Genesis 41:3

3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, {ugly and gaunt}, and they stood beside those cows on the bank of the Nile.

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 And it happened [that] after {two full years} Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.

2 And behold, seven cows, {well built and fat}, were coming up from the Nile, and they grazed among the reeds.

3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, {ugly and gaunt}, and they stood beside those cows on the bank of the Nile.

4 And the {ugly and gaunt} cows ate the seven {well built and fat} cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time, and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were coming out of one stalk.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "Poor of appearance and thin of flesh"
• [b] Or "the"