New English Translation
Genesis 41:27
27The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent seven years of famine.
Genesis 41:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
- New International Version (NIV)The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.
Context of Genesis 41:27
25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent seven years of famine. 28This is just what I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt.
Read all of Genesis 41Genesis 41:27 word by word
וְשֶׁ֣בַע הַ֠פָּרוֹת הָֽרַקּ֨וֹת וְהָרָעֹ֜ת הָעֹלֹ֣ת אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַֽשִׁבֳּלִים֙ הָרֵק֔וֹת שְׁדֻפ֖וֹת הַקָּדִ֑ים יִהְי֕וּ שֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֥י רָעָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- thinרַקraq · thinH7534
- and ill favouredרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- kineפָּרָהpârâh · heiferH6510
- that came upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- after themאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- emptyרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
- earsשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתshibbôl shibbôleth · earH7641
- blastedשָׁדַףshâdaph · to scorchH7710
- with the east windקָדִיםqâdîym qâdim · eastH6921
- of famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
Cross-references for Genesis 41:27
- 2 Samuel 24:19So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, according to the Lord’s instructions.
- 2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.”
Commentaries on Genesis 41:27
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-57Verses 1-57 - Joseph Was Exalted 1. יאר ye'or “river, canal,” mostly applied to the Nile. Some suppose the word to be Coptic. 2. אחוּ 'āchû “sedge, reed-grass, marsh-grass.” This word is probably Coptic. 8. חרטמים charṭumı̂ym ̓̀ exēgētai ̔͂ hierogrammateis “sacred scribes, hieroglyphs.” חרט chereṭ “stylus,” a graving tool. 43. אברך 'abrēk “bend the knee.” In this sense it is put for הברך habrēk imperative hiphil of ברך bārak Those who take the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-32Verses 9-32 God's time for the enlargement of his people is the fittest time. If the chief butler had got Joseph to be released from prison, it is probable he would have gone back to the land of the Hebrews. Then he had neither been so blessed himself, nor such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he proved. Joseph, when introduced to Pharaoh, gives honour to God. Pharaoh had dreamed that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25-32Both dreams predicted that seven years of abundant crops would be followed by seven years of severe famine.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-3625. Joseph said, ... The dream ... is one--They both pointed to the same event--a remarkable dispensation of seven years of unexampled abundance, to be followed by a similar period of unparalleled dearth. The repetition of the dream in two different forms was designed to show the absolute certainty and speedy arrival of this public crisis; the interpretation was accompanied by several suggestions of practical wisdom for meeting so great an emergency as…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 41:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 41
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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