Genesis 41:54

54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.

Genesis 41:54 in Other Translations

KJV
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
ESV
54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
NLT
54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food.
MSG
54 and the seven years of famine arrived, just as Joseph had said. All countries experienced famine; Egypt was the only country that had bread.
CSB
54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.

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 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end,
54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Genesis 12:10
  • 2. ver 30; Psalms 105:11; Acts 7:11
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