Read Genesis 41:1-57 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph division
Gen 41:1-44:17 {s} Joseph the overseer
Original Hebrew
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it.” Gen 41:15
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are:” Gen 41:39
understand
Strong’s H8085, shama, a primitive root meaning “to hear, to listen and attend, to hear and answer, to obey or give heed.” The ancient Hebrew pictographs are the shin + mem + ayin:
shin = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
mem = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
ayin = the eye, thus watch, know, shade
The story the pictographs are telling is of breath passing through the front teeth (shin) expelling water (mem) as vapor from the body. When we listen, we breathe intently as we focus on what is being said so that we can comprehend it (ayin). In the Hebraic worldview, shama, to listen, is an active and not a passive verb. If we hear what is said but do not act on or respond to what is said, then we have not heard at all. This is why shama includes an implication of obedience as Deu 6:4 indicates.
discreet
Strong’s H995, biyn, a primitive root meaning “to distinguish, to separate.” The ancient Hebrew pictographs are the bet + yud + nun:
bet = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
yud = the closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
nun = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
This word is derived from the same root as ben, “son.” The birth of a son means that the family (ben) will continue (nun). Thus the verb form means “to build.” The noun form means “tent panel.” from The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon:
“The tent was constructed of woven goat hair. Over time the sun bleaches and weakens the goat hair necessitating their continual replacement. Each year the women make a new panel, approximately 3 feet wide and the length of the tent. The old panel is removed (being recycled into a[n internal] wall or floor) and the new strip is added to the tent. Since the tent is only replaced one small piece at a time the tent essentially lasts forever.”
Building a tent of goat hair panels is a parable for building a house of sons. The abstract concept is “intelligence” or “understanding.” Without intelligence, skill, and understanding, one cannot accomplish the work (yud) of building (ben + nun) – either a family or a house, a structure.
A related cognate is “blueprint.” A builder builds according to the blueprint in order to construct a solid house. A husband and wife build a home according to the blueprint, the Word of God, in order to establish a solid family. He who has discretion is he who is able to build, to continue, successfully.
wise
Strong’s H2450, chakam, from Strong’s H2449, chakam, a primitive root meaning “to be wise.” The ancient pictographs are the chet + kaph + mem:
chet = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
kaph = the open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
mem = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
The story the pictographs are telling is to rightly divide (chet) that which benefits (kaph) from that which causes chaos (mem), good from bad, truth from error, friend from foe.
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