Genesis 43:1

וְהָֽרָעָ֖ב כָּבֵ֥ד בָּאָֽרֶץ
And the famine was sore in the land.
Select a Hebrew word above to see its details.

וְ הָ ֽרָעָ֖ב
וְ
Prefix — connector and (sometimes: but, so, then)
הָ
Prefix — article the
ֽרָעָ֖ב
Root word famine, hunger, dearth, famished
Dictionary form: רָעָב · raw-AWB

Noun — Common, masculine singular, absolute state

In the KJV here: and the famine
the famine ×14 famine ×13 a famine ×7 and by the famine ×7 and the famine ×7 by the famine ×7 of famine ×6 with hunger ×4
More options
famine — Best for widespread, prolonged food crisis affecting populations.
hunger — More personal or immediate; suits individual suffering contexts.
starvation — Emphasizes severity; use when death or extreme deprivation is implied.
food shortage — Neutral, modern register; good for less acute or early-stage scarcity.
scarcity — Broader lack; fits contexts of general deprivation beyond just food.
dearth — Retain only if formal register is needed; otherwise prefer 'shortage'.

BDB7988 H7458

BDB7987 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB7989

רָעָב101 noun masculineGen 26:1 famine, hunger; — absolute ׳ר Gen 12:10 +; suffix רְעָבָם Neh 9:15

1. famine (in land, nation or city), Gen 12:10; Gen 26:1; Gen 41:30; Gen 41:31; Exod 16:3; 2Sam 21:1; 2Sam 24:13 = 2Kgs 4:38; 2Kgs 6:25 +; ׳שְׁנֵי( הָ)ר Gen 41:27; Gen 41:30; Gen 41:36, ׳שְׁנַת ר vGen 41:50, but also ׳שָׁנִים ר [שָׁלוֺשׁ] שֶׁבַע 2Sam 24:13 (on gender see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 103) = 1Chr 21:12 with חזק (be) severe Gen 47:56; Gen 47:57; 1Kgs 18:2; 1Kgs 25:3 = Jer 52:6, חזק עַל Gen 47:20 with כָּבֵד Gen 12:10; Gen 47:4; Gen 47:13 גָּדוֺל 2Kgs 6:25 ׳זַלְעֲפוֺת ר Lam 5:10 ׳מְזֵי ר Deut 32:24 + Isa 5:13 (see [מָזֶה]), ׳תַּחֲלוּאֵי ר Jer 14:18, ׳חַלֲלֵי ר Lam 5:10, ׳אֲסֻפֵי ר Ezek 34:29 ׳חִצֵּי הָר Ezek 5:16 as scourge of ׳י (+ חֶרֶב, דֶּבֶר, etc.; especially Jeremiah, Ezekiel), Jer 5:12; Jer 11:22; Jer 14:12; Jer 21:7; Jer 21:9; Ezek 5:2; Ezek 6:11; Ezek 6:12 +, etc.; figurative of lack of ׳י's word Amos 8:11.
2. hunger, of individual Jer 32:9; Deut 28:48 (+ צָמָא, etc.), 2Chr 32:11 (+ id.).

famine, hunger, dearth, famished
rāʿāb
hunger (more or less extensive)
  • famine, hunger
    • famine (in land, nation)
      • of Jehovah's word (figuratively)
      hunger (of individuals)

כָּבֵ֥ד
כָּבֵ֥ד
Root word heavy, great, grievous, sore, hard, …
Dictionary form: כָּבֵד · kaw-BADE

Adjective — masculine singular, absolute state

In the KJV here: was sore
grievous ×5 great ×3 and his heavy ×2 and of an hard ×2 with a great ×2 a grievous ×1 a heavy ×1 am slow ×1
More options
heavy — Most literal; ideal for physical or emotional weight.
severe — Best for plagues, judgments, or intense hardship.
burdensome — Emphasizes oppressive load or obligation.
difficult — Good for speech impediments or hard tasks.
overwhelming — Captures magnitude; suits crowds or disasters.
dull — Specific to sluggish senses, e.g. heavy of ear/eye.

