Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:6
For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.
6. yet five years ] Cf. Gen 41:30.
neither plowing nor harvest ] A general phrase for agricultural operations, as in Exo 34:21; Deu 21:4; 1Sa 8:12. There was not even corn enough for sowing purposes. The drought made the ground too hard for ploughing. A.V. has the Old English “earing” = “plowing.” Cf. A.V. Exo 34:21, “in earing time and in harvest.” “Let them go to ear the land,” Shakespeare, Rich. II, iii. 2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. There shall neither be earing nor harvest.] EARING has been supposed to mean collecting the ears of corn, which would confound it with harvest: the word, however, means ploughing or seed-time, from the Anglo-Saxon [A.S.] erian, probably borrowed from the Latin aro, to plough, and plainly means that there should be no seed-time, and consequently no harvest; and why? Because there should be a total want of rain in other countries, and the Nile should not rise above twelve cubits in Egypt; See Clarke on Ge 41:31. But the expressions here must be qualified a little, as we find from Ge 47:19, that the Egyptians came to Joseph to buy seed; and it is probable that even during this famine they sowed some of the ground, particularly on the borders of the river, from which a crop, though not an abundant one, might be produced. The passage, however, in the above chapter may refer to the last year of the famine, when they came to procure seed for the ensuing year.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Neither sowing nor reaping, except in a few places near Nilus, because the people could not spare seed-corn, and would not lose it; understanding from Joseph that their cost and labour would be lost, and that the famine would be of long continuance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. and yet there are five years, inthe which there shall neither be earing nor harvest“Ear”is an old English word, meaning “to plough” (compare1Sa 8:12; Isa 30:24).This seems to confirm the view given (Ge41:57) that the famine was caused by an extraordinary drought,which prevented the annual overflowing of the Nile; and of coursemade the land unfit to receive the seed of Egypt.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For these two years [hath] the famine [been], in the land,…. In the land of Egypt and in the countries round about:
and yet [there are] five years; still remaining, which he knew by the above dreams and the interpretation of them:
in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest; that is, no tillage of land, neither ploughing nor sowing, and so no reaping, or gathering in of the fruits of the earth, as used to be in harvest; at least, there would be very little ground tilled, only it may be on the banks of the Nile, since they had no corn to spare for seed; and besides, as the Egyptians knew by Joseph’s prediction that the Nile would not overflow, it was to no purpose to attempt to plough their land, which through seven years of drought was become very difficult, or to sow, could they get the seed into the ground, since there was no likelihood of its springing up again.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) Earing.An old English word for ploughing, derived from the Latin arare, Anglo-Saxon erian, to plough.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 45:6. Earing i.e.. Ploughing, an old word, from aro, to plough. See Deu 21:4. Isa 30:24.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 45:6 For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.
Ver. 6. See Trapp on “ Gen 41:54 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
earing = ploughing (Anglo-Saxon).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
two years: Gen 41:29-31, Gen 41:54, Gen 41:56, Gen 47:18
earing: Earing means ploughing or seed-time from the Anglo-Saxon erian, probably from aro, to plough; and agrees with [Strong’s G723], Greek, charatha, Arabic, and charash, Hebrew. Gen 47:23, Exo 34:21, Deu 21:4, 1Sa 8:12, Isa 30:24
Reciprocal: Gen 8:22 – seedtime Gen 41:35 – gather Gen 47:25 – Thou hast Act 7:11 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 45:6-7. Five years there shall be neither earing (an old English word for ploughing, which is the meaning of the Hebrew) nor harvest That is, except in a few places near the river Nile; for, understanding from Joseph that the famine would be of long continuance, and that their labour and seed, which they could ill spare, would be lost, people would neither plough nor sow, and, of course, could not reap. To preserve you a posterity in the earth That you and your children might be sustained in this time of famine, and afterward abundantly multiplied as God hath promised. To save your lives by a great deliverance Or, according to the Hebrew, for a great escaping, or, a great remnant; that is, that you, who are now but a handful, escaping this danger, might grow into a vast multitude; the word evasion, or escaping, being put for the persons that escape, as 2Ch 30:6, and Isa 10:20. Joseph reckoned that his advancement was not so much designed to save a whole kingdom of Egyptians, as to preserve a small family of Israelites; for the Lords portion is his people: whatever goes with others, they shall be secured. How admirable are the projects of Providence! How remote their tendencies! What wheels are there within wheels; and yet all directed by the eyes in the wheels, and the spirit of the living creature!