Interpretation of Psalm 105:16-19 and the Plague of Hail
Psalm 105:16-19 and the Plague of Hail
Psalm 105:16-19 recounts a period of famine and hardship in Israel's history, where God "called for a famine on the land; he broke all supply lines" [1]. The passage is part of a larger psalm that celebrates God's faithfulness to his people throughout their history.
The surrounding verses provide context for understanding the famine. The psalmist recounts how God had previously protected the patriarchs, saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm" (Psalm 105:15). The famine mentioned in verses 16-19 is likely a reference to the period of Joseph's imprisonment and subsequent rise to power in Egypt, as the psalmist notes that "he sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave" (Psalm 105:17). The "iron yoke" (or "fetters of iron") that Joseph endured (Psalm 105:18) refers to his imprisonment [1].
The historical setting of Psalm 105 is the period of Israel's history spanning from the patriarchs to the Exodus. The psalm is a retrospective look at God's faithfulness and provision for his people. The plague of hail, mentioned in Psalm 105:32, is one of the ten plagues inflicted upon Egypt before the Exodus [2].
The plague of hail is described in Exodus 9:13-35, where it is characterized as a severe storm with "hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail" (Exodus 9:24). According to Adam Clarke, the specificity of the time given for the plague ("tomorrow about this time") demonstrates God's sovereignty over the natural world and the elements that were objects of Egyptian idolatry [4].
Matthew Henry interprets the plague of hail as a demonstration of God's power and a warning to Pharaoh, noting that "God makes the clouds... his magazines whence, when he pleases, he can draw out a most formidable host" [5]. The hailstorm is seen as a fulfillment of God's word, with fire and hail being obedient to his command (Psalm 148:8).
The plague of hail is also referenced in other biblical passages, including Joshua 10:11, where a hailstorm destroys the army of the Amorites, and Ezekiel 13:11, where it is used as a metaphor for divine judgment [3].
In the New Testament, the plague of hail is alluded to in Revelation 16:21, where it is described as a future judgment upon humanity. John Gill interprets this passage as a reference to a future time when God will pour out his wrath upon the earth, using hail as one of the instruments of his judgment [6].
The range of interpretations for Psalm 105:16-19 and the plague of hail reflects the diverse perspectives of commentators. While some focus on the historical context and literal meaning of the passage, others see it as a typological foreshadowing of future events or a metaphor for divine judgment.
The passage has functioned in tradition as a reminder of God's power and faithfulness. In liturgy and creeds, Psalm 105 is often used to celebrate God's deliverance and provision for his people. The plague of hail, as one of the ten plagues, has been seen as a demonstration of God's sovereignty over the natural world and his ability to use creation to accomplish his purposes.
The juxtaposition of famine and hail in Psalm 105 highlights the contrasting ways in which God interacts with his people and their enemies. While famine is a time of hardship and testing for Israel, the plague of hail is a demonstration of God's judgment upon Egypt. This contrast underscores the psalmist's emphasis on God's faithfulness to his people and his power to deliver them from adversity.
Sources
- Psalms “He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies. -- Psalms 105:16”
- Psalms “He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land. -- Psalms 105:32”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Hail — Frozen rain-drops; one of the plagues of Egypt (Ex. 9:23). It is mentioned by Haggai as a divine judgment (Hag. 2:17). A hail-storm destroyed the army of the Amorites when they fought against Joshua (Josh. 10:11). Ezekiel represents the wall daubed with untempered mortar as destroyed by great hail-stones (Ezek. 13:11). (See also 38:22; Rev. 8:7; 11:19; 16:21.)”
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 9:18: To-morrow about this time - The time of this plague is marked thus circumstantially to show Pharaoh that Jehovah was Lord of heaven and earth, and that the water, the fire, the earth, and the air, which were all objects of Egyptian idolatry, were the creatures of his power; and subservient to his will; and that, far from being able to help them, they were now, in the hands of God, instruments of their destruction. To rain a very grievous hail - To rain hail may appear to some superficial observers as an unphilosophical mode of expression, but nothing can be more cor”
- Exodus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Exodus 9:22: The threatened plague of hail is here summoned by the powerful hand and rod of Moses (Exo 9:22, Exo 9:23), and it obeys the summons, or rather the divine command; for fire and hail fulfil God's word, Psa 148:8. And here we are told, I. What desolations it made upon the earth. The thunder, and fire from heaven (or lightning), made it both the more dreadful and the more destroying, Exo 9:23, Exo 9:24. Note, God makes the clouds, not only his store-houses whence he drops fatness on his people, but his magazines whence, when he pleases, he can draw out a most formidab”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 16:20: And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven,.... Which must be understood not as after the fall of the cities, and the flight of the islands and mountains, but at the same time; and it looks as if such men that shall escape at the battle of Armageddon, that hail stones from heaven will fall upon them and destroy them; just as the kings of the Amorites and their men were killed by hail stones, cast down by the Lord from heaven, as they fled before Joshua, when more were killed by the stones than were slain by the sword, Jos 10:11 the allusion seems to be to”