Psalms 105:25
He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights a subtle but powerful aspect of God's sovereignty: He "turned" the Egyptians' hearts, not by creating hatred where none existed, but by withdrawing His restraining grace, allowing their innate corruption and jealousy to flourish into malice. This reveals that God's providential hand isn't just in grand miracles, but also in the subtle shifts of human disposition that lead to significant events.
This psalm recounts God's powerful acts of deliverance for Israel, beginning with Joseph and moving to the oppression in Egypt. Following God's miraculous multiplication of the Israelites, the Egyptians, stirred by jealousy and fear, shift from kindness to cruelty. This verse describes God's sovereign hand in allowing, or even directing, the Egyptians' hearts to turn to hatred and craftiness, setting the stage for the plagues and eventual Exodus.
Have you ever wondered how God can be in control when people do terrible things? This verse offers a profound perspective.
This verse states, 'He turned their hearts to hate his people.' This doesn't mean God instilled hatred into the Egyptians. Instead, it speaks to God's ultimate sovereignty. The commentaries suggest God 'suffered them to be turned' or 'withdrew His Spirit's influence.' Even when people act out of their own wicked inclinations, God is still in control of the overarching narrative. Their innate corruption, amplified by jealousy over Israel's prosperity, led them to hate God's people. God, in His wisdom, allowed this hatred to develop and manifest, directing it toward His chosen people for His own purposes.
Why 'deal craftily'? It reveals a deeper motivation behind persecution.
The verse continues, 'to deal craftily with his servants.' The commentaries point to Exodus 1:10, where the Egyptians planned to 'deal wisely' (or craftily) with the Israelites. This wasn't just random malice; it stemmed from a growing fear. As Israel prospered and multiplied, the Egyptians feared they would become too powerful and potentially take over their land. So, they devised subtle, deceptive plans – like enslaving them and later, infamously, killing the male infants – rather than direct confrontation. This 'craftiness' is a strategy of oppressors who use manipulation and hidden agendas to suppress those they fear.
Understand the original words
sane · Hebrew Verb
A strong feeling of enmity, ill will, or opposition toward others. In Scripture, it is presented as a moral failing or the opposite of the command to love one's neighbor.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
Those who are in service or bondage to another, particularly those belonging to and serving God. It signifies humility, devotion, and obedience to a master.
This psalm recalls the shift from Egyptian hospitality to bitter oppression, highlighting how God sovereignly worked through the Egyptians' changing hearts to bring about His redemptive plan for Israel.
c. 1700-1600 BC
Joseph's family settles in Egypt
Following Joseph's rise to power, his family (the Israelites) are welcomed into Egypt and settle in the land of Goshen.
c. 1600-1500 BC
Israelites multiply and prosper
Over generations, the Israelites grow in number and prosperity, becoming a significant population within Egypt.
c. 1500 BC
New dynasty rises in Egypt
A new dynasty of pharaohs comes to power in Egypt, one that did not know or favor Joseph and the Israelites.
c. 1500-1400 BC— this verse
Egyptians fear and oppress Israel
The growing Israelite population sparks fear in the Egyptians, leading to policies of oppression and forced labor.
c. 1440 BC
This passage details the Egyptians' shift from kindness to oppression, including their 'crafty dealings' (Exodus 1:10) which directly mirrors the psalmist's description of the Egyptians hating and dealing subtly with God's people.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This verse explains that God's chosen people were not chosen because they were numerous or inherently better, but because of God's love and faithfulness, providing context for why the Egyptians' jealousy and hatred would be stirred by their prosperity.
Romans 9:18Paul uses the Pharaoh narrative to illustrate God's sovereign choice and mercy, stating 'He has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden,' which resonates with the psalmist's assertion that God 'turned their hearts'.
Acts 7:17-20Stephen recounts the early stages of Israel's oppression in Egypt, noting their rapid multiplication and the Egyptians' fear, which led them to 'deal craftily' with the Israelites and cast out their infants, aligning with the themes in Psalm 105:25.
pulpitPsalms 105:25: "He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants."
Verse 25. - He turned their heart to hate his people. Not by direct action on their heart, but by prospering Israel until their jealousy was stirred. To deal subtilly with his servants (comp. Exodus 1:10).
clarkePsalms 105:25: "He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants."
He turned their heart - "Their heart was turned." So the Syriac and Arabic. After befriending the Hebrews on Joseph's account, to whom they were so deeply indebted, finding them to multiply greatly in the land, and at last to become more powerful than the Egyptians themselves, they turned their attention to the adoption of measures, in order to prevent the Hebrews from possessing themselves of the gov…
This verse highlights a subtle but powerful aspect of God's sovereignty: He "turned" the Egyptians' hearts, not by creating hatred where none existed, but by withdrawing His restraining grace, allowing their innate corruption and jealousy to flourish into malice. This reveals that God's providential hand isn't just in grand miracles, but also in the subtle shifts of human disposition that lead to significant events.
This psalm recounts God's powerful acts of deliverance for Israel, beginning with Joseph and moving to the oppression in Egypt. Following God's miraculous multiplication of the Israelites, the Egyptians, stirred by jealousy and fear, shift from kindness to cruelty. This verse describes God's sovereign hand in allowing, or even directing, the Egyptians' hearts to turn to hatred and craftiness, setting the stage for the plagues and eventual Exodus.
This psalm recounts God's powerful acts of deliverance for Israel, beginning with Joseph and moving to the oppression in Egypt. Following God's miraculous multiplication of the Israelites, the Egyptians, stirred by jealousy and fear, shift from kindness to cruelty. This verse describes God's sovereign hand in allowing, or even directing, the Egyptians' hearts to turn to hatred and craftiness, setting the stage for the plagues and eventual Exodus.
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The Exodus from Egypt
God intervenes through Moses and Aaron, delivering the Israelites from Egyptian bondage through a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
"He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants." — This verse highlights a subtle but powerful aspect of God's sovereignty: He "turned" the Egyptians' hearts, not by creating hatred where none existed, but by withdrawing His restraining grace, allo…
