Psalm 105 16

Psalm 105:16 kjv

Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

Psalm 105:16 nkjv

Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread.

Psalm 105:16 niv

He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food;

Psalm 105:16 esv

When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread,

Psalm 105:16 nlt

He called for a famine on the land of Canaan,
cutting off its food supply.

Psalm 105 verses

Psalm 105 16 Meaning

Psalm 105:16 reveals God's absolute sovereignty and purposeful action, even over seemingly destructive natural events like famine. It states that God intentionally "called for a famine" upon the land, specifically Egypt and Canaan during the time of Joseph. Furthermore, by "breaking the whole staff of bread," it signifies His complete withdrawal of basic sustenance, indicating a severe and widespread lack of food, not merely a shortage. This divine act, though appearing harsh, was an integral part of His pre-ordained plan for His chosen people, designed to preserve them and fulfill His covenant promises.

Psalm 105 16 Context

Psalm 105 is a historical psalm of praise, calling the people to remember and give thanks for God's wondrous works and covenant faithfulness from the time of Abraham to the settlement in Canaan. The psalm recounts specific events of salvation history, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises. Verses 16-24 specifically detail the story of Joseph, emphasizing how God orchestrated circumstances, even challenging ones, to bring about His purposes for Israel. Verse 16 serves as the divine prelude to the detailed narrative of Joseph's elevation in Egypt (v. 17-22), establishing that the famine was not a random occurrence but a pre-ordained divine action. The historical context relates to the actual famine that swept over Egypt and Canaan during Joseph's time, forcing Jacob and his family to move to Egypt, setting the stage for their growth into a mighty nation and the subsequent Exodus. This particular event directly contrasts with the prevalent ancient Near Eastern beliefs that natural phenomena like famine were attributed to the unpredictable moods of various, often capricious, deities or simply bad luck. Instead, the psalm clearly asserts Yahweh's purposeful, sovereign control over nature to accomplish His specific covenant plan.

Psalm 105 16 Word analysis

• Moreover: (Hebrew: וַיִּקְרָא - va·yiq·rā') - This opening conjunction signals a continuation or addition to the previous thought (God protecting His anointed ones in verses 14-15). It highlights God's initiative and direct action, implying purpose and deliberation rather than happenstance.
• He called for: (Hebrew: וַיִּקְרָא - va·yiq·rā') - This verb is intensely significant. It literally means "and He called" or "He summoned." It depicts God as actively summoning the famine, giving it a command to come into being. This is a powerful anthropomorphism illustrating God's complete authority and direct agency over natural forces, underscoring that the famine was not accidental but divinely willed and executed.
• a famine: (Hebrew: רָעָב - rā·‘āḇ) - Refers to a state of severe scarcity of food, a period of hunger and deprivation. The Hebrew term denotes the lack of sustenance, highlighting the dire nature of the coming event. Its inclusion signifies a direct divine imposition of hardship.
• on the land: (Hebrew: עַל-אֶרֶץ - ‘al-’e·reṣ) - Refers broadly to the earth, but in this specific context, it is the region of Egypt and Canaan where the biblical narrative unfolds. This precision underscores that God's action was targeted and affected a specific geographical area crucial to His plan for Israel.
• He broke: (Hebrew: כָּל-מַטֵּה - kāl-maṭ·ṭêh) - While kāl means "all" or "whole," maṭ·ṭêh here is "staff" or "support." The verb is implied "He broke." This denotes a decisive, destructive action. "Breaking" signifies utterly shattering, removing all strength or capacity.
• the whole staff of bread: (Hebrew: מַטֵּה-לֶחֶם - maṭṭêh-le·ḥem) - This is a well-known idiom in the Old Testament, prominently used in passages like Lev 26:26, Ezek 4:16, Ezek 5:16, Ezek 14:13.
  • staff: (מַטֵּה - maṭ·ṭêh) - A "staff" or "rod" symbolized support, authority, or strength (e.g., a shepherd's staff for guidance, a walking stick for support).
  • bread: (לֶחֶם - leḥem) - Represents essential food, sustenance, the basic means of physical life.
  • "staff of bread": The idiom means "the support provided by food" or "the supply of provisions." To "break the staff of bread" is to entirely cut off the means of physical sustenance, bringing about complete deprivation and leaving people without any foundation for survival. It indicates the removal of basic provisions necessary for life, implying extreme and widespread scarcity, often a judgment.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Moreover, He called for a famine on the land": This phrase emphasizes God's direct, purposeful, and authoritative initiative. It refutes any notion of the famine being a random natural disaster or a result of pagan deities. It firmly places the famine under divine orchestration as part of a larger plan.
  • "He broke the whole staff of bread": This vivid imagery illustrates the severity and comprehensiveness of the famine. It was not merely a reduction in food, but a total collapse of the system of provision, leaving people utterly vulnerable. It underlines God's power to completely control and cut off the source of life-sustaining provision.

Psalm 105 16 Bonus section

The historical backdrop for Psalm 105, especially around verse 16, directly challenges the polytheistic agricultural religions common in the ancient Near East. Many cultures worshipped deities like Baal, responsible for rain and fertility, or perceived famines as the wrath or indifference of such gods. By explicitly stating that Yahweh called for and broke the staff of bread, the psalmist is making a powerful theological statement: the one true God, not a multitude of capricious deities, controls all natural forces. He is not beholden to chaotic whims but operates according to a deliberate, benevolent, and redemptive plan for His chosen people, even when that plan involves periods of great hardship. This theme of God's sovereign control over famine as a means to a larger redemptive end is echoed repeatedly throughout the biblical narrative, affirming His unmatched power and fidelity to His covenant.

Psalm 105 16 Commentary

Psalm 105:16 profoundly articulates God's omnipotence and deliberate involvement in human history. The "famine" was not an arbitrary ecological disaster, but a specific divine calling forth or summoning, much like commanding an entity into being. This deliberate action highlights that even events causing hardship are within the framework of God's overarching purposes. The idiom "broke the whole staff of bread" powerfully communicates the extremity of the scarcity; it wasn't a minor food shortage but a complete removal of life's most basic support, demonstrating absolute control over human existence.

This verse sets the stage for the unfolding of Joseph's story (Ps 105:17-23). The famine, far from being destructive aimlessly, was God's chosen method to compel Jacob's family to descend into Egypt. This ensured their survival, preserved the lineage of the promised Messiah, and set the stage for their multiplication into a great nation, all fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant. It underscores God's intricate providence: using challenging circumstances to lead His people into a situation where His grander plan can be realized. Thus, what appears as adversity from a human perspective is, in God's divine counsel, a necessary and strategic step toward salvation and the fulfillment of His promises. For us, this implies that even in life's most challenging seasons of scarcity or difficulty, God remains sovereign, operating with a purposeful plan beyond our immediate comprehension. He often uses difficult circumstances not to abandon or destroy, but to position us, purify us, or guide us toward a greater good.