Genesis 41:23 kjv

And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

Genesis 41:23 nkjv

Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

Genesis 41:23 niv

After them, seven other heads sprouted?withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.

Genesis 41:23 esv

Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,

Genesis 41:23 nlt

Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 23 Meaning

Genesis 41:23 describes the second set of seven ears of grain in Pharaoh's dream, which were distinctly unhealthy and unproductive. Unlike the first seven, these ears were withered and thin, having been visibly damaged and shrivelled by a destructive east wind. This imagery profoundly represents a period of extreme scarcity, specifically a famine that would follow a season of great abundance. It highlights the devastating effect of adverse natural forces on sustenance, indicating God's premonitory message of coming agricultural devastation and widespread want in Egypt and surrounding lands.

Genesis 41 23 Context

Genesis 41:23 is part of Pharaoh's second dream, occurring within a crucial chapter that orchestrates Joseph's rise from prison to prominence in Egypt. Following Pharaoh's inability to find an interpreter among his own wise men, Joseph is summoned. The two dreams, featuring healthy versus diseased cattle and then full versus blighted ears of grain, serve as symbolic prophecies from God concerning Egypt's immediate future: seven years of unprecedented abundance followed by seven years of severe famine. Verse 23 specifically describes the second set of seven ears in Pharaoh's agricultural dream, visually depicting their unproductive state. Historically, ancient Egypt's survival depended entirely on the annual flooding of the Nile for irrigation and fertile soil, making agricultural yields a central concern. The "east wind" (qadim) was a known phenomenon, particularly in the arid climate, often referring to the hot, dry desert winds (like the Khamsin) that could devastate crops, contrasting sharply with the life-giving Nile. The inability of Pharaoh's magicians to interpret the dream, and Joseph's success by relying on YHWH, subtly underlines the sovereignty of Israel's God over both nature and the gods of Egypt, as the source of true revelation and control over events crucial to a nation's well-being.

Genesis 41 23 Word analysis

• seven ears: (Hebrew: שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים, sheva shibolim). "Sheva" signifies a complete cycle or period, fitting the seven years of famine. "Shibolim" (ears of grain) directly links to agricultural produce, the lifeblood of ancient societies like Egypt. Its appearance in a dream, and its later symbolic meaning as years, demonstrates how mundane objects can carry profound prophetic significance.
• withered: (Hebrew: שְׁדוּפוֹת, sheddufot). This term describes being scorched, blasted, blighted, or shrivelled. It implies a condition of extreme dryness and decay, resulting in unproductivity. In an agricultural context, it signifies a complete failure of the harvest, directly linking to the devastation of famine. Its dual appearance with "thin" emphasizes the utter worthlessness of the grain.
• thin: (Hebrew: דַּקּוֹת, daqqot). Means slender, lean, or emaciated. As an adjective describing the ears, it speaks to their lack of substance and nutritive value. Together with 'withered', it creates a potent image of utter barrenness and hunger, reinforcing the impending disaster of insufficient food.
• scorched by the east wind: (Hebrew: שְׁדוּפוֹת קָדִים, sheddufot qadim). "Qadim" (east wind) is significant. In the ancient Near East and biblical context, the east wind was typically hot, dry, and destructive, originating from the desert. It contrasts sharply with life-giving rains or floods. It signifies a destructive, unpropitious natural force, capable of blighting crops and bringing calamity (Ex 10:13, Jon 4:8). The phrase directly links the blight (sheddufot) to its cause, identifying a specific natural agent of destruction under God's control, rather than simply a general curse. This shows a powerful hand behind the natural event.
• came up after them: (Hebrew: צֹמְחֹות אַחֲרֵיהֶן, tzomchot achareihen). "Tzomchot" (growing up/springing up) indicates appearance and progression, suggesting inevitability. "Achareihen" (after them) emphasizes sequence, explicitly showing these blighted ears arise immediately after the full ears. This sequence reinforces the prophetic timeline: seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. It underscores God's ordered plan and control over time.

Genesis 41 23 Bonus section

The doubling of the dreams in Genesis 41 (both lean cows and blighted ears) is biblically significant, as stated by Joseph in Gen 41:32: "The doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." This doubling acts as divine confirmation, emphasizing the certainty and imminent nature of the prophetic message. It implies a sense of urgency for Pharaoh to respond and highlights the reliability of God's word, even to a pagan ruler. Furthermore, the explicit cause of the blight being the "east wind" and not simply bad fortune, underlines that these are not random occurrences but part of a divinely orchestrated plan. The wind, often a symbol of God's judgment or divine action, emphasizes that this severe famine is a controlled, purposeful event from God's hand.

Genesis 41 23 Commentary

Genesis 41:23 provides the visual detail of Pharaoh's second dream's ominous sign: seven ears of grain, marked by complete agricultural failure. The descriptions "withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind" paint a vivid picture of devastation. This imagery was universally understood in an agrarian society dependent on crop yields for survival. The "east wind" specifically identifies a well-known destructive force in the arid climate of Egypt and the Near East, capable of drying out and destroying crops, unlike the benevolent life-source of the Nile.

This verse serves as a divine premonition, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty over natural phenomena and His ability to bring both prosperity and desolation. Through this seemingly simple image, God prepares Egypt for an unprecedented challenge and, by extension, orchestrates events for the preservation of Joseph and the future nation of Israel. It foretells a time when abundance will be consumed by scarcity, demanding foresight, wisdom, and divine intervention for survival. Joseph's ability to interpret these specific, common agricultural signs through divine revelation elevates the true God above all other purported deities or human wisdom, setting the stage for his redemptive role.