Genesis 41:19 kjv

And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

Genesis 41:19 nkjv

Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:19 niv

After them, seven other cows came up?scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:19 esv

Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:19 nlt

But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I've never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 19 Meaning

Genesis 41:19 describes the second part of Pharaoh's dream, wherein he beholds seven other cows that emerged after the first healthy ones. These cows are strikingly described as "poor, very gaunt, and lean," so dreadfully deteriorated that Pharaoh declares he had "never seen" such badness in all the land of Egypt. This vivid portrayal signifies an unprecedented, severe, and catastrophic period of scarcity and famine that would completely devastate the nation's usual prosperity, contrasting sharply with the prior abundance.

Genesis 41 19 Context

Genesis 41:19 is part of Pharaoh's recounting his troubling dream to Joseph. This dream profoundly disturbed Pharaoh and bewildered his wisemen and magicians. The chapter initiates with Pharaoh's distress, describes Joseph's divine appointment for interpretation, the dreams themselves, and Joseph's Spirit-filled wisdom in interpreting them, advising Pharaoh, and being subsequently elevated. Pharaoh's dream comprises two distinct yet parallel sequences: seven fat cows and seven full ears of grain, followed by seven gaunt cows and seven blighted ears. Verse 19 depicts the second set of cows, emphasizing their shocking lack of health and robustness.

Historically and culturally, ancient Egypt was known for its fertility, dependent on the annual inundation of the Nile. For a pharaoh to declare that he had "never seen" such "badness" of livestock implies an extreme, unprecedented deviation from the norm, indicating a calamity far beyond natural cycles. Dreams were highly regarded as divine omens in Egyptian culture, lending immense weight to this vision. Joseph's interpretation not only provided meaning but also a strategic divine solution to a problem that defied human experience and understanding, setting the stage for the preservation of Egypt and, ultimately, the fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham through his descendants.

Genesis 41 19 Word analysis

• Then, behold, (וְהִנֵּה): "Hinne," a Hebrew interjection meaning "behold" or "look," draws immediate attention to the following revelation. It signifies something important, surprising, or an immediate focus on a critical detail in the narrative or dream. Here, it underscores the sudden and stark change in Pharaoh's dream vision.

• seven other cows (שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת): "Sheva parot acherot." The repetition of "seven cows" immediately links this set to the previous, healthy seven, establishing a clear thematic parallel. "Other" highlights their distinct and opposing nature, setting up the direct contrast vital for interpretation.

• came up after them (עָלוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן): The act of "coming up" from the river signifies their emergence from the source of Egypt's life and prosperity, making their dreadful condition even more impactful, as the life-giving Nile itself produced such wretchedness.

• poor (דַּלּוֹת): "Dallot" means weak, lean, thin, or low in status. Here, it denotes extreme physical deterioration, not merely thinness, but a depleted, unhealthy, almost skeletal state, suggesting sickness and depletion beyond simple hunger.

• and very gaunt and lean (וְרָעוֹת מְאֹד וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר): "Ra'ot me'od u'daqqot basar."

  • very gaunt (וְרָעוֹת מְאֹד - w'ra'ōt m'ōd): "Ra'ot" (from ra) means evil, bad, ill-favored, or distressing. The doubled "me'od" (very, exceedingly) provides intense emphasis, signifying an extreme, absolute "badness" that is beyond measure.
  • lean (וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר - u'daqqōt bāsār): "Daqqot basar" translates as "thin of flesh," literally "crushed/fine flesh." This specifically describes their emaciated physical condition, emphasizing visible bone structure through sparse muscle and fat, pointing to advanced starvation or disease.

• such as I had never seen (לֹא־רָאִיתִי כָהֵן): "Lo ra'iti kahen." Pharaoh's hyperbolic declaration that he had "never seen" such wretchedness indicates the extraordinary nature of the impending crisis. This is not a typical famine but an unprecedented, divinely orchestrated calamity. It points to a situation beyond human historical experience or capacity to anticipate.

• in all the land of Egypt (בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם): "Bechol-eretz Mitzrayim." This highlights the scope and universality of the dream's message – the entire prosperous nation of Egypt would be affected, underscoring the severity and extent of the famine, making the calamity nationally absolute.

• for badness (לָרֹעַ): "La'ro'a" literally means "for the evil" or "for the badness." This phrase functions as an intensifier, underscoring the extreme degree of the wretched condition of the cows, implying a fundamental depravity of nature or state, an unparalleled dreadfulness.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "seven other cows came up after them, poor and very gaunt and lean": This entire phrase immediately establishes a direct, contrasting parallel to the first seven healthy cows. The succession ("after them") implies that the negative will follow the positive. The repeated use of descriptors for deterioration (poor, very gaunt, lean) compounds the visual horror, portraying an undeniable state of depletion and sickness. This combination signals the complete consumption of former prosperity by overwhelming scarcity.
  • "such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt for badness": This phrase functions as a divine seal upon the dream's message. It moves the event from a mere bad dream to a divinely profound and unprecedented prophecy. Pharaoh's human experience, even within the fertile land of Egypt, provided no precedent for such an extreme "badness." This highlights the supernatural source of the dream and the sheer scale of the impending judgment or crisis, demonstrating God's unique ability to bring forth something entirely new and beyond human comprehension or mitigation. It also subtly critiques any self-sufficiency of Egypt, reliant on the Nile and their own deities.

Genesis 41 19 Bonus section

• The dual dreams (cows and grain) containing similar messages (seven fat, seven lean/blighted) reinforce the certainty and divine origin of the prophetic warning. This repetition indicates that the message is established by God and will surely take place (Gen 41:32).
• The contrast between the "fat" and "poor, very gaunt and lean" highlights the comprehensive nature of the prophecy: a complete reversal of prosperity, where the years of abundance would be entirely consumed by the years of scarcity, leaving no remnant.
• Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler of his time, finding himself helpless before the meaning of this dream, signifies the limitation of human wisdom and power against God's revelation and plan.

Genesis 41 19 Commentary

Genesis 41:19 is pivotal in communicating the dire warning contained in Pharaoh's dream. It paints an unforgettably grim picture of the impending famine, emphasizing its severity through descriptive Hebrew terms and Pharaoh's astonishment. The "badness" of these cows was not just ordinary leanness; it was a horrifying state "never seen" in Egypt's fertile history, underscoring that this was a divine, supernatural warning of unprecedented scale. This detail is crucial because it immediately conveyed to Joseph—and later to Pharaoh himself—that this was not a trivial dream but a profound revelation of a looming catastrophe that human foresight or wisdom alone could not fathom or address. It sets the stage for God's divine provision through Joseph, showcasing God's sovereignty over nature, nations, and their destiny, all in preparation for the unfolding plan for Israel.