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.

Geographic context

Where Pharaoh belongs on the map

Open Pharaoh on the interactive mapReal terrain, nearby places, journeys and passages

Key passages

Read the first mention — Genesis 41:25Search every form of “Pharaoh”

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.

  1. Genesis 41:25

    And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

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  2. Genesis 41:28

    This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

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  3. Genesis 41:32

    And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. established: or, prepared of God

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  4. Genesis 41:33

    Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

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  5. Genesis 41:34

    Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. officers: or, overseers

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  6. Genesis 41:35

    And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

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  7. Genesis 41:37

    And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

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  8. Genesis 41:38

    And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

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  9. Genesis 41:39

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

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  10. Genesis 41:41

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

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  11. Genesis 41:42

    And Pharaoh took off his 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; fine: or, silk

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  12. Genesis 41:44

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

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  13. Genesis 41:45

    And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. Zaphnathpaaneah: which in the Coptic signifies, A revealer of secrets, or, The man to whom secrets are revealed priest: or, prince

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  14. Genesis 41:46

    And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

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  15. Genesis 41:55

    And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

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  16. Genesis 42:15

    Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

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  17. Genesis 42:16

    Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. kept: Heb. bound

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  18. Genesis 44:18

    Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

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  19. Genesis 45:2

    And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. wept: Heb. gave forth his voice in weeping

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  20. Genesis 45:8

    So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

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  21. Genesis 45:16

    And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. pleased: Heb. was good in the eyes of Pharaoh

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  22. Genesis 45:17

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

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  23. Genesis 45:21

    And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. commandment: Heb. mouth

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  24. Genesis 46:5

    And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

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  25. Genesis 46:31

    And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;

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