Genesis 41:54

54 Then came the first of the seven years of need as Joseph had said: and in every other land they were short of food; but in the land of Egypt there was bread.

Genesis 41:54 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:54

And the seven years of dearth began to come, as Joseph had
said
In the interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams; as soon as the seven years of plenty were over, there were quickly some appearances of the famine coming on; as particularly the river Nile not flowing to its usual height at the season of it; hence there was a drought, the earth was parched, and everything began to wither and decay, and the seed that was sown sprung not up: and the dearth was in all lands;
adjoining to Egypt, as Syria, Arabia, Palestine, Canaan but in all the land of Egypt there was bread;
which was in the hands of everyone, and remained of their old stores in the years of plenty not yet exhausted, and which continued for some time after the dearth began. It is very probable that to this seven years' drought in Egypt Ovid ^F20 refers, which he makes to be nine; as does also Apollodorus {u}.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F20 "Dicitur Aegyptus caruisse juvantibus arva Imbribus, atque annis sicca fuisse novem." --Ovid de Artc Amandi, l. 1. ver. 647.
F21 De Deor Orig. l. 2. p. 104.

Genesis 41:54 In-Context

52 And to the second he gave the name Ephraim, for he said, God has given me fruit in the land of my sorrow.

53 And so the seven good years in Egypt came to an end.

54 Then came the first of the seven years of need as Joseph had said: and in every other land they were short of food; but in the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was in need of food, the people came crying to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to the people, Go to Joseph, and whatever he says to you, do it.

56 And everywhere on the earth they were short of food; then Joseph, opening all his store-houses, gave the people of Egypt grain for money; so great was the need of food in the land of Egypt.