Genesis 26:1

Isaac and Abimelech

26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred ¹  in the days of Abraham. ²  Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.

Genesis 41:27

41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent ³  seven years of famine.

Genesis 41:30

41:30 But seven years of famine will occur ⁴  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ⁵  the land.

Genesis 41:54

41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, ⁶  just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.

Genesis 45:11

45:11 I will provide you with food ⁷  there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’

¹ tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

² sn This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47-62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.

³ tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

⁵ tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

⁶ tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.

⁷ tn Heb “began to arrive.”

⁹ tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”