Translation commentary on Genesis 41:27

ranslators will note that Revised Standard Version has empty [ears] and Good News Translation has “thin [heads of grain].” The reason for the difference is that the Hebrew word for “thin” has the letter ? “d,” which has been miscopied as ?, “r” (the two letters are very similar in shape in the Hebrew). See 14.14. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends “thin” as in Good News Translation. However, the meanings in this context are almost the same. Because seven … cows and seven … ears together represent seven years of famine, Good News Translation avoids the repetition of are [also] seven years.

For blighted by the east wind, see Gen 41.6.

For famine see 12.10.

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 .

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