Genesis 41:40

Thou shalt be over my house.

The language that follows shows that Joseph was elevated to the position known under Oriental despotic monarchs as Grand Vizier, the next officer to the king, and absolute over all the king's subjects as long as he retains office. The vicissitudes in his life were remarkable; until seventeen he was the favorite son of. nomadic chieftain; then thirteen years were passed in slavery; of these probably three were spent in prison; at thirty he had ascended from the prison to. seat next to the most powerful throne then in the world. It is worthy of note that thirty was the age of Hebrew manhood, that at which. priest entered upon office; that at which Christ began his ministry.... The sudden elevation of Joseph was remarkable, but not unexampled in Oriental countries where all depended on the caprice of the monarch. Later Roman history furnishes several examples of men who were born slaves and became prime ministers. Maillet, in his letters from Egypt, mentions that when he was in that country. slave was raised to the rank of prince. Niebuhr relates the case of another ruler who made in his time eighteen prime ministers, eight of whom had before been his slaves.