Psalms 105:17-18
he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Joseph wasn't just sold into slavery by chance; God actively "sent" him, weaving this painful event into His larger plan for preservation. This means even the deepest betrayals and hardships can be part of a divine purpose to protect and provide.
This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant, specifically through the story of Joseph. It begins by detailing a famine that struck the land, a hardship orchestrated by God, and then pivots to explain how Joseph was sent ahead into Egypt. This verse highlights that Joseph's tragic sale into slavery, a deeply painful event for him and his family, was in fact a divinely appointed step to preserve them all from starvation.
When we think of Joseph, we often picture betrayal and slavery. But this verse reveals a deeper truth about his journey.
The Psalmist here, echoing Joseph's own words in Genesis, emphasizes that Joseph's descent into slavery wasn't a random act of cruelty or misfortune. It was orchestrated by God.
Divine Foresight:
God 'sent' Joseph ahead. This wasn't a passive observation; it was an active deployment in His grand strategy. While human hands acted with wicked intent (selling Joseph), God's hand was guiding the entire event.
A Purposeful Journey:
Joseph's eventual rise to power in Egypt was to preserve his family and, by extension, the lineage through which God's covenant people would grow. His suffering, therefore, was a crucial, albeit painful, step in God's plan.
Joseph's life was filled with immense hardship. How could God use such pain for His purposes?
The psalm doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of Joseph's experience – he was 'sold as a slave.' This wasn't a minor inconvenience; it was a devastating betrayal.
The Contrast:
This verse highlights the stark contrast between human actions and divine intention. Joseph's brothers acted out of jealousy and malice, selling him into a life of servitude. Yet, God sovereignly worked through this wicked act.
God's Greater Purpose:
God uses the 'bad' actions of people, not by causing them, but by directing their outcomes, to achieve His 'good' purposes. Joseph's slavery, his unjust imprisonment, and all the suffering he endured were woven into God's plan to save his family from famine and to establish a future for His chosen people.
Understand the original words
'ish · Hebrew Noun
In the biblical context, an individual is often chosen by God to fulfill a specific role in His redemptive history, functioning as a bridge between God's promise and its fulfillment.
'ebed · Hebrew Noun
A condition of being owned by another, used in Scripture to describe social bondage, but also metaphorically to describe the state of being owned by God (servitude) or by sin.
kebhel · Hebrew Noun
Instruments of binding, representing physical confinement, restriction, and the state of being restrained from one's own will or calling.
This psalm highlights how God's sovereign hand orchestrates even the wicked actions of humanity, like the selling of Joseph, to fulfill His redemptive purposes and preserve His people.
c. 1750-1730 BC— this verse
Joseph Sold into Slavery
Joseph, son of Jacob, is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt.
c. 1730-1715 BC
Joseph in Egyptian Slavery and Prison
Joseph endures hardship, first as a slave in Potiphar's house, and later falsely accused and imprisoned.
c. 1715 BC
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams
Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker, and later Pharaoh's own dreams, revealing a coming famine.
c. 1715 BC
Joseph Rises to Power in Egypt
Pharaoh appoints Joseph as second-in-command over Egypt to prepare for and manage the predicted seven-year famine.
c. 1708-1701 BC
This verse directly quotes Joseph, emphasizing that his suffering and eventual rise to power were orchestrated by God for the preservation of his family, echoing the psalm's theme of divine providence.
Genesis 37:28This passage describes the immediate event of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers, highlighting the human actions that, from a divine perspective, set in motion God's plan.
Romans 8:28This New Testament passage broadly states that God works all things for good for those who love Him, a principle powerfully illustrated by Joseph's story and referenced in the psalm.
Acts 7:9-10Stephen recounts the story of Joseph, emphasizing God's presence with him even in his suffering and his eventual exaltation, mirroring the psalm's narrative of God's purposeful direction.
pulpitPsalms 105:17: "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:"
Verse 17. - He sent a man before them, even Joseph. This is the real sense, though it is not fully expressed in the Hebrew. On the providential sending of Joseph into Egypt, see his own words, "God did send me before you, to preserve life" (Genesis 45:5). Who was sold for a servant (comp. Genesis 33:28, 36; Genesis 39:1).
ellicottPsalms 105:17: "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:"
(17) Repeats Joseph’s own explanation, twice given, of the ways of Providence in his life ( Genesis 45:5 ; Genesis 1:20 ).
The verse highlights that Joseph wasn't just sold into slavery by chance; God actively "sent" him, weaving this painful event into His larger plan for preservation. This means even the deepest betrayals and hardships can be part of a divine purpose to protect and provide.
This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant, specifically through the story of Joseph. It begins by detailing a famine that struck the land, a hardship orchestrated by God, and then pivots to explain how Joseph was sent ahead into Egypt. This verse highlights that Joseph's tragic sale into slavery, a deeply painful event for him and his family, was in fact a divinely appointed step to preserve them all from starvation.
This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant, specifically through the story of Joseph. It begins by detailing a famine that struck the land, a hardship orchestrated by God, and then pivots to explain how Joseph was sent ahead into Egypt. This verse highlights that Joseph's tragic sale into slavery, a deeply painful event for him and his family, was in fact a divinely appointed step to preserve them all from starvation.
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The Great Famine
A severe famine grips Canaan and surrounding regions, forcing Jacob's sons to travel to Egypt to buy food.
c. 1708 BC
Reunion of Joseph and His Brothers
Joseph, unrecognized at first, tests his brothers before revealing himself and facilitating the migration of his family to Egypt.
c. 1708 BC onwards
Jacob's Family Settles in Egypt
Jacob and his entire household, numbering about 70 people, settle in the land of Goshen in Egypt, under Joseph's protection.
"he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;" — The verse highlights that Joseph wasn't just sold into slavery by chance; God actively "sent" him, weaving this painful event into His larger plan for preservation. This means even the deepest betray…
