Focused Passage

Psalms 78:21-31

Teaching the Next Generation Through Israel's Rebellion, God's Mercy, and the Chosen Shepherd King

Psalm 78 moves from a summons to teach the coming generation, through a sweeping remembrance of wilderness rebellion, exodus mercy, judgment, and land failure, into God's rejection of Shiloh and Ephraim and His gracious choice of Judah, Zion, and David as shepherd-king.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

21Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,

22because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.

23Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.

24He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.

25Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

26He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.

27He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

28He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.

29So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.

30Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,

31God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 21

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֤ן׀H3651Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularheardשָׁמַ֥עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand was filled with wrathוַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֥רH5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularso a fireוְ֭אֵשׁH784Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singularwas kindledנִשְּׂקָ֣הH5400Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singularagainst Jacobבְיַעֲקֹ֑בH3290Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularandוְגַם־H1571ConjunctionHis angerאַ֝֗ףH639Noun - masculine singularflaredעָלָ֥הH5927Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularagainst Israelבְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

becauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey did notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebelieveהֶ֭אֱמִינוּH539Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralGodבֵּאלֹהִ֑יםH430Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural. . .וְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleor relyבָ֝טְח֗וּH982Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralon His salvationבִּֽישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃H3444Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

Yet He commandedוַיְצַ֣וH6680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe cloudsשְׁחָקִ֣יםH7834Noun - masculine pluralaboveמִמָּ֑עַלH4605Preposition-m | Adverband openedפָּתָֽח׃H6605Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe doorsוְדַלְתֵ֖יH1817Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual constructof the heavensשָׁמַ֣יִםH8064Noun - masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

He rained downוַיַּמְטֵ֬רH4305Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmannaמָ֣ןH4478Noun - masculine singularfor themעֲלֵיהֶ֣םH5921Preposition | third person masculine pluralto eatלֶאֱכֹ֑לH398Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructHe gaveנָ֣תַןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthemלָֽמוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine pluralgrainוּדְגַן־H1715Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructfrom heavenשָׁ֝מַ֗יִםH8064Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Cited in John 6:31
Verse 25

Original words

Manאִ֑ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularateאָ֣כַלH398Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe breadלֶ֣חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singular constructof angelsאַ֭בִּירִיםH47Adjective - masculine pluralHe sentשָׁלַ֖חH7971Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthemלָהֶ֣םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralfoodצֵידָ֬הH6720Noun - feminine singularin abundanceלָשֹֽׂבַע׃H7648Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

He stirredיַסַּ֣עH5265Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularthe east windקָ֭דִיםH6921Noun - masculine singularfrom the heavensבַּשָּׁמָ֑יִםH8064Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraland droveוַיְנַהֵ֖גH5090Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe south windתֵימָֽן׃H8486Noun - feminine singularby His mightבְּעֻזּ֣וֹH5797Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

He rainedוַיַּמְטֵ֬רH4305Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmeatשְׁאֵ֑רH7607Noun - masculine singularon themעֲלֵיהֶ֣םH5921Preposition | third person masculine plurallike dustכֶּעָפָ֣רH6083Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularand wingedכָּנָֽף׃H3671Noun - feminine singularbirdsע֣וֹףH5775Noun - masculine singular constructlike the sandוּֽכְח֥וֹלH2344Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof the seaיַ֝מִּ֗יםH3220Noun - masculine plural
Verse 28

Original words

He felled themוַ֭יַּפֵּלH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the midstבְּקֶ֣רֶבH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof their campמַחֲנֵ֑הוּH4264Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singularall aroundסָ֝בִ֗יבH5439Adverbtheir dwellingsלְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃H4908Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

So they ateוַיֹּאכְל֣וּH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland were wellמְאֹ֑דH3966Adverbfilledוַיִּשְׂבְּע֣וּH7646Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralfor He gaveיָבִ֥אH935Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthemלָהֶֽם׃Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwhat they cravedוְ֝תַֽאֲוָתָ֗םH8378Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 30

Original words

Yetלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlebefore they had filledזָר֥וּH2114Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir desireמִתַּאֲוָתָ֑םH8378Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralwith the foodאָכְלָ֥םH400Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralstillע֝֗וֹדH5750Adverbin their mouthsבְּפִיהֶֽם׃H6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 31

Original words

God’sאֱלֹהִ֨ים׀H430Noun - masculine pluralangerוְאַ֤ףH639Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructflaredעָ֘לָ֤הH5927Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularagainst themבָהֶ֗םPreposition | third person masculine pluraland He put to deathוַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹגH2026Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir strongestבְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶ֑םH4924Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland subduedהִכְרִֽיעַ׃H3766Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe young menוּבַחוּרֵ֖יH970Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֣לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.