Genesis 41:19 - and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.
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What does "Genesis 41:19" mean?
This verse is part of Pharaoh's dream in the Book of Genesis. In his dream, he sees seven healthy, fat cows grazing by the Nile River, followed by seven sickly, thin, and ugly cows. The ugly cows eat the healthy cows.
The verse highlights the stark contrast between the two sets of cattle. The words "poor and very ugly and thin" and "such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness" emphasize the severity of the second group's condition. They are described as being exceptionally unattractive and malnourished, even compared to the normal standards of Egypt.
Symbolically, this verse is a premonition of a severe famine that will follow seven years of abundance. The fat, healthy cows represent the years of plenty, and the ugly, thin cows represent the years of famine that will consume all the surplus food. The ugliness is likely used to further emphasize the severity of the coming famine, suggesting a hardship unlike any Pharaoh has ever seen.
In short, the verse means:
Literal level: The speaker (Pharaoh, in describing his dream) saw seven extremely unattractive and emaciated cows that were unlike any he had ever seen in Egypt.
Symbolic level: This verse foreshadows a time of devastating famine that will follow a period of prosperity. The ugliness and thinness of the cows represent the severity of the coming scarcity and hardship.
Genesis 41:19 - and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.
What does "Genesis 41:19" mean?
This verse is part of Pharaoh's dream in the Book of Genesis. In his dream, he sees seven healthy, fat cows grazing by the Nile River, followed by seven sickly, thin, and ugly cows. The ugly cows eat the healthy cows.
The verse highlights the stark contrast between the two sets of cattle. The words "poor and very ugly and thin" and "such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness" emphasize the severity of the second group's condition. They are described as being exceptionally unattractive and malnourished, even compared to the normal standards of Egypt.
Symbolically, this verse is a premonition of a severe famine that will follow seven years of abundance. The fat, healthy cows represent the years of plenty, and the ugly, thin cows represent the years of famine that will consume all the surplus food. The ugliness is likely used to further emphasize the severity of the coming famine, suggesting a hardship unlike any Pharaoh has ever seen.
In short, the verse means:
Literal level: The speaker (Pharaoh, in describing his dream) saw seven extremely unattractive and emaciated cows that were unlike any he had ever seen in Egypt.
Symbolic level: This verse foreshadows a time of devastating famine that will follow a period of prosperity. The ugliness and thinness of the cows represent the severity of the coming scarcity and hardship.