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 famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation; 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.

'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,

But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan - and great distress - so that our forefathers could find no 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.

Then a famine occurred in all of Egypt and Canaan, and a great tribulation. And our fathers did not find food.

Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.

There came a famine. Hereby it appeareth that the deliverance of Joseph was such a benefit as was common to all the family of Jacob. For, seeing the famine drew on, [1] Joseph was sent before in due time to provide sustenance to feed the hungry; as he himself doth acknowledge the wonderful counsel of God in that point. Nevertheless, the free goodness of God appeareth plainly in the person of Joseph, whilst that he is appointed to nourish and feed his brethren, who had sold him, and by that means sent him far away, and thought that he was gone away quite [2] out of the world. He putteth meat in their mouths who had thrown him into a pit, and had deprived him of the air and the common breath. Finally, he nourisheth and preserveth their life who were not afraid [3] to take from him his life. In the mean season, Stephen putteth the Jews in mind of this, that the patriarchs were enforced to depart out of that land which was given them for an heritage, and that they died in another place. Therefore, forasmuch as they were sojourners in it, they are at length banished out of the same. [4]

Footnotes

1 - "Ventura esset," was about to come.

2 - "Prorsus exterminatum," completely exterminated.

3 - "Non dubitaverant," had not hesitated.

4 - "Exulant," become exiles.

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.

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 "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.

There came a dearth. For the history of Joseph, begin at chapter 39, and read to the close of Genesis. For the account of the famine and the visit to Egypt of the ten brethren, see Genesis. 42 and 43.