And behold, there came up: note that Good News Translation and others introduce the dream content with “… when seven cows….” For behold see verse 1. The Hebrew verb came up expresses movement from a low place to a higher place. It was used in 19.30 of Lot going from Zoar in the valley to live in the hills. Although in a dream these cows could come up out of the water, the sense is probably that they came from the water’s edge or from wading in the water and went toward the place where the king was standing and looking down on the scene.

Cow was first used in 32.15. See there for comments.

Sleek and fat: sleek is literally “lovely in form,” meaning well shaped, and is the same expression used to describe the beauty of Rachel in 29.17. However, the translated description must be one that applies to sturdy, robust animals. Fat is literally “fat of flesh” and may often be rendered “well fed” or “having had lots to eat.”

They fed in the reed grass: note Good News Translation “began to feed,” expressing the action of feeding after coming up from the river. Fed translates a verb meaning “to graze” or “to pasture.” Reed grass refers to one of a variety of plants or grasses that grow along the Nile. In translation a general term for grass that cows eat is adequate. In some areas these may be the equivalent of “barns” or “storage sheds.” Translators may be helped by referring to 6.21.

And sold to the Egyptians: that is, “sold the grain to the people of Egypt.”

For the famine was severe: note that this clause is expressed at the beginning of verse 56 in Good News Translation, “The famine grew worse and spread….”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .