Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, October 5th, 2024
the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Read the Bible
The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
Acts 7:11
Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
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Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Simplified Cowboy Version
"But a drought struck the area of Egypt and Canaan. A lot of people died when the food ran out.
"But a drought struck the area of Egypt and Canaan. A lot of people died when the food ran out.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
Bible in Basic English
Now there was no food to be had in all Egypt and Canaan, and there was great trouble: and our fathers were not able to get food.
Now there was no food to be had in all Egypt and Canaan, and there was great trouble: and our fathers were not able to get food.
Darby Translation
But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food.
But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food.
New King James Version
Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Christian Standard Bible®
Then a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food.
Then a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food.
World English Bible
Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Weymouth's New Testament
But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.
But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.
King James Version (1611)
Now there came a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt, and Chanaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt, and Chanaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Literal Translation
But a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. And our fathers did not find food.
But a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. And our fathers did not find food.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But there came a derth ouer all the londe of Egipte and Canaan, and a greate trouble, and oure fathers founde no sustenaunce.
But there came a derth ouer all the londe of Egipte and Canaan, and a greate trouble, and oure fathers founde no sustenaunce.
Mace New Testament (1729)
in the mean time a famine spread over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, so that our fathers did not know where to get provisions.
in the mean time a famine spread over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, so that our fathers did not know where to get provisions.
THE MESSAGE
"Later a famine descended on that entire region, stretching from Egypt to Canaan, bringing terrific hardship. Our hungry fathers looked high and low for food, but the cupboard was bare. Jacob heard there was food in Egypt and sent our fathers to scout it out. Having confirmed the report, they went back to Egypt a second time to get food. On that visit, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and introduced the Jacob family to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and everyone else in the family, seventy-five in all. That's how the Jacob family got to Egypt. "Jacob died, and our fathers after him. They were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb for which Abraham paid a good price to the sons of Hamor. "When the four hundred years were nearly up, the time God promised Abraham for deliverance, the population of our people in Egypt had become very large. And there was now a king over Egypt who had never heard of Joseph. He exploited our race mercilessly. He went so far as forcing us to abandon our newborn infants, exposing them to the elements to die a cruel death. "In just such a time Moses was born, a most beautiful baby. He was hidden at home for three months. When he could be hidden no longer, he was put outside—and immediately rescued by Pharaoh's daughter, who mothered him as her own son. Moses was educated in the best schools in Egypt. He was equally impressive as a thinker and an athlete. "When he was forty years old, he wondered how everything was going with his Hebrew kin and went out to look things over. He saw an Egyptian abusing one of them and stepped in, avenging his underdog brother by knocking the Egyptian flat. He thought his brothers would be glad that he was on their side, and even see him as an instrument of God to deliver them. But they didn't see it that way. The next day two of them were fighting and he tried to break it up, told them to shake hands and get along with each other: ‘Friends, you are brothers, why are you beating up on each other?' "The one who had started the fight said, ‘Who put you in charge of us? Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' When Moses heard that, realizing that the word was out, he ran for his life and lived in exile over in Midian. During the years of exile, two sons were born to him. "Forty years later, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the guise of flames of a burning bush. Moses, not believing his eyes, went up to take a closer look. He heard God's voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Frightened nearly out of his skin, Moses shut his eyes and turned away. "God said, ‘Kneel and pray. You are in a holy place, on holy ground. I've seen the agony of my people in Egypt. I've heard their groans. I've come to help them. So get yourself ready; I'm sending you back to Egypt.' "This is the same Moses whom they earlier rejected, saying, ‘Who put you in charge of us?' This is the Moses that God, using the angel flaming in the burning bush, sent back as ruler and redeemer. He led them out of their slavery. He did wonderful things, setting up God-signs all through Egypt, down at the Red Sea, and out in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to his congregation, ‘God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.' This is the Moses who stood between the angel speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life-giving words given to him and handed them over to us, words our fathers would have nothing to do with. "They craved the old Egyptian ways, whining to Aaron, ‘Make us gods we can see and follow. This Moses who got us out here miles from nowhere—who knows what's happened to him!' That was the time when they made a calf-idol, brought sacrifices to it, and congratulated each other on the wonderful religious program they had put together. "God wasn't at all pleased; but he let them do it their way, worship every new god that came down the pike—and live with the consequences, consequences described by the prophet Amos: Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains those forty wilderness years, O Israel? Hardly. You were too busy building shrines to war gods, to sex goddesses, Worshiping them with all your might. That's why I put you in exile in Babylon. "And all this time our ancestors had a tent shrine for true worship, made to the exact specifications God provided Moses. They had it with them as they followed Joshua, when God cleared the land of pagans, and still had it right down to the time of David. David asked God for a permanent place for worship. But Solomon built it. "Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote, "Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build me?" says God. "Where I can get away and relax? It's already built, and I built it." "And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you're just like your ancestors. Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you've kept up the family tradition—traitors and murderers, all of you. You had God's Law handed to you by angels—gift-wrapped!—and you squandered it!" At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed—he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. He said, "Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God's side!" Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them. As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life." Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin"—his last words. Then he died.
"Later a famine descended on that entire region, stretching from Egypt to Canaan, bringing terrific hardship. Our hungry fathers looked high and low for food, but the cupboard was bare. Jacob heard there was food in Egypt and sent our fathers to scout it out. Having confirmed the report, they went back to Egypt a second time to get food. On that visit, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and introduced the Jacob family to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and everyone else in the family, seventy-five in all. That's how the Jacob family got to Egypt. "Jacob died, and our fathers after him. They were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb for which Abraham paid a good price to the sons of Hamor. "When the four hundred years were nearly up, the time God promised Abraham for deliverance, the population of our people in Egypt had become very large. And there was now a king over Egypt who had never heard of Joseph. He exploited our race mercilessly. He went so far as forcing us to abandon our newborn infants, exposing them to the elements to die a cruel death. "In just such a time Moses was born, a most beautiful baby. He was hidden at home for three months. When he could be hidden no longer, he was put outside—and immediately rescued by Pharaoh's daughter, who mothered him as her own son. Moses was educated in the best schools in Egypt. He was equally impressive as a thinker and an athlete. "When he was forty years old, he wondered how everything was going with his Hebrew kin and went out to look things over. He saw an Egyptian abusing one of them and stepped in, avenging his underdog brother by knocking the Egyptian flat. He thought his brothers would be glad that he was on their side, and even see him as an instrument of God to deliver them. But they didn't see it that way. The next day two of them were fighting and he tried to break it up, told them to shake hands and get along with each other: ‘Friends, you are brothers, why are you beating up on each other?' "The one who had started the fight said, ‘Who put you in charge of us? Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' When Moses heard that, realizing that the word was out, he ran for his life and lived in exile over in Midian. During the years of exile, two sons were born to him. "Forty years later, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the guise of flames of a burning bush. Moses, not believing his eyes, went up to take a closer look. He heard God's voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Frightened nearly out of his skin, Moses shut his eyes and turned away. "God said, ‘Kneel and pray. You are in a holy place, on holy ground. I've seen the agony of my people in Egypt. I've heard their groans. I've come to help them. So get yourself ready; I'm sending you back to Egypt.' "This is the same Moses whom they earlier rejected, saying, ‘Who put you in charge of us?' This is the Moses that God, using the angel flaming in the burning bush, sent back as ruler and redeemer. He led them out of their slavery. He did wonderful things, setting up God-signs all through Egypt, down at the Red Sea, and out in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to his congregation, ‘God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.' This is the Moses who stood between the angel speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life-giving words given to him and handed them over to us, words our fathers would have nothing to do with. "They craved the old Egyptian ways, whining to Aaron, ‘Make us gods we can see and follow. This Moses who got us out here miles from nowhere—who knows what's happened to him!' That was the time when they made a calf-idol, brought sacrifices to it, and congratulated each other on the wonderful religious program they had put together. "God wasn't at all pleased; but he let them do it their way, worship every new god that came down the pike—and live with the consequences, consequences described by the prophet Amos: Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains those forty wilderness years, O Israel? Hardly. You were too busy building shrines to war gods, to sex goddesses, Worshiping them with all your might. That's why I put you in exile in Babylon. "And all this time our ancestors had a tent shrine for true worship, made to the exact specifications God provided Moses. They had it with them as they followed Joshua, when God cleared the land of pagans, and still had it right down to the time of David. David asked God for a permanent place for worship. But Solomon built it. "Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote, "Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build me?" says God. "Where I can get away and relax? It's already built, and I built it." "And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you're just like your ancestors. Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you've kept up the family tradition—traitors and murderers, all of you. You had God's Law handed to you by angels—gift-wrapped!—and you squandered it!" At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed—he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. He said, "Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God's side!" Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them. As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life." Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin"—his last words. Then he died.
Amplified Bible
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great distress and our fathers could not find food [for their households and livestock].
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great distress and our fathers could not find food [for their households and livestock].
American Standard Version
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Revised Standard Version
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then came ther a derth over all the londe of Egipt and Canaan and great affliccion that our fathers founde no sustenauce.
Then came ther a derth over all the londe of Egipt and Canaan and great affliccion that our fathers founde no sustenauce.
Update Bible Version
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers found no sustenance.
Young's Literal Translation
`And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,
`And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,
New Century Version
"Then all the land of Egypt and Canaan became so dry that nothing would grow, and the people suffered very much. Jacob's sons, our ancestors, could not find anything to eat.
"Then all the land of Egypt and Canaan became so dry that nothing would grow, and the people suffered very much. Jacob's sons, our ancestors, could not find anything to eat.
New English Translation
Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.
Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.
Contemporary English Version
Everywhere in Egypt and Canaan the grain crops failed. There was terrible suffering, and our ancestors could not find enough to eat.
Everywhere in Egypt and Canaan the grain crops failed. There was terrible suffering, and our ancestors could not find enough to eat.
Complete Jewish Bible
Now there came a famine that caused much suffering throughout Egypt and Kena‘an
Now there came a famine that caused much suffering throughout Egypt and Kena‘an
English Standard Version
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came there a famine ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction, that our fathers found no sustenance.
Then came there a famine ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction, that our fathers found no sustenance.
George Lamsa Translation
Now there came a famine which brought great distress throughout Egypt and in the land of Ca''naan so that our forefathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a famine which brought great distress throughout Egypt and in the land of Ca''naan so that our forefathers found no sustenance.
Hebrew Names Version
Now a famine came over all the land of Mitzrayim and Kana`an, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
Now a famine came over all the land of Mitzrayim and Kana`an, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
International Standard Version
"But a famine spread throughout Egypt and Canaan, and with it great suffering, and our ancestors couldn't find any food.Genesis 41:54;">[xr]
"But a famine spread throughout Egypt and Canaan, and with it great suffering, and our ancestors couldn't find any food.Genesis 41:54;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
AND there was a famine and great affliction in all Mitsreen, and in the land of Kenaan, and our fathers had nothing to satisfy them.
AND there was a famine and great affliction in all Mitsreen, and in the land of Kenaan, and our fathers had nothing to satisfy them.
Murdock Translation
And there was a famine and great distress in all Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, and our fathers lacked food.
And there was a famine and great distress in all Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, and our fathers lacked food.
New Living Translation
"But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food.
"But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food.
New Life Bible
"The time came when there was no food to eat in all the land of Egypt and Canaan. The people suffered much. Our early fathers were not able to get food.
"The time came when there was no food to eat in all the land of Egypt and Canaan. The people suffered much. Our early fathers were not able to get food.
English Revised Version
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
New Revised Standard
Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food.
Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there came a famine upon all Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers could not find pasture.
