Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 41:42

"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;" — Genesis 41:42 (ASV)

His ring. —Hebrew: his signet ring. As decrees became law when stamped with the royal signet, it was naturally the symbol of authority; and so with us, at the formation of a ministry, the great seal is formally delivered into the hands of the highest legal personage in the realm, who is thus invested with power.

Vestures of fine linen. —The word used here is Egyptian, shesh, and signifies a kind of flax from which linen of great fineness and whiteness was made. Much of the dress of the Levitical priests was to be made of this flax, called in Hebrew byssus (Exodus 39:28 and following).

In the East, it is usual on all occasions of showing royal favour to give changes of garments. But there is here the further significance that, as this fine white linen was the special dress of the king and the priests, its bestowal indicated Joseph’s admission into the ruling classes of Egypt.

Probably, as he married a priest’s daughter, he was himself also previously enrolled among the ranks of the priesthood.

A gold chain. —This also appears on the monuments as one of the royal insignia. Ancient necklaces of such exquisite workmanship have been discovered in Egypt that patterns copied from them are common now at the chief jewellers.