Genesis 41:31 kjv

And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

Genesis 41:31 nkjv

So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.

Genesis 41:31 niv

The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.

Genesis 41:31 esv

and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.

Genesis 41:31 nlt

This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased.

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 31 Meaning

Genesis 41:31 proclaims the severe and unforgettable nature of the prophesied famine in Egypt. It foretells a calamity so intense and pervasive that the preceding seven years of extraordinary abundance will be completely obliterated from public memory and experience. The prosperity enjoyed previously will seem insignificant, virtually non-existent, in the face of the overwhelming desolation and suffering brought by the subsequent years of scarcity. This signifies not merely a physical lack of food, but a psychological and societal erasure of past blessing due to profound hardship.

Genesis 41 31 Context

Genesis chapter 41 details Pharaoh's two disturbing dreams—one of fat and thin cows, the other of healthy and blighted grain heads. No Egyptian wise men or magicians could interpret them. Joseph, remembering his own gift from God, is summoned from prison by Pharaoh's chief cupbearer. Joseph humbly credits God as the source of true interpretation. He reveals that both dreams foretell the same divine message: seven years of unparalleled abundance across Egypt, followed immediately by seven years of equally unprecedented, devastating famine. The verse in question, Gen 41:31, emphasizes the sheer magnitude of the coming famine, stressing that its severity would eclipse any memory or benefit of the preceding years of plenty. This dramatic prophecy served as a critical warning and call to action, leading to Joseph's appointment as second-in-command of Egypt, responsible for executing a vast storage and distribution plan to save not only Egypt but surrounding lands from catastrophe.

Genesis 41 31 Word analysis

• And the scarcity:
  • Original Hebrew: וְלֹא־יִוָּדַע הַשָּׂבָע (v'lo-yivada ha-sava)
  • Directly translated: "and not will be known/perceived the plenty." This phrase employs a unique Hebrew construction emphasizing absolute erasure or forgottenness, not merely that plenty would be absent.
  • Significance: It signifies a deep spiritual and psychological impact beyond just physical lack. The past bounty would cease to be a comforting memory or even a frame of reference, rendering the famine's experience even more acute.
• will be so severe:
  • Implied from the outcome ("will not be remembered") and reinforced by a later phrase in the full Hebrew verse: כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד ה֖וּא מְאֹֽד (ki kaved hu m'od) "for it will be very heavy/grievous indeed."
  • Kaved (כבד) suggests weight, heaviness, difficulty, and often points to importance or severity. M'od (מאד) is an intensifier meaning "very" or "exceedingly."
  • Significance: Highlights the extreme, burdensome nature of the coming affliction, impacting every aspect of life. It conveys a comprehensive, pervasive devastation.
• in the land:
  • Original Hebrew: בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ (ba'aretz) - "in the land."
  • Significance: Refers specifically to Egypt, which was seen as the breadbasket of the ancient world due to the Nile. The warning is directly relevant to their geographic context and reliance on agriculture. Its scope is universal across Egypt, indicating widespread disaster.
• that the former abundance will not be remembered:
  • Original Hebrew: מִפְּנֵי֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הַהוּא֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן (mi-pnei ha-ra'av ha-hu acharei-chen) – "from the face of that famine after then." This part describes the cause of the forgetting.
  • yivada (יִוָּדַע) - "will be known/perceived." From the root yada (ידע), "to know, perceive, understand." In this context, it speaks to recognition and recollection.
  • Significance: This is the crux of the verse. It's hyperbolic language designed to underscore the absolute horror and depth of the famine. It's not just a physical forgetting, but a state where the memory of previous prosperity is dwarfed and overwhelmed by present suffering, making it seem utterly irrelevant or unreal. This prophecy implicitly contrasts with the perceived stability provided by Egyptian deities and wisdom, indicating that ultimate control rested with God.

Words-group analysis:

• "and the scarcity...will not be remembered": This phrasing uses an impersonal verb construction "not will be known," suggesting a pervasive, collective amnesia. The memory of the "seven fat years" would effectively vanish from common consciousness, demonstrating how overwhelmingly dire the subsequent famine would be. This isn't just about physical survival but psychological endurance.
• "so severe...in the land": The widespread nature of the famine is critical. It was not localized, meaning there would be no untouched regions for succor within Egypt. The severity in "the land" underscores a national, all-encompassing disaster, challenging the self-sufficiency of Egypt.
• Polemical Implication: Joseph's God is shown to be superior to Egyptian gods, especially those associated with fertility and the Nile (like Hapi). Pharaoh's magicians and wise men, drawing on human or pagan wisdom, could not interpret the divine message. Joseph, relying solely on Yahweh, not only interprets but also offers a concrete, divine solution. The prediction of such a profound famine directly contradicts any notion that Egyptian deities fully controlled the land's prosperity and stability. God's ability to orchestrate such extreme conditions, wiping out even the memory of bounty, demonstrates His unchallenged sovereignty.

Genesis 41 31 Bonus section

• The profound "forgetting" mentioned can be linked to the human tendency to quickly become accustomed to blessings and take them for granted (as seen in Israel's history). This prophecy highlights that even memory can be a casualty of extreme hardship, making God's prior grace seem distant or unreal when immediate survival is paramount.
• The famine served as a crucible for Pharaoh's decision-making and character. God revealed the future, testing Pharaoh's response to divine warning and his willingness to humble himself and appoint an Israelite slave over his kingdom.
• This verse sets the stage for Egypt becoming a place of refuge and preservation for Jacob's family, fulfilling God's covenant plan and demonstrating how divine judgment on one land could providentially save another, preparing the way for the nation of Israel. The famine, therefore, was a key piece in God's redemptive history.

Genesis 41 31 Commentary

Genesis 41:31 vividly portrays the catastrophic nature of the coming famine, going beyond mere material scarcity to highlight a profound psychological impact. Joseph's interpretation reveals a famine so terrible that it would eclipse all memory of previous plenty, reducing seven years of abundant harvests to irrelevance. This hyperbolic statement is not a literal loss of factual memory, but rather a profound diminishing of its significance in the face of overwhelming hardship. The prosperity would cease to offer comfort, security, or even a tangible point of reference because the present suffering would be so all-consuming.

The verse emphasizes God's sovereign control over creation, including the natural cycles of famine and plenty. This divine intervention served as a crucial warning, but also as a demonstration of God's foreknowledge and His plan for the preservation of a chosen lineage (Jacob's family). It underscores a vital biblical principle: true wisdom and insight come from God alone, surpassing human sagacity and the perceived power of pagan deities. The predicted severity compelled action and preparedness, culminating in Joseph's providential appointment to save lives. The spiritual lesson remains that while past blessings are to be remembered with gratitude, our reliance must always be on the unchanging, faithful provider.