19
Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
I believe God has appointed times for us in different situations in our lives.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. Hab 2:3 NKJV
Before those times appear, we are being prepared to face them. An example is David, who, while shepherding his Father’s sheep, had to face a lion and a bear. Going through those situations prepared him or “tested” him for his encounter with Goliath. See 1 Samuel 17:31-34
The Hebrew word for “tested” used in Psalm 105:19 is:
H7671צָרַף ṣārap, v. [33] [→ 5214, 7672]. [Q] to smelt, refine (metals); (n.) (gold- or silver-)smith:– goldsmith (6), refined (4), flawless (3), goldsmiths (2), refine (2), refining goes on (2 [+7671]), silversmith (2), been tested (1), examine (1), fashions (1), proved true (1), purified (1), refiner (1), refiner’s (1), test (1), thin out (1), thoroughly purge away (1 [+3869, 2021, 1342]), NDT (2)
NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan.
When we seek Him and see the things He has done before in the Word as well as remember what He has done for us in our lives, our faith and trust in God becomes stronger. (Bill)
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Charles Spurgeon
“Until the time that his word came.” God has his times, and his children must wait till his “until” is fulfilled. Joseph was tried as in a furnace until the Lord’s assaying work was fully accomplished. The word of the chief butler was nothing, he had to wait until God’s word came, and meanwhile
“the word of the LORD tried him.” He believed the promise, but his faith was sorely exercised. A delayed blessing tests men, and proves their metal, whether their faith is of that precious kind which can endure the fire. Of many a choice promise we may say with Daniel “the thing was true, but the time appointed was long.” If the vision tarry it is good to wait for it with patience. There is a trying word and a delivering word, and we must bear the one till the other comes to us. How meekly Joseph endured his afflictions, and with what fortitude he looked forward to the clearing of his slandered character we may readily imagine: it will be better still if under similar trials we are able to imitate him and come forth from the furnace as thoroughly purified as he was, and as well prepared to bear the yet harder ordeal of honor and power.
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Barnes
Until the time that his word came – The word, or the communication from God.
The word of the Lord tried him – That is, tested his skill in interpreting dreams, and his power to disclose the future. Genesis 41:0. This furnished a “trial” of his ability, and showed that he was truly the favorite of God, and was endowed with wisdom from on high. The word rendered “tried” is that which is commonly applied to metals in testing their genuineness and purity. Compare the notes at Psalms 12:6.
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John Gill
Until the time that his word came,…. Either the word of Joseph, interpreting the dreams of the butler and baker, till that came to be fulfilled; so the Syriac version, “till his word was proved by the event”: or rather till the fame and report of that came to Pharaoh’s ears, Genesis 41:13, or else the word of the Lord, concerning his advancement and exaltation, signified in dreams to him, Genesis 37:7, as it follows:
the word of the Lord tried him: it tried his faith and patience before it was accomplished; and when it was, it purged him and purified him, as silver in a furnace, and cleared him of the imputation and calumny of his mistress; for, even in the view of Pharaoh, he appeared to be a man in whom the Spirit of God was, Genesis 41:38. Some think that Christ, the essential Word, is intended, who came and visited him, tried and cleared him.
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Matthew Henry
He was exalted, highly exalted. He continued a prisoner, neither tried nor bailed, until the time appointed of God for his release (v. 19), when his word came, that is, his interpretations of the dreams came to pass, and the report thereof came to Pharaoh’s ears by the chief butler. And then the word of the Lord cleared him; that is, the power God gave him to foretell things to come rolled away the reproach his mistress had loaded him with; for it could not be thought that God would give such a power to so bad a man as he was represented to be. God’s word tried him, tried his faith and patience, and then it came in power to give command for his release. There is a time set when God’s word will come for the comfort of all that trust in it, Hab. 2:3. At the end it shall speak, and not lie. God gave the word, and then the king sent and loosed him; for the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. Pharaoh, finding him to be a favorite of Heaven,
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Clarke
The word of the Lord tried him. — This seems to refer to the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, called אמרת יהוה imrath Yehovah, “the oracle of the Lord,” because sent by him to Pharaoh. See Genesis 41:26
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Benson
Until the time that his word came — Dr. Waterland renders the verse, Until the time that his saying came to pass, the word of the Lord purged him: and Green translates it, Until the time that his prediction had come to pass, and the word of the Lord cleared him. The meaning seems evidently to be, that notwithstanding his eminent prudence, innocence, and piety, he was detained in prison until the time that his word, or cause, came before the king, and was known; (so it is in our old translation;) or, until his word, or prediction, concerning the chief butler’s promotion, came to pass; for this was the means of Joseph’s enlargement and justification; since a person, guilty of the crime with which he stood charged, would not have been inspired to foretell future events. Can we find, said Pharaoh, such a man as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? Genesis 41:38. The word of the Lord tried him — Either, 1st, Discovered him unto Pharaoh and his courtiers and showed how innocent, holy, and wise a person he was, and thereby cleared him from those calumnies which had been cast upon him, and so prepared the way for his release, as it follows Psalm 105:20. Or, 2d, Tried his sincerity and constancy, (the word of the Lord being put for his commandment or decree,) tried him in the furnace of affliction, there refining and preparing him for his approaching exaltation to glory and honor.
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Geneva Bible 1560
Psalm 105:19
19 Until l his appointed time came, and the counsel of the Lord had tried him.
l So long he suffered adversity, as God had appointed, and till he had tried sufficiently his patience.
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Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV
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