Psalms 105:24 · Bible study
Psalms 105:24 Commentary: God Increases His People Under Oppression
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did God make Israel stronger than their enemies during Egyptian oppression? This study shows covenant faithfulness in the growth of His people.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God sovereignly caused Israel to multiply and become mighty in Egypt despite oppression, fulfilling His covenant promise.
- Key words: va/yefet (Hiphil of parah), caused to be fruitful; va/ya'atsimehu (Hiphil of ‘atsam), made strong; me'od, exceedingly, beyond measure.
- Main debate: None significant. All major commentators read it as a straightforward account of God's covenant faithfulness.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty in history and His commitment to His promises, even through suffering.
- Best use: Encouragement for believers facing opposition; assurance that God can cause growth and strength in unlikely conditions.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes,
WEB World English Bible 2000
He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he increased his people greatly, And made them stronger than their adversaries.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And He maketh His people very fruitful, And maketh it mightier than its adversaries.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he made his people exceeding fruitful, and made them mightier than their oppressors.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they set at nought the desirable land. They believed not his word,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y multiplicó su pueblo en gran manera, é hízolo fuerte más que sus enemigos.
E fez seu povo crescer muito, e o fez mais poderoso que seus adversários.
Il rendit son peuple très fécond,
Und er ließ sein Volk sehr wachsen und machte sie mächtiger denn ihre Feinde.
En Hij deed Zijn volk zeer wassen, en maakte het machtiger dan Zijn tegenpartijders.
Iddio fece moltiplicar grandemente il suo popolo, e lo rese più potente dei suoi avversari.
Gdzie rozmnożył Bóg lud swój bardzo, i uczynił go możniejszym nad nieprzyjaciół jego.
И презрели они землю желанную, не верили слову Его;
耶和華使 他的百姓 生養 眾多，使他們比敵人 強盛，
And his people were greatly increased, and became stronger than those who were against them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 105:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse summarizes God's covenant faithfulness in fulfilling the promise to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation (Genesis 13:16, 46:3). Barnes notes simply that "God caused them to multiply," referencing Exodus 1:7 and 1:9. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges draws the same connection, observing that the verse echoes the language of Exodus 1:7: "The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them." Gill expands on this, pointing out that Israel's increase happened even amidst affliction: the more they were oppressed, the more they grew. He applies this to the church, noting that believers sometimes increase in number and grace under persecution. Matthew Henry takes the whole psalm as a call to praise God for his acts in former ages, comparing the birth of the Jewish church to the birth of the Christian church. The Hebrew verb translated "increased" (Hiphil of parah) is causative: God himself made his people fruitful. The verse therefore serves as a hinge in the psalm's historical recital, showing that God's purposes advance regardless of human hostility.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God caused Israel to multiply and become strong in Egypt as a demonstration of His covenant faithfulness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The source of Israel's growth | Traditions agree that God himself caused the increase; the Hebrew verb is causative (Hiphil). | No substantive debate. Some (Gill) apply it spiritually to the church; others keep it historical. Both readings affirm God as source. |
| The role of Egyptian oppression | All recognize that growth occurred during a period of severe oppression, highlighting God's power over human opposition. | No debate on this point. |
| Connection to the Abrahamic covenant | All see this growth as fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation. | None. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 105 is a historical psalm, recounting God's faithfulness from Abraham to the conquest of Canaan. Verse 24 falls in the section describing Israel's sojourn in Egypt (verses 23, 25). The people had entered Egypt as a small family of seventy souls (Genesis 46:27). Over more than four centuries, they grew into a nation. Exodus 1:7 records that "The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them." This growth was no accident: it was the direct fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham: "I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:16) and "I will make of you a great nation" (Genesis 46:3).
The setting of the verse is crucial. The "adversaries" were the Egyptians, who had come to fear Israel's numbers (Exodus 1:9, 10). A new king arose who did not know Joseph, and he subjected the Israelites to harsh labor. Yet God made them stronger than their oppressors: stronger in number, in health, in the fear they inspired (Exodus 1:12, 20). The Hebrew word ‘atsam ("made strong") carries the sense of being mighty or numerous. The adverb "exceedingly" (me'od) amplifies the degree. This strength was not military might (they were slaves) but a providential vigor that frustrated the Egyptians' plans. Deuteronomy 26:5 later summarizes: "He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation." Stephen's speech in Acts 7:17 also recalls that "the people grew and multiplied in Egypt."
The surrounding verses in Psalm 105 frame this growth: Joseph's rise (v.21, 22), then Israel's entry (v.23), then the turning of the Egyptians' hearts to hate them (v.25), then the sending of Moses (v.26). Verse 24 stands as a pause, a point of light before the storm of oppression. It reminds the reader that God was at work even in Egypt, preparing his people for deliverance.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 105:24. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is quoted in no variant forms in ancient versions.
