That prevailed … came to an end: that is, “The seven years of good crops came to an end.” We may also translate verse 53 as a “when” clause; for example, “When the seven years of good crops had come to an end, then the seven years of famine began, as Joseph had said they would.”

There was famine in all lands; but in … there was bread: that is, “There was famine in every country except in Egypt, where there was food.”

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 .