BDB3883 H3515

BDB3882 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB3884

כָּבֵד adjective heavy; — ׳כ Gen 41:31+ 34 t.; construct כְּבַד Exod 4:10 (twice in verse); כֶּבֶד Isa 1:4 plural כְּבֵדִים Exod 17:12 construct כִּבְדֵי Ezek 3:5; Ezek 3:6 —

1. a. heavy, a burden Ps 38:5 hands (weary of holding up) Exod 17:12 (E), hair of head 2Sam 14:26, a corpulent old man 1Sam 4:18 עַם כֶבֶד עָוֺן Isa 1:4 a people heavy with (the burden of) iniquity; a cloud charged with rain Exod 19:16 (E); a rock of large size Isa 32:2 oppressive, grievous, burdensome, a yoke 1Kgs 12:4; 1Kgs 12:11 = 2Chr 10:4; 2Chr 10:11 a famine Gen 12:10; Gen 41:31; Gen 43:1; Gen 47:4; Gen 47:13 (J); the vexation (כַּעַס) of a fool Prov 27:3 vehement, sore, of a mourning Gen 50:11(J).
  b. massive, abundant, numerous, of a people עַם Num 20:20 (J) 1Kgs 3:9 army חיל 2Kgs 6:14; 2Kgs 18:14 = Isa 36:2 insect swarm Exod 8:20 (J).
  c. heavy, dull of speech and tongue Exod 4:10 (twice in verse) (JE); of the לֵב, hard Exod 7:14 (J).
  d. hard, difficult, of a thing to be done Exod 18:18 (E) Num 11:14 (J); of a language to be understood Ezek 3:5; Ezek 3:6.
2. in the usage of J כָּבֵד מְאֹד is frequent:
  a. very oppressive, grievous, of hail Exod 9:18; Exod 9:24 murrain Exod 9:8 lamentation Gen 50:10.
  b. very numerous, cattle Exod 12:38 army, מַחֲנֶה Gen 50:9 locusts Exod 10:14 so חַיִל 1Kgs 10:2 = 2Chr 9:1.
  c. very rich, במקנה in cattle Gen 13:2.

BDB9592 H3358 H3515

BDB9591 | BIBLICAL ARAMAIC | BDB9593

[יַקִּיר] adjective honourable, difficult; —

1. honourable, emphatic יַקִּירָא Ezra 4:10.
2. difficult (compare Biblical Hebrew כָּבֵד adjective 1 d), feminine singular יַקִּירָה Dan 2:11.

heavy, great, grievous, sore, hard, …
kābēd
heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid)
  • heavy, great
    • heavy
      • "massive, abundant, numerous"heavy, dull"hard, difficult, burdensome"very oppressive, numerous, rich

בָּ אָֽרֶץ
בָּ
Prefix — preposition in, at, by, with + "the" (the article is absorbed into the prefix)
אָֽרֶץ
Root word land, earth, ground, country, countries, …
Dictionary form: אֶרֶץ · eh-RETS

בָּ
Hidden "the" בָּ = the preposition + the article הַ squeezed together: the "a" vowel under the prefix is the swallowed "the". Translate "in the ___".

Noun — Common, both singular, absolute state

In the KJV here: in the land
the land ×425 the earth ×247 in the land ×246 of the earth ×197 of the land ×197 land ×130 out of the land ×66 in the earth ×43
More options
land — Best default; territory, region, or promised land.
earth — Prefer for cosmic or global scope (whole creation).
ground — Physical soil or surface; localized, tangible contexts.
country — Distinct nation-territory; political or ethnic emphasis.
region — Geographical area without strong political connotation.
world — Rare; only when universal scope is clearly intended.

BDB780 H776

BDB779 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB781

אֶ֫רֶץ2407 noun feminineGen 10:11 & (seldom) masculineGen 13:16 earth, land (Phoenician, MI ארץ, Assyrian irƒitu COTGloss, Arabic , Sabean ארץֿ e.g. Os9 DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaic אֲרַע, ) — ׳א absolute Gen 1:24 +; construct Gen 2:11 +; אָ֑רֶץ Gen 1:10 +; with article always הָאָ֫רֶץ Gen 1:11 +; with ָ  ה locative אַ֫רְצָה Gen 11:31 +, (this form also in poetry = אֶרֶץ Job 34:13 +); suffix אַרְצִי Job 20:15 +; (אַרְצֶ֑ךָ) אַרְצְךָ Job 12:1 +, etc.; plural אֲרָצוֺת Jer 28:8 + 65 t.; construct אַרְצוֺת Ezek 39:27 + 6 t.; suffix אַרְצֹתָם Gen 10:5 + 2 t.; —

