What did Pharaoh mean when he said, "I am Pharaoh"?
Rashbam: The word Pharaoh in Egyptian means 'king.' 1
Rashi: I have the power to make decrees over my kingdom 2 - (and I decree that no one may lift his hand or foot without your permission). 3
Gur Aryeh: Otherwise, what is being added here by the phrase, "I am Pharaoh"?
Gur Aryeh: Rashi is addressing what the connection is between "I am Pharaoh," and, "no one may raise his hand without you [i.e. your consent]." Pharaoh was asserting that he has the power to make decrees; and this is what he has now decreed.
What did Pharaoh mean when he said that without Yosef 's permission, nobody may lift his hand or his foot?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: He meant that carrying a weapon or riding a horse was forbidden without permission from Yosef.
Rashbam: Nobody was allowed to perform anything of importance without Yosef's permission.
Ha'amek Davar: No one may sign anything about the laws of Egypt, or go to war, without Yosef's knowledge, so he will know all appointees, even minor ones, their names and natures. Pharaoh showed that he does not rely on anyone except for Yosef.
On what basis did Pharaoh's wise men agree to the appointment of Yosef as viceroy of Egypt?
Sotah 36b: When Pharaoh said to Yosef "u'Bil'adecha Lo Yarim... ", Pharaoh's astrologers objected - 'Will an Ivri whose master purchased him for twenty silver pieces rule over us"? And when Pharaoh pointed out that he saw signs of Malchus in Yosef, they replied that, in that case he ought to know all seventy languages. 1 The following night, Gavriel came and began to teach Yosef all the languages, but Yosef was unable to master them until Hashem added a 'Hei' from Hashem's Name to his name. 2
As was required by law.
As the Pasuk writes, "Edus bi'Yehosef Samo, be'Tzeiso Al Eretz Mitzrayim, Sefas Lo Yada'ti Eshma" (Tehilim 81:6). See Torah Temimah, note 7. Once Yosef knew the languages, they had to accept him as viceroy.
