Genesis 41:56

Genesis 41:56 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
• New International Version (NIV)When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.

Context of Genesis 41:56

54Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 55When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” While the famine was over all the earth, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 57People from every country came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Genesis 41:56 word by word

וְהָרָעָ֣ב הָיָ֔ה עַ֖ל כָּל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶֽת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֣ר לְמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• was over all the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• And Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• openedפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• all the storehouses, and soldשָׁבַרshâbar · to buy grainH7666
• unto the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• waxed soreחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388

Cross-references for Genesis 41:56

• Isaiah 23:17At the end of seventy years the Lord will revive Tyre. She will start making money again by selling her services to all the earth’s kingdoms.
• Zechariah 5:3The speaker went on to say, “This is a curse traveling across the whole earth. For example, according to the curse whoever steals will be removed from the community; or on the other hand (according to the curse) whoever swears falsely will suffer the same fate.”
• Luke 21:35For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.
• Acts 17:26From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,
• Genesis 42:6Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
• Genesis 47:14Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace.

Commentaries on Genesis 41:56

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 56Over all the face of the earth - The original, הארץ פני כל col peney haarets, should be translated, all the face of that land, viz., Egypt, as it is explained at the end of the verse.Read the comment
• 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. 46-57Verses 46-57 In the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph owned the Divine providence. 1. He was made to forget his misery. 2. He was made fruitful in the land of his affliction. The seven plenteous years came, and were ended. We ought to look forward to the end of the days, both of our prosperity and of our opportunity. We must not be secure in prosperity, nor slothful in making good use of opportunity. Years of plenty will end; what thy…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 53-57Joseph’s wisdom paid off, for the seven years of plenty were followed by seven years of severe famine, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food. Joseph had grain to sell to the Egyptians and to people from other countries as well.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 53-5653-56. The seven years of plenteousness ... ended--Over and above the proportion purchased for the government during the years of plenty, the people could still have husbanded much for future use. But improvident as men commonly are in the time of prosperity, they found themselves in want, and would have starved by thousands had not Joseph anticipated and provided for the protracted calamity.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 41:56

• Economics
• Famine
• Government
• Joseph
• Prudence
• Rulers
• Servant
• Seven

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Appoint
• Array
• Cry
• Discreet
• Dungeon
• Empty
• Famine
• Fault

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