Genesis 41:54

54 Then the seven years of hunger began, just as Joseph had said. In all the lands people had nothing to eat, but in 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}.

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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 Joseph named the second son Ephraimn and said, "God has given me children in the land of my troubles."

53 The seven years of good crops came to an end in the land of Egypt.

54 Then the seven years of hunger began, just as Joseph had said. In all the lands people had nothing to eat, but in Egypt there was food.

55 The time of hunger became terrible in all of Egypt, and the people cried to the king for food. He said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."

56 The hunger was everywhere in that part of the world. And Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the people of Egypt, because the time of hunger became terrible in Egypt.