Genesis 41:54

54 The seven years of scarcity, which Joseph had foretold, began to come: and the famine prevailed in the whole world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.

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}.

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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 he named the second Ephraim, saying: God hath made me to grow in the land of my poverty.

53 Now when the seven years of plenty that had been in Egypt were passed:

54 The seven years of scarcity, which Joseph had foretold, began to come: and the famine prevailed in the whole world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.

55 And when there also they began to be famished, the people cried to Pharao, for food. And he said to them: Go to Joseph: and do all that he shall say to you.

56 And the famine increased daily in all the land: and Joseph opened all the barns, and sold to the Egyptians: for the famine had oppressed them also.