'Severe' in the Bible
There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live because the famine was so severe.
But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
there will be no surplus in the land due to the coming famine, because it will be very severe.
Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was beginning to be severe throughout the land of Egypt.
In addition, all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world.
Meanwhile, there continued to be no food throughout the land, because the famine remained very severe. As a result, both Egypt and Canaan languished under the effects of the famine.
So Joseph purchased all of the Egyptian territory for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine's effect was so severe. That's how Pharaoh came to own the land.