Psalm 105:21 kjv
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
Psalm 105:21 nkjv
He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions,
Psalm 105:21 niv
He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed,
Psalm 105:21 esv
he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions,
Psalm 105:21 nlt
Joseph was put in charge of all the king's household;
he became ruler over all the king's possessions.
Psalm 105 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 39:4 | And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house... | Potiphar appoints Joseph over his household, foreshadowing greater authority. |
| Gen 41:40 | Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. | Pharaoh elevates Joseph to prime minister. |
| Gen 41:41-44 | And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt... only in the throne will I be greater than thee. | Joseph's full authority confirmed by Pharaoh, second only to the king. |
| Gen 45:8 | So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God... and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. | Joseph's recognition of God's providential hand in his elevation. |
| Acts 7:9-10 | The patriarchs... sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions... and made him governor over Egypt and all his house. | Stephen's sermon affirms God's hand in Joseph's rise and rule. |
| Ps 105:16 | Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. | God's divine action preceding Joseph's rule, showing a planned famine. |
| Ps 105:17 | He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant. | Joseph's humble beginnings and God's intentional foresight. |
| Ps 105:19-20 | Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. The king sent and loosed him... | Joseph's testing and subsequent release by divine timing. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west... But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. | God's absolute sovereignty over promotion and demotion of rulers. |
| 1 Sam 2:7-8 | The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up... to make them inherit the throne of glory. | God's power to raise the humble to positions of honor. |
| Job 5:11 | To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. | God exalting the lowly, providing deliverance. |
| Lk 1:52 | He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. | Mary's Magnificat echoes God's principle of exalting the humble. |
| Jas 4:10 | Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. | New Testament affirmation of God's principle of elevating the humble. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. | Encouragement for believers to trust God's timing in exaltation. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. | God's absolute control over the decisions of earthly rulers. |
| Dan 2:21 | And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings... | God's sovereignty over the appointment and removal of all earthly leaders. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God... | God works all things, even suffering, for His good purposes, exemplified in Joseph's story. |
| Eph 1:11 | In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. | God's pre-ordained plan guides all events and appointments. |
| Lk 12:42-44 | And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward... he will make him ruler over all that he hath. | The parable of the faithful steward reflects the trust placed in Joseph's leadership. |
| Matt 24:45-47 | Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household... | Further parabolic reference to a trusted, high-ranking household steward. |
| Ps 113:7-8 | He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. | A general hymn of praise to God for elevating the poor. |
| Isa 45:1 | Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden... to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; | God's appointing of even pagan rulers for His divine purpose. |
Psalm 105 verses
Psalm 105 21 Meaning
Psalm 105:21 declares that God orchestrated Joseph's elevation to the highest position of authority in Egypt, making him the principal administrator over Pharaoh's entire household and all his accumulated wealth and assets. This highlights God's sovereignty in placing an unlikely individual, a Hebrew slave, into a role of immense power to fulfill His divine purposes for Israel.
Psalm 105 21 Context
Psalm 105 is a historical psalm, a hymn of praise recounting God's faithfulness to His covenant people, Israel, from Abraham to the Exodus. The psalm highlights God's mighty deeds and unfailing promises. Verses 16-22 specifically narrate Joseph's journey from being sold into slavery (v. 17) and imprisoned (v. 18) to his miraculous elevation in Egypt (vv. 20-21) and his role in preparing for Israel's deliverance and settlement there. This immediate context underscores that Joseph's high appointment was not due to human merit or chance, but was a divinely orchestrated act (vv. 16-17, 20) in anticipation of the great famine and the need to preserve Jacob's family (v. 23). The historical setting is ancient Egypt during the Hyksos period or earlier, where a foreign, non-Egyptian like Joseph could attain such high office. The psalmist frames the entire Joseph narrative as part of God's overarching plan for His chosen people, contrasting human weakness and apparent defeat with God's ultimate control and providential care.
Psalm 105 21 Word analysis
- He made him (Hebrew: וַיָּשִׂימֵהוּ, vayyasimehu): The "He" refers explicitly to the King mentioned in the preceding verse (v. 20), Pharaoh, but the entire psalm's narrative emphasizes God's sovereign control over even kings. Thus, Pharaoh is merely God's instrument. This active verb "made him" or "appointed him" underscores the intentionality and directness of the promotion, a divinely influenced mandate. It implies a formal and authoritative designation, not a casual or gradual ascent by Joseph's own power.
