The time; till which time his eminent prudence, and innocency, and piety gave him no relief. His word; either,
1. Joseph's word, or his prophecy concerning the chief butler and baker; which is said to come when it was fulfilled, as that word is used, Judges 13:12,17 Eze 24:24, and elsewhere. But the event confutes this; for Joseph was not delivered at that time, but two years after it, Genesis 41:1. Or rather, 2. The word of the Lord, as it follows; the pronoun relative being here put before the substantive, to which it belongs, as it is also Exodus 2:6 Job 33:20 Proverbs 5:22, Proverbs 14:13. He seems to speak of that word or revelation which came first to Pharaoh in a dream, Genesis 41:1,2, &c.; and then to Joseph concerning the interpretation of it. Psalms 105:15,16. For the word of the Lord is said to come, not only when it comes to pass, but also and most commonly when it is first revealed, as Jeremiah 7:1, Jeremiah 11:1 18:1; and God is said to come when he doth reveal it, as Genesis 20:3, Genesis 31:24. Tried him; either,
1. Tried his sincerity and constancy. But that was not done by God's word, but by his rod. Or rather,
2. Discovered him, to wit, unto Pharaoh and his courtiers, how innocent, and holy, and knowing a person he was; or purged him from those calumnies which were cast upon him, and so prepared the way for his release, which here follows, Psalms 105:20. This verse may well be rendered thus, Until the time that his word came, even the word of the Lord, which tried him; such ellipses being most usual in the Hebrew text.