John Calvin Commentary Genesis 41:8

"And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh." — Genesis 41:8 (ASV)

In the morning his spirit was troubled. A sting was left in Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would know that he had to deal with God. For this anxiety was like an inward seal of the Spirit of God, giving authenticity to the dream, although Pharaoh deserved to be deprived of the advantage of this revelation when he resorted to magicians and soothsayers, who were accustomed to turn the truth of God into a lie.

He was convinced by a secret impulse that the dream sent by God portended something important. But he sought out impostors, who would darken, with their fallacies, the divinely kindled light. Indeed, it is the folly of the human mind to gather to itself leaders and teachers of error.

No doubt Pharaoh believed them to be true prophets. But because he voluntarily closed his eyes and hurried into the snare, his false opinion formed no sufficient excuse for him. Otherwise, people, by merely shutting their eyes, might have some plausible pretext for mocking God with impunity. Indeed, we see many seek protection for themselves in the gross ignorance in which they knowingly and deliberately involve themselves.

Pharaoh, therefore, as far as he was able, deprived himself of the benefit of the prophecy by seeking magicians as its interpreters. Thus, we daily see many lose their hold on the truth because they either cloud their own minds through laziness or too eagerly grasp at false and spurious inventions. But because the Lord intended, at that time, to help the kingdom of Egypt, He drew Pharaoh back from his error, as if by sheer force.

There was none that could interpret. By this remedy, God ensured that the dream would not fail. We know how arrogant and shameless these soothsayers were, and how excessively they boasted. How then did it happen that they gave the king no answer, since they could have deceived in any way a credulous man who willingly allowed himself to be deluded?

Therefore, so that Pharaoh would stop inquiring, he was not allowed to find what he had expected from his magicians. And the Lord so struck dumb the wicked deceivers that they could not even find a specious explanation for the dreams. Moreover, by this method, the king’s anxiety was intensified, because he considered that what had escaped the insight of the magicians must be something very serious and secret.

From this example we are taught that the Lord provides best for us when He removes inducements to error from those of us who wish to be deceived. And we must regard it as a special favor when false prophets are silenced, or their foolishness is somehow revealed to us.

Furthermore, the king might therefore easily understand how frivolous and worthless was the claim to wisdom in which the Egyptians prided themselves above all others, for they boasted that they possessed the science of divination, which (they claimed) ascended above the very heavens. But now, regarding them, the king was without counsel and, disappointed in his hope, was filled with anguish. Nevertheless, he did not awaken enough to shake off his superstition.

Thus we see that people, though admonished, still remain in their lethargy. From this we clearly perceive how inexcusable is the world's obstinacy, which does not stop following those delusions openly condemned as foolishness from heaven.