1. a. earth, whole earth (opposed to a part) Gen 18:18; Gen 18:25; Gen 22:18 (= הָאֲדָמָה Gen 12:3) Jer 25:26; Jer 25:29; Jer 25:30; Jer 26:6; Isa 37:16; Isa 37:20 = 2Kgs 19:15; 2Kgs 19:19; Zech 4:10; Zech 4:14 +.
  b. earth, opposed to heaven, sky Gen 1:2; Exod 20:4; Deut 5:8; Deut 30:19; Judg 5:4; Lam 2:1; Isa 37:16 = 2Kgs 19:15; Ps 146:6; 1Chr 21:16; 1Chr 29:11; 2Chr 2:11 +; as permanent Eccl 1:4 built on foundations, or pillars 1Sam 2:8; Ps 104:5; Job 38:4; Isa 48:13; Isa 51:13; Isa 51:16 compare also Isa 24:18; Ps 82:5 firm, so that its shaking is something terrible, & token of terrible power 1Sam 14:4; 2Sam 22:8 = Ps 18:8; Job 9:6 compare Ps 46:2 & vPs 46:6 so also Amos 8:8; Isa 2:19; Isa 2:21; Isa 24:18; Isa 24:19; Isa 24:20; Ps 60:4; Ps 77:19; Ps 99:1; Ps 114:7 as hung on nothing Job 26:7 with waters under it Exod 20:4 = Deut 5:8 compare Gen 7:11 personified, especially as addressed, called to witness, etc. Deut 32:1; Jer 6:19; Jer 22:29; Isa 1:2; Mic 1:2; Job 16:18.
  c. earth = inhabitants of earth Gen 6:11; 1Kgs 2:2; 1Kgs 10:24; Ps 33:8; Ps 66:4 + compare ׳תֵּבֵל א Prov 8:31; Job 37:12.
2. land =
  a. country, territory, שִׁנְעָר ׳א Gen 10:10, מִצְרַיִם ׳א Gen 21:21 compare also Gen 10:11; Gen 11:28; Gen 11:31; Gen 13:10; Gen 47:6; Gen 47:27; Gen 50:8; Isa 7:18; Isa 23:1; Isa 23:13; Isa 27:13; Ps 78:12; Jer 25:20; 1Chr 1:43 personified Isa 62:4; Eccl 10:16; Eccl 10:17.
  b. district, region Gen 19:28; Gen 22:2; Josh 11:3; Ps 42:7.
  c. tribal territory Deut 34:2; Judg 21:21; 1Sam 9:4; 1Sam 9:16; 1Sam 13:7; 1Kgs 15:20; Isa 8:23 and still smaller territories 1Sam 9:4; 1Sam 9:5.
  d. piece of ground Gen 23:15.
  e. specifically land of Canaan, or Israel Gen 11:31; Gen 12:1; Gen 12:5; Gen 12:6; Gen 12:7; Gen 31:3; Deut 17:14; Deut 18:9; 2Kgs 5:2; 2Kgs 5:4 +; especially object of יָרַשׁ possess Deut 3:20 + often Deuteronomy, Psalms and elsewhere; so after נָחַל Josh 19:49 +; נָתַן Deut 1:21 +. feminine = inhabitants land Lev 19:29; Ezek 14:13 + compare Deut 24:4; Zech 12:12 etc.
  g. used even of Sh®°ôl Job 10:21; Job 10:22 (compare Assyrian irƒit la târat, land without return, in Descent of Ishtar, see Jr10. 65); see also Ps 139:15; Isa 44:23.
3. a. ground, surface of ground = אֲדָמָה q. v. Gen 1:26; Gen 1:30; Gen 18:2; Gen 33:3; Gen 38:9; Exod 4:3; Exod 16:4; Ruth 2:10; 1Sam 5:4 + very often in Samuel.
  b. soil, as productive = אֲדָמָה Gen 1:11; Gen 1:12; Lev 19:9; Lev 25:9; Lev 26:4 compare Num 14:7; Num 14:8; Isa 36:7 = 2Kgs 18:32; Ps 72:6; Ps 72:16; Ps 107:34; Ps 107:35; Ezra 9:12; Neh 9:35.
4. אֶרֶץ in phrases:
  a. people of the land ׳עַםהָֿא of non-Israelites Gen 23:7; Gen 23:12; Gen 23:13 (P) Num 14:9 (JE); as well as Israel Lev 20:4 (H) 2Kgs 15:5; 2Kgs 16:15; 2Kgs 21:24 (twice in verse); especially common people, opposed to officials, princes Lev 4:27 (P) Ezek 7:27; 2Kgs 11:18; 2Kgs 11:19.
  b. in measurements of distance, ׳כִּבְרַת הָא the space or distance of country (see כּברה) Gen 35:16, so ׳כִּבְרַת א some distance Gen 48:7; 2Kgs 5:19.
  c. אֶרֶץ הַמִּישׁוֺר the country of the plain, level or plain country Deut 4:33; Jer 48:21 מִישׁוֺר ׳א figurative Ps 143:10 (but read אֹרַח ᵑ6 Bi Gr Che, compare Ps 27:11).
  d. חַיִּים ׳א land of the living Ps 27:13 הַחַיִּים ׳א Ps 142:6.
  e. ׳קְצֵה הָא end(s) of the earth Isa 42:10; Isa 43:6 (|| רָחוֺק) Ps 135:7; Prov 17:24, so ׳אַפְסֵי א Prov 30:4 +; ׳קְצוֺת הָא Isa 40:28; Isa 41:5; Isa 41:9.
5. plural אֲרָצוֺת is almost wholly late, Jer 16:15 + 6 t. Jeremiah; 23 t. Ezekiel; Isa 36:20; Isa 37:11 = 2Kgs 18:35; 2Kgs 19:11 (Isa 37:18 read הַגּוֺיִם see Che Di & compare 2Kgs 19:17); 22 t. Chronicles; Dan 9:7; Dan 11:40; Dan 11:42; Ps 105:44; Ps 106:27; Ps 107:3; Ps 116:9 besides these only P Gen 10:5; Gen 10:20; Gen 10:31; Lev 26:36; Lev 26:39, except Gen 26:3; Gen 26:4 (JR) Gen 41:54 (JE); it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc., see especially absolute Ezek 20:32; Ezek 22:4 = the various petty divisions of Canaan afterward united under Israel's control Gen 26:3; Gen 26:4, compare 1Chr 13:2 אַרְצוֺת יִשְׂרָאֵל, 2Chr 11:23 אַרְצוֺת יְהוּדָה.

