Genesis 41:43

43 and Pharaoh made Joseph to go upon his second chariot (and Pharaoh had Joseph ride upon his second chariot), while a beadle cried, that all men should kneel before him, and should know that he was (the) sovereign of all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:43 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:43

And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had,
&c.] By which it appeared that he was next to Pharaoh, but not above him; as kings were wont to have more chariots than one, those were distinguished by first, second being of greater state the one than the other, see ( 2 Chronicles 35:24 ) : and they cried before him, bow the knee;
that is, his guard that attended him, when he rode out in his chariot, called to the people, as they passed along, to bow the knee to Joseph, as a token of veneration and respect; or they proclaimed him "Abrech", which Onkelos paraphrases, this is the father of the king; and so Jarchi, who observes, that "Rech" signifies a king in the Syriac language; and this agrees with what Joseph himself says, that God had made him a father to Pharaoh, ( Genesis 45:8 ) . Others render it a tender father; and the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem take in both senses,

``this is the father of the king, (or let the father of the king live, so the Jerusalem,) who is great in wisdom, and tender in years:''

though rather he may be so called, because he acted the part of a tender father to the country, in providing corn for them against a time of scarcity: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt;
appointed him to be governor of the whole land, and invested him with that office, and made him appear to be so, by the grandeur he raised him to.

Genesis 41:43 In-Context

41 And again Pharaoh said to Joseph, Lo! I have ordained thee on all the land of Egypt. (And so Pharaoh said to Joseph, Lo! I ordain thee on all the land of Egypt.)

42 And Pharaoh took (off) the ring from his hand, and gave it in the hand of Joseph (and put it on Joseph's finger), and he clothed Joseph with a stole of bis, or of white silk, and he put a golden wreath about his neck;

43 and Pharaoh made Joseph to go upon his second chariot (and Pharaoh had Joseph ride upon his second chariot), while a beadle cried, that all men should kneel before him, and should know that he was (the) sovereign of all the land of Egypt.

44 And the king said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, (and) without thy behest no man shall stir hand either foot in all the land of Egypt.

45 And Pharaoh turned the name of Joseph, and called him by the Egyptian language, The Saviour of the World (And Pharaoh changed Joseph's name, and called him in the Egyptian language, Zaphnathpaaneah); and he gave to Joseph a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of Heliopolis, that is, The City of the Sun. And so Joseph went out (in)to the land of Egypt.