Genesis 41:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill-favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again,
Douay-Rheims

וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֗נָה וְלֹ֤א נוֹדַע֙ כִּי־בָ֣אוּ אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֔נָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֣ן רַ֔ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּתְּחִלָּ֑ה וָאִיקָֽץ׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)

19th centuryChurch Father

It was insignificant. This detail is crucial for understanding the dream but was left out in Pharaoh's initial account. It indicates that the abundance from the seven prosperous years will hardly cover the needs during the seven years of scarcity.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Isa 9:20And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shall eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.
Ps 37 (36):19
Rev 10:9And I went to the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the book. And he said to me: Take the book and eat it up. And it shall make thy belly bitter: but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10And I took the book from the hand of the angel and ate it up: and it was in my mouth, sweet as honey. And when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Ezek 3:3And he said to me: Son of man, thy belly shall eat, and thy bowels shall be filled with this book, which I give thee, and I did eat it: and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.