Genesis 41:4

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Then the miserable-looking and lean cows ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. At this point Pharaoh woke up.

Berean Standard Bible:

And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

American Standard Version:

And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the ill^{H7451} favoured^{H4758} and leanfleshed^{{H1851}{H1320}} kine^{H6510} did eat up^{H398} the seven^{H7651} well^{H3303} favoured^{H4758} and fat^{H1277} kine^{H6510}. So Pharaoh^{H6547} awoke^{H3364}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Genesis 41:4

Genesis 41:4 is part of a larger narrative concerning Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and eventually found himself in Egypt. The verse is situated within a dramatic dream interpretation episode that becomes a pivotal moment in Joseph's life. In this dream, which Pharaoh experiences, seven emaciated cows consume seven healthy, well-fed cows, yet they remain as lean as before. This dream, along with another about seven withered heads of grain consuming seven healthy ones, deeply troubles Pharaoh, prompting him to seek an interpretation.

The historical context of this verse is set in the ancient Near East, during a time when Egypt was a dominant power and the interpretation of dreams was considered a significant means of receiving divine communication. The themes present in this verse include divine revelation, as the dreams are believed to be messages from the gods; the sovereignty of God over nature and human affairs, as the dream suggests an impending famine; and the concept of duality, with the seven healthy cows representing years of plenty and the seven lean cows representing subsequent years of famine.

This verse also highlights the theme of wisdom and the search for knowledge, as Pharaoh calls upon the wise men of Egypt to interpret his dreams, which ultimately leads to Joseph's rise from prison to a position of power, as he successfully interprets the dreams. Joseph's interpretation and subsequent advice to Pharaoh set the stage for his ascendancy to second-in-command in Egypt, which not only saves Egypt from famine but also leads to the reunification of Joseph with his family, fulfilling earlier prophetic dreams he had as a youth. Genesis 41:4 thus encapsulates the intertwining of divine providence, human wisdom, and the cyclical nature of plenty and scarcity, themes that resonate throughout the biblical narrative.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7451
   There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רַע
   Transliteration: raʻ
   Pronunciation: rah
   Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
   
2. Strong's Number: H4758
   There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַרְאֶה
   Transliteration: marʼeh
   Pronunciation: mar-eh'
   Description: from רָאָה; a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision; [idiom] apparently, appearance(-reth), [idiom] as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to look (up) on (to), look(-eth), pattern, to see, seem, sight, visage, vision.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1851
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דַּק
   Transliteration: daq
   Pronunciation: dak
   Description: from דָּקַק; crushed, i.e. (by implication) small or thin; dwarf, lean(-fleshed), very little thing, small, thin.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1320
   There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּשָׂר
   Transliteration: bâsâr
   Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
   Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin.
   
5. Strong's Number: H6510
   There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּרָה
   Transliteration: pârâh
   Pronunciation: paw-raw'
   Description: feminine of פַּר; a heifer; cow, heifer, kine.
   
6. Strong's Number: H398
   There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָכַל
   Transliteration: ʼâkal
   Pronunciation: aw-kal'
   Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
   
7. Strong's Number: H7651
   There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֶׁבַע
   Transliteration: shebaʻ
   Pronunciation: sheh'-bah
   Description: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from שָׁבַע; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number; ([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare שִׁבְעָנָה.
   
8. Strong's Number: H3303
   There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָפֶה
   Transliteration: yâpheh
   Pronunciation: yaw-feh'
   Description: from יָפָה; beautiful (literally or figuratively); [phrase] beautiful, beauty, comely, fair(-est, one), [phrase] goodly, pleasant, well.
   
9. Strong's Number: H1277
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּרִיא
   Transliteration: bârîyʼ
   Pronunciation: baw-ree'
   Description: from בָּרָא (in the sense of בָּרָה); fatted or plump; fat ((fleshed), -ter), fed, firm, plenteous, rank.
   
10. Strong's Number: H6547
    There are 230 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פַּרְעֹה
    Transliteration: Parʻôh
    Pronunciation: par-o'
    Description: of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings; Pharaoh.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3364
    There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָקַץ
    Transliteration: yâqats
    Pronunciation: yaw-kats'
    Description: a primitive root; to awake (intransitive); (be) awake(-d).