Genesis 41:2

“And look, from the Nile there came up seven cows, beautiful in appearance and fat in flesh, and they grazed in the reed grass.”

Genesis 41:2 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

2

Genesis 41:2, word by word

from the Nileיְאֹרyeor

Nile

See it on the mapWhere else “yeor” appears
there came upעֹלֹתolot

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “olot” appears
sevenשֶׁבַעsheva

seven

Seven, the number of fullness; also "seven times".

Where else “sheva” appears
cowsפָּרוֹתparot

cow

Cow, heifer.

Where else “parot” appears
beautifulיְפוֹתyefot

beautiful

Beautiful, handsome, of fine appearance.

Where else “yefot” appears
in appearanceמַרְאֶהmare

appearance

The appearance of someone or something: how it looks, beautiful or ugly.

Where else “mare” appears
and fatבְרִיאֹתveriot

fat

Fat, well fed.

Where else “veriot” appears
in fleshבָּשָׂרbasar

flesh

The body of a person or animal, the soft part covering the bones.

Where else “basar” appears
and they grazedתִּרְעֶינָהtirena

graze

To tend a flock, or eat grass.

Where else “tirena” appears
in the reed grassאָחוּachu

reeds

Reeds, marsh grass growing on the riverbank, especially along the Nile.

Where else “achu” appears

Places in this verse

Nile
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Nile

    Today: Nile River, Uganda to Egypt and the Mediterranean

    Egypt's great river; it flows north to the Mediterranean Sea.

    Pharaoh dreamed beside the Nile (Gen 41:1). God turned its waters to blood (Exod 7:20), and baby Moses was placed on its bank (Exod 2:3-5).

    Genesis 41:1Exodus 7:20Exodus 2:52 Kings 19:24

The context

1At the end of two full years, Pharaoh was dreaming, and look, he was standing by the Nile.

2 · This verse (above)

3And look, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly in appearance and thin in flesh, and they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

Read all of Genesis 41

To study Genesis 41 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What did Pharaoh dream, and what plan did Joseph propose (vv. 1-7, 33-36)?

  2. 2. What it means

    Why did Pharaoh recognize that the spirit of Elohim was in Joseph (v. 38)?

  3. 3. How I live it

    What can you wisely prepare today for hard times that might come?

How to use it