Genesis 41:27 - The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine.
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What does "Genesis 41:27" mean?
This verse, from the Bible's Book of Genesis, is part of Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. It directly links the two sets of images in Pharaoh's dream to seven years of famine:
"The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years..." This refers to the second group of cows Pharaoh saw in his dream - sickly, gaunt cattle that devoured the healthy, fat cattle. Joseph interprets this to mean seven years.
"...and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine." The second image in Pharaoh's dream was of withered, thin grain that had been scorched by the east wind. Joseph interprets this as another representation of the same seven years of famine.
In simple terms, the verse means:
The seven unhealthy cows represent seven years of hardship.
The seven withered heads of grain also represent those same seven years of hardship.
These seven years will be characterized by a severe famine - a widespread scarcity of food. The "east wind" often symbolized destruction and hardship in that time and culture. The grain was not just empty, but ruined.
In the narrative context:
This verse is crucial because it confirms that Pharaoh's two dreams, though containing different imagery, pointed to the same future event: a seven-year period of severe famine. This knowledge allowed Joseph to advise Pharaoh on how to prepare for the famine and avert disaster for Egypt and surrounding lands.
Genesis 41:27 - The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine.
What does "Genesis 41:27" mean?
This verse, from the Bible's Book of Genesis, is part of Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. It directly links the two sets of images in Pharaoh's dream to seven years of famine:
"The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years..." This refers to the second group of cows Pharaoh saw in his dream - sickly, gaunt cattle that devoured the healthy, fat cattle. Joseph interprets this to mean seven years.
"...and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine." The second image in Pharaoh's dream was of withered, thin grain that had been scorched by the east wind. Joseph interprets this as another representation of the same seven years of famine.
In simple terms, the verse means:
The seven unhealthy cows represent seven years of hardship.
The seven withered heads of grain also represent those same seven years of hardship.
These seven years will be characterized by a severe famine - a widespread scarcity of food. The "east wind" often symbolized destruction and hardship in that time and culture. The grain was not just empty, but ruined.
In the narrative context:
This verse is crucial because it confirms that Pharaoh's two dreams, though containing different imagery, pointed to the same future event: a seven-year period of severe famine. This knowledge allowed Joseph to advise Pharaoh on how to prepare for the famine and avert disaster for Egypt and surrounding lands.