Genesis 41:54

Genesis 41:54 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
• New International Version (NIV)and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

Context of Genesis 41:54

52Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.” 53At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end. Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food. 55Eventually, however, the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.” 56So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:54 word by word

וַתְּחִלֶּ֜ינָה שֶׁ֣בַע שְׁנֵ֤י הָרָעָב֙ לָב֔וֹא כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣אֲרָצ֔וֹת וּבְכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם הָ֥יָה לָֽחֶם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of dearthרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
• to comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• according as Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• had saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• was in all landsאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• there was breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899

Cross-references for Genesis 41:54

• Genesis 41:3Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank.
• Genesis 45:11I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”
• Psalms 105:16He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply.
• Acts 7:11“But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food.
• Genesis 41:30But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land.
• Genesis 42:2I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”
• Genesis 43:1But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan.
• Genesis 47:13Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan.

Commentaries on Genesis 41:54

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 54The seven years of dearth began to come - Owing in Egypt to the Nile not rising more than twelve or thirteen cubits; (See Clarke on Genesis 41:31; (note)); but there must have been other causes which affected other countries, not immediately dependent on the Nile, though remotely connected with Egypt and Canaan. The dearth was in all lands - All the countries dependent on the Nile. And it appears that a general drought had taken place, at least through…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 41:54

• Economics
• Famine
• Frugality
• 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