BDB9347 H772 H776

BDB9346 | BIBLICAL ARAMAIC | BDB9348

[אֲרַע]21 noun [feminine] earth (so ᵑ7 Syriac; = Biblical Hebrew אֶרֶץ, q. v.); — emphatic אַרְעָא Dan 2:35; Dan 2:39 + 16 t. Daniel; Ezra 5:11; Jer 10:11b; אַ֫רְעָא (D§§ 9, 5 a; 44, 1 n) = אֲרַע + ָ֯ of direction, earthward, i.e. downward, אַרְעָא מִנָּח Dan 2:39 Kt lower than thou, i.e. inferior to thee Qr אֲרַע (compare ᵑ7 אֲרַע מִן Ruth 4:4); — Jer 10:11a see [ אֲרַק].

land, earth, ground, country, countries, …
ʾereṣ
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
  • land, earth
    • earth
      • whole earth (as opposed to a part)
        • "earth (as opposed to heaven)"earth (inhabitants)
      land
      • country, territory
        • "district, region"tribal territory"piece of ground"land of Canaan, Israel"inhabitants of land"Sheol, land without return, (under) world"city, city-state
      ground, surface of the earth
      • ground
        • "soil
      (in phrases)
      • people of the land
        • "space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)"level or plain country"land of the living"end(s) of the earth
      (almost wholly late in usage)
      • lands, countries
        • often in contrast to Canaan

The cantillation accents are the Masoretes' punctuation: each group below ends at a pausing accent. Translate a group as one unit.
וְהָֽרָעָ֖ב Tipeha — a lesser break כָּבֵ֥ד בָּאָֽרֶץ Silluq — end of the verse

וְהָֽרָעָב כָּבֵד בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
1
And the famine was sore in the land.
Cross References

Genesis 12:10

וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה לָגוּר שָׁם כִּֽי-כָבֵד הָֽרָעָב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
10
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

Genesis 42:5

וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׁבֹּר בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּאִים כִּֽי-הָיָה הָֽרָעָב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃
5
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Ecclesiastes 9:1

כִּי אֶת-כָּל-זֶה נָתַתִּי אֶל-לִבִּי וְלָבוּר אֶת-כָּל-זֶה אֲשֶׁר הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶם בְּיַד הָאֱלֹהִים גַּֽם-אַהֲבָה גַם-שִׂנְאָה אֵין יוֹדֵעַ הָֽאָדָם הַכֹּל לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
1
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

Genesis 41:54

וַתְּחִלֶּינָה שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הָֽרָעָב לָבוֹא כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אָמַר יוֹסֵף וַיְהִי רָעָב בְּכָל-הָאֲרָצוֹת וּבְכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הָיָה לָֽחֶם׃
54
And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

Lamentations 5:10

עוֹרֵנוּ כְּתַנּוּר נִכְמָרוּ מִפְּנֵי זַלְעֲפוֹת רָעָֽב׃
10
Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

Genesis 18:13

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָהָם לָמָּה זֶּה צָֽחֲקָה שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר הַאַף אֻמְנָם אֵלֵד וַֽאֲנִי זָקַֽנְתִּי׃
13
And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Acts 7:11

ἦλθεν δὲ λιμὸς ἐφ' ὅλην τὴν γὴν Αἰγύπτου καὶ Χανάαν καὶ θλῖψις μεγάλη καὶ οὐχ εὕρισκον χορτάσματα οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν
11
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Read Genesis 43
Genesis 43:2