And there came a famine upon all Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers could not find pasture.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no food.
Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no food.
King James Version
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Lexham English Bible
And a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan and great affliction, and our fathers could not find food.
And a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan and great affliction, and our fathers could not find food.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But there came a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan: and great affliction, that our fathers founde no sustenaunce.
But there came a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan: and great affliction, that our fathers founde no sustenaunce.
Easy-to-Read Version
But all the land of Egypt and of Canaan became dry. It became so dry that food could not grow, and the people suffered very much. Our people could not find anything to eat.
But all the land of Egypt and of Canaan became dry. It became so dry that food could not grow, and the people suffered very much. Our people could not find anything to eat.
New American Standard Bible
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
Good News Translation
Then there was a famine all over Egypt and Canaan, which caused much suffering. Our ancestors could not find any food,
Then there was a famine all over Egypt and Canaan, which caused much suffering. Our ancestors could not find any food,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And hungur cam in to al Egipt, and Canaan, and greet tribulacioun; and oure fadris founden not mete.
And hungur cam in to al Egipt, and Canaan, and greet tribulacioun; and oure fadris founden not mete.
Contextual Overview
1Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these charges true?" 2And Stephen declared: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3and told him, 'Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.' 4So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place, into this land where you are now living. 5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child. 6God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 7'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God said, 'and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.' 8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Genesis 41:54-57, Genesis 43:1, Genesis 45:5, Genesis 45:6, Genesis 45:11, Genesis 47:13-15, Psalms 105:16
Reciprocal: Genesis 12:10 - was a Genesis 42:5 - for Genesis 47:4 - for the famine Psalms 105:23 - Israel
Cross-References
Genesis 1:7
So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so.
So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so.
Genesis 6:17
And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth, to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish.
And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth, to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish.
Genesis 7:5
And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
Genesis 7:6
Now Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came upon the earth.
Now Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came upon the earth.
Genesis 7:8
The clean and unclean animals, the birds, and everything that crawls along the ground
The clean and unclean animals, the birds, and everything that crawls along the ground
Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
Genesis 7:23
And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed-man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah remained, and those with him in the ark.
And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed-man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah remained, and those with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:24
And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.
And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.
2 Kings 7:2
But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" "You will see it with your own eyes," replied Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it."
But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" "You will see it with your own eyes," replied Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it."
2 Kings 7:19
And the officer had answered the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" So Elisha had replied, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it."
And the officer had answered the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" So Elisha had replied, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt, and Canaan,.... This dearth, or famine, is said to be in all lands, Genesis 41:54 though only Egypt and Canaan are mentioned here, because the history is concerned with no other. The Jewish writers p speak of three lands particularly, which were affected with it, Phenicia, Arabia, and Palestine; and this famine in the land of Israel, they say q, which lasted seven years, was on account of the selling of Joseph into Egypt, as before observed. The Heathen writers make mention of this famine, particularly Justin r, who speaking of Joseph says, that he foresaw many years before the barrenness of the fields; and all Egypt would have perished with famine, had not the king, through his advice, ordered by an edict, that corn should be laid up for many years: this was the fifth of the ten famines, the Jews say have been, or shall be in the world s:
and great affliction; meaning the famine, which was very severe, and lasted a long time, even seven years: want of eating is called
עינוי, "affliction", by the Jews t; by which they mean fasting, which is a voluntary want of eating, or abstinence from it; and if that is an affliction, then much more want of food, or abstinence through necessity; compare 1 Timothy 5:10.
And our fathers found not sustenance; Jacob and his family could not get sufficient provision for them in the land of Canaan, where they then were, but were obliged to go to Egypt for it.
p Bereshit Rabba, sect. 90. fol. 78. 1. q Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. r Ex Trogo, l. 36. c. 2. s Targum in Ruth i. 1. t Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. Affirm. 32.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Now there came a dearth - A famine, Genesis 41:54.
And Chanaan - Jacob was living at that time in Canaan.
Found no sustenance - No food; no means of living.
