When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "broke all supply of bread" isn't just about a lack of food; it paints a picture of God shattering the very foundation of life itself. This isn't a natural disaster happening to the land, but God actively intervening, like a potter smashing a brittle vessel, to demonstrate His ultimate control over sustenance.
When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage recounts God’s sovereign hand in bringing a severe famine to Canaan, breaking the very foundation of daily sustenance. This event isn't random but a divine summons, setting the stage for the family's descent into Egypt. It's crucial to see this famine as the prelude to Joseph's rise, as God sent him ahead to Egypt to preserve life.
Ever felt like life's tough times are just random bad luck? The Bible paints a different picture. Discover how devastating events can be deliberate actions of God.
This verse isn't just describing a natural disaster; it's revealing God's active role in summoning famine. The language used, 'he called for a famine,' presents famine not as a chaotic force, but as a servant ready to obey God's command. This highlights God's sovereignty over even the most difficult circumstances.
Think of it like a king sending out a messenger. When God 'calls,' His 'messenger' – in this case, famine – arrives. This perspective shifts our understanding from passive victims of circumstance to people living under the rule of a powerful God who can intentionally bring about hardship.
Bread is more than food; it's our foundation. What happens when that foundation crumbles? Explore the profound meaning of God breaking the 'staff of bread.'
The phrase 'broke all supply of bread' uses the powerful metaphor of a 'staff of bread.' A staff is a support, something essential for stability and life. For ancient peoples, bread was their primary sustenance, their very staff of life.
When God 'breaks' this staff, it signifies a total collapse of provision. It means the fundamental means of survival is gone. This wasn't just about a lack of food; it was about the very source of nourishment and strength being destroyed. This illustrates the devastating totality of God's judgment when He withdraws His sustaining hand.
Understand the original words
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qara' · Hebrew Verb
The act of calling someone into service or presence; in Scripture, it often implies divine authority or providence directing the course of events.
ra'ab · Hebrew Noun
An extreme scarcity of food, often used in Scripture as a means of divine judgment, testing, or the impetus for movement toward God's providential plan.
matteh lechem · Hebrew Noun phrase
Basic sustenance; in a spiritual sense, it often represents the life-sustaining provision that comes from God, and the cessation of it highlights total dependence on Him.
This verse recounts God's sovereign hand in orchestrating a severe famine, a critical event that drove Jacob's family into Egypt, ultimately fulfilling God's plan for their survival and the continuation of His covenant people through Joseph's providential rise.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph, son of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt. This event, though seemingly tragic, sets the stage for his later rise to power.
c. 1990-1800 BC
Joseph imprisoned in Egypt
False accusations led to Joseph's imprisonment in Egypt, a period where he endured hardship and injustice before his eventual release.
c. 1990-1800 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
While still imprisoned, Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh, predicting a severe famine that would affect Egypt and surrounding lands.
c. 1990-1800 BC
Joseph appointed ruler in Egypt
Recognizing Joseph's God-given wisdom, Pharaoh appoints him as second-in-command over all of Egypt to manage the grain reserves.
c. 1980-1790 BC— this verse
Famine strikes Canaan and Egypt
A devastating famine grips the land, fulfilling Joseph's prophecy. The 'staff of bread' is broken, meaning all food supplies are depleted, forcing people to seek sustenance.
c. 1980-1790 BC
Jacob's sons travel to Egypt for food
Jacob, hearing that Egypt has grain, sends his sons to buy food, unaware that they will encounter their long-lost brother Joseph.
This passage directly describes the famine that God summoned upon Egypt and Canaan, illustrating the specific historical event referred to in the psalm.
Leviticus 26:26This verse speaks of the consequence of disobedience, where God would break the staff of bread, echoing the imagery of total provision failure.
Ezekiel 4:16Ezekiel is told by God that He will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, showing that famine is a direct instrument of God's judgment.
Matthew 8:8The centurion's statement that he can speak the word and his servant will be healed shows a similar concept of God 'calling for' things to happen as if they were servants ready to obey.
pulpitPsalms 105:16: "Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread."
Verse 16. - Moreover he called for a famine upon the land. To "call for a famine" is the same thing as to create a famine. What God "calls for" immediately exists (see Genesis 1:3). "The land" intended is the land of Canaan. He brake the whole staff of bread (comp. Leviticus 26:26; Isaiah lit. 1). Bread is called a "staff," as the great support of life. (For the severity of the famine in Canaan, s…
ellicottPsalms 105:16: "Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread."
(16) Called for a famine. —Comp. 2Kings 8:1 ; and in Ezekiel 14 we see how famine, with war and pestilence and noisome beasts, were regarded as Divine emissaries to be summoned and sent on His missions. Staff of bread.—Leviticus 26:26. (See, too, Note on Psalm 104:15.)
The phrase "broke all supply of bread" isn't just about a lack of food; it paints a picture of God shattering the very foundation of life itself. This isn't a natural disaster happening to the land, but God actively intervening, like a potter smashing a brittle vessel, to demonstrate His ultimate control over sustenance.
This passage recounts God’s sovereign hand in bringing a severe famine to Canaan, breaking the very foundation of daily sustenance. This event isn't random but a divine summons, setting the stage for the family's descent into Egypt. It's crucial to see this famine as the prelude to Joseph's rise, as God sent him ahead to Egypt to preserve life.
This passage recounts God’s sovereign hand in bringing a severe famine to Canaan, breaking the very foundation of daily sustenance. This event isn't random but a divine summons, setting the stage for the family's descent into Egypt. It's crucial to see this famine as the prelude to Joseph's rise, as God sent him ahead to Egypt to preserve life.
"When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread," — The phrase "broke all supply of bread" isn't just about a lack of food; it paints a picture of God shattering the very foundation of life itself. This isn't a natural disaster happening to the land…
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Last reviewed October 2026