Genesis 41:19

19 But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:19

And, behold, seven other kine
Here some addition is made: these are said not only to be very ill favoured, and leanfleshed, (See Gill on Genesis 41:3), but poor,
thin, meagre, exhausted of their flesh and strength through some disease upon them, or want of food: and it follows, what was not before expressed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt, for badness;
so poor, so lean, and so ill favoured; for whatever might be seen in other countries, never were such seen in Egypt, which was famous for good cattle.

Genesis 41:19 In-Context

17 So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River,

18 and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.

19 But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt.

20 These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows.

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