- lord (Hebrew: אָדוֹן, adon): This term signifies master, sovereign, owner, or one holding ultimate authority over a house or estate. It implies comprehensive power and control over the resources and personnel. This title is highly significant as it places Joseph as the effective manager and ruler, second only to Pharaoh himself. The term reflects absolute administrative authority within his sphere.
- of his house (Hebrew: לְבֵיתוֹ, l'veito): The word bayit ("house") here means far more than just a physical dwelling. It refers to Pharaoh's entire household establishment, including all its officials, servants, property, and, by extension, the entire royal administration of Egypt. This shows the vast scope of Joseph's appointment – he managed the complex operations of an empire's leading figure.
- and ruler (Hebrew: וּמֹשֵׁל, u-moshel): This word signifies one who governs, rules, has dominion, or exercises active control. It emphasizes Joseph's executive power and responsibility in practical administration and decision-making, distinguishing him from a mere manager. He was not just given a title but wielded active authority.
- over all his possessions (Hebrew: בְּכָל־קִנְיָנוֹ, b'khol-qinyano): Kinyan refers to that which is acquired, possessions, substance, or property. This phrase means over all the assets, wealth, and accumulated property of Pharaoh. This highlights the unparalleled extent of Joseph's stewardship – control over the national resources of Egypt, including grain storage during the famine, which was critical to survival and ultimately brought Israel down to Egypt.
Words-Group analysis:
- "He made him lord of his house and ruler over all his possessions": This full phrase eloquently conveys the totality and comprehensiveness of the authority conferred upon Joseph. The parallelism ("lord of his house" and "ruler over all his possessions") reinforces the scope of his administrative control, extending from the internal operations of Pharaoh's palace to the management of all the nation's economic resources. It underscores a divinely orchestrated, strategic elevation of an unlikely candidate to a position of unrivaled power and trust. The two distinct yet complementary roles—
adon(lord, master) implying inherent authority andmoshel(ruler, governor) signifying active governance—demonstrate the breadth of his delegated power, making him Pharaoh's absolute deputy.
Psalm 105 21 Bonus section
The story of Joseph, encapsulated in Psalm 105:21, is often seen by Christian theologians as a significant prefigurement or "type" of Jesus Christ. Both Joseph and Jesus were:
- Loved by their Father (Gen 37:3; Jn 3:35).
- Rejected and betrayed by their brothers (Gen 37:4, 28; Jn 1:11, Matt 26:14-15).
- Suffered unjustly (Gen 39:20; Isa 53:3-5).
- Rose to positions of great authority after suffering (Gen 41:40; Phil 2:8-11).
- Became a source of salvation for their people, and indeed for others (Gen 50:20; Jn 3:16).
- Provided bread and sustenance to save people from perishing (Gen 41:55-57; Jn 6:35).
The psalmist’s emphasis on "He made him lord... and ruler" powerfully parallels God the Father's exalting of Jesus to "Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36), granting Him "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matt 28:18). This verse thus points not only to God's historical faithfulness but also to the larger sweep of His redemptive plan culminating in Christ.
Psalm 105 21 Commentary
Psalm 105:21 distills the culmination of God's redemptive work through Joseph, presenting his elevation in Egypt not as a stroke of luck or human merit but as a direct act of divine providence. God, the ultimate sovereign, moved the heart of Pharaoh to appoint Joseph, a former prisoner and slave, as second-in-command over the entire land. This remarkable rise demonstrated God's ability to use the lowliest and most unlikely individuals to fulfill His purposes. Joseph was entrusted with unparalleled administrative authority, managing all of Pharaoh's personal and state assets, effectively governing Egypt. This divine appointment was crucial for preserving the lives of Jacob's family during the severe famine, thus securing the lineage through which the Messiah would come. The verse underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant promises (recounted earlier in the psalm), demonstrating how seemingly adverse circumstances (Joseph's slavery and imprisonment) were part of His grand design. It teaches that true authority and promotion ultimately stem from God, regardless of human schemes or societal structures.