I understand your context. You said there was almost 4 years of famine prior. I understand that. But, for two different passages one says God told him 7 years (which he apparently meant total) and the other said God told him 3 years (which he apparently meant 3 more). The discrepancy is, which one is right? Which did God say? I know they apparently mean the same thing but he could only have said the number 3 or 7.