In a highly public and striking moment, a forgotten prisoner was suddenly presented to an entire nation as the sole ruler of the Egyptian empire. This dramatic transformation was cemented through powerful visual and auditory symbols of authority designed to establish his absolute power.
He was paraded in a special chariot, though commentators differ on exactly what this vehicle represented. One perspective suggests it was the king's own secondary chariot, perhaps a backup or one that traveled immediately beside the monarch's primary carriage [רש"י, גור אריה, ברטנורא, ביאור שטיינזלץ, הטור הארוך, מזרחי]. Alternatively, the description might refer to his new rank as deputy, meaning this was the specific transport reserved for the second most important person in the kingdom [רמב"ן, רד"ק, רשב"ם, רלב"ג, שד"ל]. The actual nature of the transport is also debated; it may have been a royal horse or mule that he rode directly [רשב"ם, ביאור יש"ר], or a magnificent carriage pulled by a team of horses [אבן עזרא, רד"ק, הדר זקנים]. On a mystical level, this vehicle hints at the spiritual status of the minister of Egypt, who is second to the supreme chariot of God [רקנאטי].
As he traveled, a loud public declaration preceded him. The primary approach among commentators is that this cry was a command for the masses to bend their knees and bow before him, signaling their absolute submission to his new rule [אבן עזרא, ספורנו, רד"ק, רלב"ג, ביאור יש"ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ, שד"ל, הטור הארוך, מחוקקי יהודה]. Others suggest the cry served as an official title of honor, declaring him the father and advisor to the king, drawing from ancient languages where the second part of the declaration denoted a ruler [רש"י, רשב"ם, רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, בכור שור]. A well-known Midrashic interpretation views this call as a reflection of his unique character: a "father" in profound wisdom, yet soft and young in years [רש"י, רבנו בחיי, פרדס יוסף]. Additional views propose that it was simply a local Egyptian instruction to bow the head [שד"ל], or an announcement that he was the man destined to bring blessing into the land [הכתב והקבלה].
The coronation concluded with an official, public announcement cementing his authority over the entire kingdom [ספורנו, אור החיים, רבנו בחיי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The outward displays of riding in the royal vehicle and the herald's calls were not merely honorary gestures. They were highly practical tools designed to broadcast the royal decree and firmly plant the recognition of his new authority into the hearts of the people. Through these grand public acts, a man who was recently an imprisoned slave was undeniably established and accepted by the public as their new leader [הכתב והקבלה].