Title of the kings of Egypt · Genesis to Jeremiah
Pharaoh in the Bible
"Pharaoh" is a title rather than a personal name: it renders an Egyptian phrase meaning "great house", the palace standing for the king who lived in it. Scripture uses it for a whole sequence of rulers across roughly a thousand years — the king who takes Sarai, the king who raises Joseph, the king who enslaves Israel, and later kings named outright, such as Shishak and Neco. In Egypt the pharaoh was held to be divine, which is why the contest of the plagues reads as a contest between gods.
What Scripture says, and what it leaves open
Scripture names only a few Egyptian kings (Shishak, So, Tirhakah, Neco, Hophra). Where it simply says "Pharaoh", the individual is not identified, and any match to a king known from Egyptian records is a historical proposal rather than something the Bible states.
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Verses mentioning Pharaoh
275 occurrences across 235 verses in the King James Version.
These verses cover every use of the title, so they span several different kings.
- Genesis 12:15
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
Read in context - Genesis 12:17
And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
Read in context - Genesis 12:18
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Read in context - Genesis 12:20
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
Read in context - Genesis 37:36
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard. officer: Heb. eunuch: but the word doth signify not only eunuchs, but also chamberlains, courtiers, and officers captain: or, chief marshal: Heb. chief of the slaughter men, or executioners
Read in context - Genesis 39:1
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
Read in context - Genesis 40:2
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
Read in context - Genesis 40:7
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? look: Heb. are your faces evil?
Read in context - Genesis 40:11
And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
Read in context - Genesis 40:13
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. lift: or, reckon
Read in context - Genesis 40:14
But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: think: Heb. remember me with thee
Read in context - Genesis 40:17
And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. bakemeats: Heb. meat of Pharaoh, the work of a baker, or, cook
Read in context - Genesis 40:19
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. lift: or, reckon thee, and take thy office from thee
Read in context - Genesis 40:20
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. lifted: or, reckoned
Read in context - Genesis 40:21
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
Read in context - Genesis 41:1
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Read in context - Genesis 41:4
And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Read in context - Genesis 41:7
And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
Read in context - 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.
Read in context - Genesis 41:9
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
Read in context - Genesis 41:10
Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
Read in context - Genesis 41:14
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. brought: Heb. made him run
Read in context - Genesis 41:15
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. thou: or, when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it
Read in context - Genesis 41:16
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Read in context - Genesis 41:17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
Read in context