We are in chapter 41 of Genesis with our word for today used the most in our chapter. רָעָב famine, hunger, scarcity of grain. It is used 101 times in the Old Testament, 12 times in our chapter. We find our word used to describe a severe shortage of food resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death. Because this situation was so life threatening it caused people to move from their home to where the food was. This reality is repeated throughout history. Genesis 12:10 Now there was a רָעָ֖ב famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. Genesis 26:1 Now there was a רָעָב֙ famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 Samuel 21:1 During the reign of David, there was a רָעָב֩ famine for three successive years. 1 Kings 18:2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the וְהָרָעָ֖ב famine was severe in Samaria. 2 Kings 4:38 Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a וְהָרָעָ֣ב famine in that region. Jeremiah 52:6 By the ninth day of the fourth month the הָרָעָ֖ב famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. Sometimes God clearly gives the reason for the famine. Like we see when King David asks God why this was happening to them. 2 Samuel 21:1 And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” This is seen throughout the book of Jeremiah where God gives the reason for famine and other consequences being directly resulting from the peoples sins against him. Other times he does not give the reason but instead focuses on how he uses it to bring about His will. This is how we see it used today in our chapter. Genesis 41:27, 30-31, 36, 50, 54, 56-57 The seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of רָעָב famine… but after them there will arise seven years of רָעָב famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The הָרָעָ֥ב famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe… That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of הָרָעָ֔ב famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the בָּרָעָֽב famine…The seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was הָרָעָב֙ famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread…So when the וְהָרָעָ֣ב famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the הָֽרָעָ֖בfamine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the הָרָעָ֖ב famine was severe over all the earth.
Psalm 105:16-17, 20-24 He called down רָ֭עָבfamine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham. The Lord made his people very fruitful. This is an amazing song which God’s people and the early church sang as part of their worship. This is what Psalms were used for. This is a reminder that sometimes God allows tragic events like famine to bring about his purposes. Here we clearly see that it was not just recorded in Genesis but also sang as worship preserved in Psalm 105. His purpose was to set up and create the nation of Israel which he would later bring his son into the world to save all of us.
