Genesis 41:21

21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

Genesis 41:21 in Other Translations

21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.

21 But afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up.

21 But you couldn't tell by looking - after eating them up they were just as skinny and ugly as before. Then I woke up.

21 When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up.

Genesis 41:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:21

And when they had eaten them up
Or "were come into their bowels" ^F11, into their inward parts, their bellies, being swallowed and devoured by them: it could not be known that they had eaten them:
or were in their bellies, they seemed never the fuller nor the fatter for them: but they [were] still ill favoured as at the beginning;
looked as thin and as meagre as they did when they first came out of the river, or were first seen by Pharaoh: so I awoke;
surprised at what he had seen; this was his first dream.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 (hnbrq la hnabtw) "et venerunt ad interiora earum", Pagninus, Montanus; "in ventrem istarum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Tigurine version.

Genesis 41:21 In-Context

19 After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.

20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.

21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

22 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk.

23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.