Genesis 41:3

3 Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank.

Genesis 41:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:3

And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the
river, ill favoured, and leanfleshed
Thin and haggard, their bones stuck out, having scarce any flesh upon them, and made a wretched figure: and stood by the [other] kine;
and looked so much the worse, when compared with them: upon the brink of the river;
it not being overflowed, so that there was no grass to be had, but just upon the bank, where these kept for that purpose; for the fruitfulness of Egypt was owing to the river Nile; as that overflowed or did not, there was plenty or famine; hence both these sorts of creatures came up out of that.

Genesis 41:3 In-Context

1 Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

2 In his dream he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.

3 Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank.

4 Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.

5 But he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk.