted above his brothers, but at that point in his life, Joseph was a bit haughty and arrogant which got him into trouble. Now however, time and his many trials have tempered his character and squashed his pride.
As the story continues in verses 17-32 we see Pharaoh recounting his dreams to Joseph and Joseph interpreting them for him; 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine. Then Joseph says to the Pharaoh, as a result of what God had revealed to him that would happen (7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine), he should appoint a discerning and wise man to oversee the storing up of grain for the seven years of abundance, and the distribution of it during the 7 years of famine. So, not only does Joseph accurately interpret these dreams for Pharaoh, he is also gives him a word of wisdom.
Pharaoh then tells Joseph that since God had informed him of all of these things, that he realized that there was no one in all of his kingdom who was more ‘discerning and wise’ as Joseph. He then tells Joseph that he is appointing him over everyone and everything in his kingdom, and that no one will be greater than Joseph, except for Pharaoh himself.
Obviously this dream had been given to Pharaoh for a reason. He was to be used as an instrument of God to spare those in the middle east, the nation of Israel, and "people from all over the earth" from starvation. And in so doing, preserving the Messianic line. And, Joseph's freedom and new position in the Egyptian government were his reward for his great faith. Once again proving His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts.
The Truth: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
