Genesis 41:18

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
KJV
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
WEB
and behold, seven fat and sleek cattle came up out of the river. They fed in the marsh grass;
ASV
and, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored: and they fed in the reed-grass:
DARBY
And behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and of fine form, and they fed in the reed-grass.
BLB
and behold, out of the River came up seven cows fat of flesh and beautiful of appearance, and they grazed among the reeds.
ÅB
Og se, av elven steg det opp syv kyr, fete og vakre av skikkelse, og de gikk og beitet i elvegresset.
OTB
da sju kyr, fete og fine, kom opp av elven og beitet i sivet.
B1930
Og se, av elven steg det op syv kyr, fete og vakre av skikkelse, og de gikk og beitet i elvegresset.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Jeremiah 24:1–3

    The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 24:5

    Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 24:8

    And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

    Read in context