Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 41:40

"thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou." — Genesis 41:40 (ASV)

Over my house. —The chief over the palace was in ancient times next in power to the sovereign, and under the Frankish kings, the “major domi,” or mayor of the palace, first usurped the whole royal power, and finally Pepin, the son of Charles Martel, took the name of king as well as the reality.

According to your word shall all my people be ruled. —The general sense is easy, namely that all the people of Egypt should obey Joseph’s orders, but the translation of the phrase is difficult. The ordinary meaning of the verb is to kiss, and the translation would then be And on your mouth shall all my people kiss; that is, they shall do you homage (1 Samuel 10:1; Psalms 2:12).

The versions seem to have taken this sense, though they translate very loosely: “shall obey you;” or “shall receive judgment at your mouth;” or “shall be governed by you.” However, as in 1 Chronicles 12:2; 2 Chronicles 17:17; Psalms 78:9, the verb is used of bearing arms, Aben-Ezra translates “shall arm themselves,” and supposes that Joseph was made commander-in-chief. Others, again, form the verb used here from the same root as that which would give meshek in Genesis 15:2 the meaning of “running about,” and translate: at your mouth, that is, according to your command, shall all my people busy themselves. The first is the most natural and probable rendering.

In the throne. —Hebrew, as to the throne, in all that concerns my royal rank, dignity, and rights.