Genesis 41:6 kjv

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

Genesis 41:6 nkjv

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

Genesis 41:6 niv

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

Genesis 41:6 esv

And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.

Genesis 41:6 nlt

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

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 6 Meaning

This verse details the second part of Pharaoh's dream, describing seven unproductive, emaciated ears of grain that emerge after the healthy ones, having been shriveled and ruined by a parching east wind. This dream imagery foreshadows a period of severe famine that will devastate the land and consume the abundance of previous years.

Genesis 41 6 Context

This verse is integral to Pharaoh's second dream in Genesis chapter 41, which closely parallels his first dream of seven fat cows followed by seven lean cows. Both dreams depict a sharp contrast between abundance and desolation, serving as a divine message to Pharaoh and, through him, to Egypt. Historically, ancient Egypt, with its economy deeply reliant on the Nile River's annual inundation and agricultural cycles, would immediately grasp the profound implications of blighted grain. Such imagery would signify catastrophic famine, posing an existential threat to the nation. This dream sequence sets the stage for Joseph's providential elevation and God's plan to preserve His chosen people and Egypt from impending disaster.

Genesis 41 6 Word analysis

• וְהִנֵּה֙ (vehinneh): "And behold!" or "And lo!" This particle frequently introduces something new, surprising, or noteworthy within a narrative. Here, it calls attention to the sudden appearance of the unhealthy ears, emphasizing their significance in the dream's message.
• שֶׁ֚בַע (sheva): "seven." This cardinal number numerically mirrors the healthy ears in the preceding verse (Gen 41:5) and correlates directly with the "seven years" of famine interpreted by Joseph (Gen 41:29-30). It underscores the completeness or fixed duration of the coming hardship.
• שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים (shibbolim): "ears of grain," "stalks." Specifically refers to the part of cereal plants (like wheat or barley) that contains the seeds. It directly connects the dream imagery to the primary food source and agricultural foundation of ancient Egypt.
• דַּקּוֹת֙ (daqqot): "thin," "meagre," "lean," "withered." This adjective highlights the lack of nourishment and substance in the ears, vividly contrasting them with the "full and good" ears of the first part of the dream. It visually represents impending scarcity.
• וּשְׁדֻפ֣וֹת (ushdûphôṯ): "and blighted," "scorched," "shriveled," "blasted." This term denotes a severe physical condition caused by heat or dryness. It indicates that the ears were not merely naturally thin but were actively damaged, suggesting an external, harsh force.
• קָדִ֔ים (qāḏîm): "east wind." In the ancient Near East, the east wind was notoriously hot, dry, and often brought dust from the desert, devastating crops. Its specific mention indicates the destructive agent, often linked to divine judgment in other biblical texts (e.g., Ex 10:13, Hos 13:15). It reveals the severity of the coming drought and its consequences.
• צֹמְח֥וֹת (ṣōmḥōṯ): "sprouting," "growing up," "coming forth." This active participle suggests that these blighted ears still grew, but in their blighted state. The paradox is their emergence after the good ones, indicating a succession or consequence, rather than replacement.
• אַחֲרֵיהֶֽן׃ (’aḥarêhen): "after them," "behind them." This preposition signifies sequential occurrence. The thin, blighted ears appeared directly after the healthy ones, which foreshadows their literal and symbolic 'consumption' of the period of abundance. This emphasizes the transition from prosperity to deprivation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• שֶׁ֚בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים דַּקּוֹת֙ (sheva shibbolim daqqot): "seven thin ears." This phrase directly sets up the visual antithesis to the healthy, plump ears of the earlier verse (Gen 41:5). It concretely symbolizes the years of devastating scarcity and hunger that will follow.
• וּשְׁדֻפ֣וֹת קָדִ֔ים (ushdûphôṯ qāḏîm): "and blighted by the east wind." This potent image describes the cause of the desolation. The east wind, a familiar agent of ruin for crops in the region, indicates a widespread and severe agricultural disaster, reinforcing the notion that this famine would be climatically driven and intensely destructive.
• צֹמְח֥וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶֽן׃ (ṣōmḥōṯ ’aḥarêhen): "sprouted after them." This sequence is critical to the dream's meaning. The blighted growth emerging subsequent to the healthy growth signifies not just separate phases, but the detrimental impact the second phase will have on the first. It visually encapsulates the idea of one period devouring another's gains, making the ensuing struggle vividly clear to Pharaoh.

Genesis 41 6 Bonus section

• The duality of dreams, often expressed as two dreams conveying the same message, is common in Genesis (e.g., Joseph's dreams in Gen 37) and reinforces the certainty and imminence of the prophetic message (Gen 41:32).
• The "east wind" serves as a specific cultural and meteorological detail that grounds the dream in the reality of ancient Egypt and the wider biblical world, where such winds often signified divine judgment or pestilence (e.g., locusts brought by an east wind in Ex 10).
• This imagery, involving common agricultural elements like ears of grain, was highly relatable to Pharaoh and his Egyptian court, who were deeply attuned to the cycles of the Nile and the success of their harvests. This immediate understandability would heighten the dream's urgency and impact.
• The dream emphasizes God's sovereign control not only over human destiny but also over natural forces, revealing His ability to orchestrate seasons of abundance and scarcity.

Genesis 41 6 Commentary

Genesis 41:6 is a pivotal verse in Pharaoh's dreams, offering a stark contrast to the preceding image of healthy abundance. It portrays seven withered and unproductive ears of grain, explicitly attributed to the "east wind," a natural force known for its destructive effects on vegetation in the Near East. This detail is not merely atmospheric; it signifies a divinely orchestrated natural calamity. The sequential sprouting, "after them," underscores that the period of lean years will directly follow and consume the plenty that came before. This visual metaphor communicates a complete reversal of fortune, setting the stage for Joseph's God-given interpretation and the providential preservation of life, foreshadowing how divine wisdom can transform a message of impending doom into one of redemption and strategic planning.