Genesis 41 20

Genesis 41:20 kjv

And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

Genesis 41:20 nkjv

And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

Genesis 41:20 niv

The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.

Genesis 41:20 esv

And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,

Genesis 41:20 nlt

These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 20 meaning

This verse describes a specific detail from Pharaoh's disturbing second dream: thin, gaunt cows consuming seven well-fed, healthy cows. This imagery dramatically portrays the devastating and total nature of the impending seven-year famine, which would completely obliterate the prosperity of the preceding seven years of abundance. It signals a complete reversal of fortune and a period of severe scarcity.

Genesis 41 20 Context

Genesis 41:20 is part of Pharaoh's second dream, a pivotal moment in Joseph's story. Pharaoh has already dreamed of seven fat cows being eaten by seven thin cows (Gen 41:1-4). This second dream features seven full, good ears of grain being swallowed by seven thin, scorched ears (Gen 41:5-7). Verse 20 specifically describes the conclusion of the second cow dream narrative as recounted by Pharaoh to Joseph. Pharaoh is greatly disturbed because his wise men and magicians cannot interpret these dreams, indicating that the source and meaning are beyond human understanding and perhaps divine. This set the stage for Joseph, through God's power, to reveal the true meaning and provide a solution for the nation. Historically, Egypt was heavily reliant on the Nile's annual inundation for agricultural fertility. The concept of years of abundance followed by famine would have been a tangible, terrifying reality, though perhaps not seven continuous years on such a grand scale. The intensity of the famine portrayed in the dream, where the bad devours the good completely, underscores a reversal of natural prosperity not merely by usual fluctuations but by a specific divine decree, emphasizing the Lord's absolute control over all elements.

Genesis 41 20 Word analysis

• וַתֹּאכַלְנָה (Vatta'okhelna) – "And they ate/devoured": This verb, from the root אכל (akal - to eat), is in the consecutive imperfect form, which expresses a sequential action in past narrative. The intensive implication, "devoured," conveys the completeness and ferocity of the consumption. It's not just passive consumption, but an active, destructive act. This is the central action, highlighting the famine's severity.
• הַפָּרוֹת (haparot) – "the cows": From פרה (parah), cow. The definite article 'the' makes them specific: these are those very cows of the dream, which represent a significant reality. Bovines were revered in Egyptian culture, often associated with fertility (Hathor, Apis), making their state a strong symbolic indicator for the land's prosperity.
• הַדַּקּוֹת (hadakkot) – "the thin/lean ones": From דק (daq), meaning thin, slender, lean. This term consistently describes the "bad" elements in both dreams (Gen 41:3, 4, 6, 7). It emphasizes a state of physical emaciation due to deprivation.
• וְהָרָעוֹת (v'hara'ot) – "and the ugly/bad ones": From רע (ra'), which means evil, bad, ugly, harmful. This word signifies not just an unfavorable physical appearance (lean), but also carries a connotation of malevolence or destructiveness. Their ugliness reflects the destructive nature of what they represent—a harsh and devastating famine that corrupts and devours what is good. This makes the devouring more disturbing than just natural processes.
• אֶת (et) – Direct object marker: Simply points to the following noun as the direct object of the verb.
• שֶׁבַע (sheva) – "seven": A number often symbolizing completeness, perfection, or divine orchestration in the Bible. Here, it denotes the full period of the upcoming abundance and subsequent famine, indicating a divinely fixed and complete cycle.
• הַפָּרוֹת (haparot) – "the cows": Again, "the cows," referring back to the initial, good cows.
• הָרִאשׁנוֹת (harishonot) – "the first ones": From ראשׁון (rishon), first. Emphasizes that it was the initial period of abundance that was totally consumed. It sets up a before-and-after contrast, intensifying the dread of the transformation.
• הַבְּרִאוֹת (habri'ot) – "the fat/healthy ones": From ברא (bara'), meaning to be fat, well-fed, healthy. This adjective describes the former state of abundance and prosperity, contrasting sharply with the destructive qualities of the thin cows.

Words-group analysis:

• "the thin, lean cows ate up": This phrase directly identifies the agents of destruction and their complete action. The lean, ugly cows are active predators, highlighting the aggressive and total nature of the impending famine.
• "the first seven fat cows": This identifies the victims—the prior period of abundant prosperity. The destruction is directed specifically at this richness, emphasizing that the good years would be completely undone by the bad. The pairing of 'thin' with 'fat' vividly illustrates the reversal of conditions.

Genesis 41 20 Bonus section

• The "ugliness" (רע - ra') of the cows (v'hara'ot) carries more weight than just physical appearance. In the broader Biblical context, ra' often refers to moral evil or disaster. Here, applied to the famine-stricken cows, it implies the destructive, malevolent nature of the coming disaster that would devastate life and resources. It highlights that the famine isn't merely a natural event but a dire and oppressive condition.
• The use of animal imagery (cows and later ears of grain) resonates with agricultural societies like ancient Egypt. The fact that the consuming cows remained as thin and ugly as before (Gen 41:21) underscores the futility and ultimate emptiness of the famine, demonstrating its consuming, insatiable nature without yielding any lasting benefit or even improvement for the lean cows themselves. It implies that the famine would not just consume but leave a perpetual state of barrenness and hardship.

Genesis 41 20 Commentary

Genesis 41:20 is a powerful prophetic image from Pharaoh's dream, confirming the intensity and comprehensive nature of the future famine. It's a striking portrayal of scarcity overwhelming plenty, depicting lean, sickly cattle consuming healthy ones. This consumption is not merely an assimilation but an eradication, so thorough that, as the interpretation shows (Gen 41:31), "all the plenty will be forgotten in the land." This dream fragment underscored to Pharaoh the gravity of the divine warning, signaling that the years of famine would completely negate the bounty of the preceding years, leaving no residue or memory of the former abundance. The divine nature of the dream implied God's absolute sovereignty over creation and providence, revealing a plan He was certain to execute, thus requiring preparation.