What is the meaning of Psalm 105:23? Then Israel entered Egypt • The psalmist recounts the historical moment in Genesis 46:1-7 when God led the patriarch and his family into Egypt, fulfilling His earlier promise to make Abraham’s descendants a great nation (Genesis 15:13-14). • This “entry” was not a haphazard migration but a divinely directed move, initiated through Joseph’s rise to power (Genesis 45:5-9) and confirmed by God’s assurance to Jacob at Beersheba: “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there” (Genesis 46:3). • Psalm 105 highlights how God sovereignly orchestrated events—famine, Joseph’s imprisonment and exaltation—to bring about His redemptive plan (Psalm 105:16-22). • Cross references reinforce God’s faithful guidance: Acts 7:9-15 recounts the same journey, underscoring its significance in the unfolding story of salvation. • Taken literally, Israel’s move marks the shift from a family of seventy (Genesis 46:27) to a burgeoning nation that would later witness God’s mighty deliverance in the Exodus (Exodus 1:7-12, Psalm 105:24-38). Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham • “Jacob,” the individual patriarch, represents the covenant line personally settling in Egypt, here poetically called “the land of Ham.” This name traces back to Ham, one of Noah’s sons, whose descendants populated Egypt (Genesis 10:6, Psalm 78:51). • The verse shows continuity between God’s promise to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15) and its preservation even in a foreign land. Psalm 106:22 likewise calls Egypt “the land of Ham,” highlighting both geographical identity and spiritual contrast: God’s covenant people living amid a pagan culture. • Bullet reminders of God’s purposes in this dwelling: – Physical preservation during famine (Genesis 47:12). – Numerical multiplication into a nation (Exodus 1:7). – Setting the stage for a dramatic display of God’s power through the plagues and Red Sea crossing (Exodus 7-14, Psalm 105:26-38). • By stressing that Jacob “dwelt” there, Scripture emphasizes a settled stay of 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41). Yet God’s covenant never changed; He ultimately brought them out with silver, gold, and no feeble one among them (Psalm 105:37). summary Psalm 105:23 captures a pivotal turn in redemptive history: God intentionally moved Israel into Egypt, the land associated with Ham, to preserve, multiply, and prepare His people for future deliverance. The verse underscores the reliability of God’s promises, His sovereignty over world events, and His ability to keep His covenant people secure—even while they reside in a foreign land—until His appointed time of redemption. |
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