What Does Genesis 41:56 Mean?

“And the famine”

hunger (more or less extensive)

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

“was over all the face”

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

“in the land”

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

“opened”

to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

“And Joseph”

joseph, the name of seven israelites

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

“all the storehouses and sold”

to deal in grain

a mitsrite, or inhabitant of mitsrajim

“waxed sore”

to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restra

“And the famine”

hunger (more or less extensive)

“in the land”

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

“of Egypt”

mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt