Psalm 105:16

Psalm 105:16, in plain English

Then God brought famine into the land—He cut off the food supply, creating conditions of desperate need that would force a major transition for His people.

Why it's here

This refers to the famine that drove Jacob's family to Egypt and brought Joseph into prominence. God didn't just protect them passively; He orchestrated circumstances that moved His plan forward. Famine was terrifying, but it was also the means by which God brought them to Egypt, where they would grow into a nation.

Who's speaking

The psalmist

Where it sits in the story

Genesis 41-42 tells this story: Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream about famine, rises to power, and when the famine hits, his family comes to Egypt seeking grain. What looked like disaster was actually the setup for blessing.

The scholarly reading

God brought famine upon Egypt, cutting off the nation's food supply and creating the conditions for Joseph's rise and Israel's descent into Egypt.

Language and setting

The famine of Genesis 41-43 is narrated here as divine judgment and providential mechanism simultaneously—the same event that brings hunger also brings about Joseph's elevation and the family's relocation. The language of 'cutting off all their supplies' (*shbr kl mtz'h lkm*) uses agricultural vocabulary, suggesting God's control over natural resources.

Voice

The narrator, now explaining the hidden divine mechanism behind the Joseph cycle—what appears as natural disaster is actually covenantal orchestration.

Significance

This transitions from patriarchal period to Joseph narrative (vv. 17-20). The famine, though devastating to Egypt, becomes the vehicle for executing God's plan: to establish Israel in Egypt where they will multiply as promised, setting the stage for the exodus.

14He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:

15“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”

16He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.

17He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.

18They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons,

Read all of Psalm 105 — From Abraham to the exodus, God's faithfulness is retold as a song. He remembered His holy promise and brought His people out with joy.