Reception History
Psalm 105 has been used in Christian worship as a recital of God's saving acts, often sung during seasons of remembrance. Verse 24, in particular, has been read as a testimony to God's faithfulness in the midst of oppression. Matthew Henry (1710) used it to encourage believers to praise God for former acts of deliverance, drawing a parallel to the birth of the Christian church. John Calvin saw the entire psalm as magnifying "the singular grace of God displayed in selecting and freely adopting one people." In more recent preaching, this verse has been applied to the growth of the church under persecution, reflecting Gill's observation that the faithful "increase in grace, and every grace, and oftentimes the more they are tried and exercised by afflictions." The verse appears in some hymnals as part of settings of the historical psalms, though no specific hymn title is recorded in the supplied sources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God keeps his promises. The growth of Israel in Egypt is not a random historical fact; it is the direct fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham. God's word stands even under hostile regimes.
- Opposition does not hinder God's plan. The more Egypt oppressed, the more Israel multiplied. God's power is made perfect in weakness. He can cause growth in the least likely soil.
- Strength comes from God, not from circumstances. Israel had no army, no political power. Their strength was a gift. The same God who gave them growth can give his church resilience today.
Five-point outline
- The promise to Abraham: Offspring like dust (Genesis 13:16). God commits to a great nation.
- The sojourn in Egypt: A family of seventy enters; God works over generations.
- Growth despite oppression: The new king's fear leads to harder labor, but the people flourish (Exodus 1:12).
- A testimony to the nations: Egypt sees and fears. God's people become a visible sign of his blessing.
- Preparation for deliverance: The growth sets the stage for the exodus. God does not merely rescue a scattered few; he leads out a nation.
Illustration hooks
- A farmer plants seeds in drought conditions, trusting that the water underneath will sustain them. The growth surprises everyone.
- A small immigrant community in a new country faces hostility, but over two generations they grow and thrive, contributing to the society that opposed them.
- A church plant in a neighborhood marked by crime and poverty begins with a handful of families. Within a decade, it becomes a center of hope and community transformation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow hardship if He has promised to bless us?
- How can I see God's hand at work when my circumstances seem to be working against His promises?
- Does God still cause His people to grow and strengthen them when they face opposition today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows us that God's faithfulness is not dependent on human circumstances. Even in a hostile environment, God was at work fulfilling His covenant promises. As you discuss this passage, consider how God's unseen hand was preparing Israel for liberation, and how He may be at work in your own life in ways you do not yet perceive.
Discussion questions
- What does this verse say God did for His people? Why is it significant that God is the subject of both verbs?
- How does this verse connect to the promises God made to Abraham in Genesis 13:16 and 46:3?
- Why do you think the new king of Egypt feared Israel's strength (Exodus 1:9)? What does that fear reveal about God's work?
- In what ways can opposition sometimes lead to unexpected growth in our own lives or in the church?
- Gill notes that "the more they were afflicted, the more they increased." When have you seen something similar happen?
- How does remembering God's past faithfulness in history strengthen your trust in Him for the future?
- What is one area in your life where you need to trust God to bring growth or strength despite the circumstances?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 13:16 | I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be counted. |
| Genesis 46:3 | He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. |
| Exodus 1:7 | The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. |
| Exodus 1:8 | Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. |
| Exodus 1:9 | He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. |
| Exodus 12:37 | The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, in addition to children. |
| Deuteronomy 26:5 | You shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. |
| Acts 7:17 | “But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that the growth of the people was no ordinary increase; it was God’s direct work. He connects this verse to the later accounts in Exodus, where the same multiplication is described as the fulfillment of God’s purposeful action.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that God's countless benefits after delivering Israel from Egypt were not random favors; they were designed to draw faithful covenant keeping and wholehearted service from the chosen people. The psalm celebrates this deliberate purpose, showing the covenant was more than mere words.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that this verse deliberately echoes the language of Exodus 1:7, where Israel was fruitful and mighty. The subject is Jehovah, who made his people thrive and overpower their enemies. The Authorized Version obscures this connection, but the original Hebrew highlights God's providential hand in the patriarchs' growth.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that God actively multiplied His people and also strengthened them beyond their oppressors. It presents God's work as twofold: not only numerical growth but also empowerment that reversed the power dynamic, making the oppressed stronger than those who held them down.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill links Israel's growth in Egypt to a spiritual pattern: God's people often increase most when they are oppressed. He sees affliction as a means of growth, both in numbers and in strength, so that believers can overcome their enemies through Christ.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange contrasts this psalm with Psalm 78: while that psalm used Israel's history as a warning, this one uses the same events as a call to praise. He sees the psalm as lyrical rather than doctrinal, following the Pentateuch closely without a clear strophical structure, and emphasizing that God's covenant faithfulness from Abraham onward is the reason for joyful worship.