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Selected Verse: Psalms 78:26 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 78:26	Strong Concordance	He caused an east wind [06921] to blow [05265] in the heaven [08064]: and by his power [05797] he brought in [05090] the south wind [08486].
	King James	He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven - See Num 11:31. In the history, the quarter from which the wind came is not mentioned, except as it might be indicated by the statement that the "quails were brought from the sea;" - that is, evidently, the Red Sea. This wind would have come from the southeast. The phrase "in the heaven" means in the air, or from above. And by his power ... - By his direct agency. It was a wind which he caused to blow for the purpose; a miracle.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven - See Num 11:31. In the history, the quarter from which the wind came is not mentioned, except as it might be indicated by the statement that the "quails were brought from the sea;" - that is, evidently, the Red Sea. This wind would have come from the southeast. The phrase "in the heaven" means in the air, or from above.

And by his power ... - By his direct agency. It was a wind which he caused to blow for the purpose; a miracle.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Passing over to the giving of the quails, the poet is thinking chiefly of the first occasion mentioned in Ex. 16, which directly preceded the giving of the manna. But the description follows the second: יסּע (He caused to depart, set out) after Num 11:31. "East" and "south" belong together: it was a south-east wind from the Aelanitic Gulf. "To rain down" is a figurative expression for a plentiful giving of dispensing from above. "Its camp, its tents," are those of Israel, Num 11:31, cf. Exo 16:13. The תּעוה, occurring twice, Psa 78:29-30 (of the object of strong desire, as in Psa 21:3), points to Kibroth-hattaavah, the scene of this carnal lusting; הביא is the transitive of the בּוא in Pro 13:12. In Psa 78:30-31 even in the construction the poet closely follows Num 11:33 (cf. also זרוּ with לזרא, aversion, loathing, Num 11:20). The Waw unites what takes place simultaneously; a construction which presents the advantage of being able to give special prominence to the subject. The wrath of God consisted in the breaking out of a sickness which was the result of immoderate indulgence, and to which even the best-nourished and most youthfully vigorous fell a prey. When the poet goes on in Psa 78:32 to say that in spite of these visitations (בּכל־זאת) they went on sinning, he has chiefly before his mind the outbreak of "fat" rebelliousness after the return of the spies, cf. Psa 78:32 with Num 14:11. And Psa 78:33 refers to the judgment of death in the wilderness threatened at that time to all who had come out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward (Num 14:28-34). Their life devoted to death vanished from that time onwards בּהבל, in breath-like instability, and בּבּהלה, in undurable precipitancy; the mode of expression in Psa 31:11; Job 36:1 suggests to the poet an expressive play of words. When now a special judgment suddenly and violently thinned the generation that otherwise was dying off, as in Num 21:6., then they inquired after Him, they again sought His favour, those who were still preserved in the midst of this dying again remembered the God who had proved Himself to be a "Rock" (Deu 32:15, Deu 32:18, Deu 32:37) and to be a "Redeemer" (Gen 48:16) to them. And what next? Psa 78:36-37 (Note: According to the reckoning of the Masora this Psa 78:36 is the middle verse of the 2527 verses of the Psalter (Buxtorf, Tiberias, 1620, p. 133).) tell us what effect they gave to this disposition to return to God. They appeased Him with their mouth, is meant to say: they sought to win Him over to themselves by fair speeches, inasmuch as they thus anthropopathically conceived of God, and with their tongue they played the hypocrite to Him; their heart, however, was not sincere towards Him (עם like את in Psa 78:8), i.e., not directed straight towards Him, and they proved themselves not stedfast (πιστοί, or properly βέβαιοι) in their covenant-relationship to Him.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Passing over to the giving of the quails, the poet is thinking chiefly of the first occasion mentioned in Ex. 16, which directly preceded the giving of the manna. But the description follows the second: יסּע (He caused to depart, set out) after Num 11:31. "East" and "south" belong together: it was a south-east wind from the Aelanitic Gulf. "To rain down" is a figurative expression for a plentiful giving of dispensing from above. "Its camp, its tents," are those of Israel, Num 11:31, cf. Exo 16:13. The תּעוה, occurring twice, Psa 78:29-30 (of the object of strong desire, as in Psa 21:3), points to Kibroth-hattaavah, the scene of this carnal lusting; הביא is the transitive of the בּוא in Pro 13:12. In Psa 78:30-31 even in the construction the poet closely follows Num 11:33 (cf. also זרוּ with לזרא, aversion, loathing, Num 11:20). The Waw unites what takes place simultaneously; a construction which presents the advantage of being able to give special prominence to the subject. The wrath of God consisted in the breaking out of a sickness which was the result of immoderate indulgence, and to which even the best-nourished and most youthfully vigorous fell a prey. When the poet goes on in Psa 78:32 to say that in spite of these visitations (בּכל־זאת) they went on sinning, he has chiefly before his mind the outbreak of "fat" rebelliousness after the return of the spies, cf. Psa 78:32 with Num 14:11. And Psa 78:33 refers to the judgment of death in the wilderness threatened at that time to all who had come out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward (Num 14:28-34). Their life devoted to death vanished from that time onwards בּהבל, in breath-like instability, and בּבּהלה, in undurable precipitancy; the mode of expression in Psa 31:11; Job 36:1 suggests to the poet an expressive play of words. When now a special judgment suddenly and violently thinned the generation that otherwise was dying off, as in Num 21:6., then they inquired after Him, they again sought His favour, those who were still preserved in the midst of this dying again remembered the God who had proved Himself to be a "Rock" (Deu 32:15, Deu 32:18, Deu 32:37) and to be a "Redeemer" (Gen 48:16) to them. And what next? Psa 78:36-37

(Note: According to the reckoning of the Masora this Psa 78:36 is the middle verse of the 2527 verses of the Psalter (Buxtorf, Tiberias, 1620, p. 133).)

tell us what effect they gave to this disposition to return to God. They appeased Him with their mouth, is meant to say: they sought to win Him over to themselves by fair speeches, inasmuch as they thus anthropopathically conceived of God, and with their tongue they played the hypocrite to Him; their heart, however, was not sincere towards Him (עם like את in Psa 78:8), i.e., not directed straight towards Him, and they proved themselves not stedfast (πιστοί, or properly βέβαιοι) in their covenant-relationship to Him.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
South wind - First an eastern, and afterwards a southern wind.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
He caused an east wind to blow - See the note on Num 11:31.

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³¹ And there went forth [05265] a wind [07307] from the LORD [03068], and brought [01468] quails [07958] from the sea [03220], and let them fall [05203] by the camp [04264], as it were a day's [03117] journey [01870] on this side [03541], and as it were a day's [03117] journey [01870] on the other side [03541], round about [05439] the camp [04264], and as it were two cubits [0520] high upon the face [06440] of the earth [0776].

⁸ And might not be as their fathers [01], a stubborn [05637] and rebellious [04784] generation [01755]; a generation [01755] that set [03559] not their heart [03820] aright [03559], and whose spirit [07307] was not stedfast [0539] with God [0410].

³⁶ Nevertheless they did flatter [06601] him with their mouth [06310], and they lied [03576] unto him with their tongues [03956].

³⁶ Nevertheless they did flatter [06601] him with their mouth [06310], and they lied [03576] unto him with their tongues [03956].
³⁷ For their heart [03820] was not right [03559] with him, neither were they stedfast [0539] in his covenant [01285].

¹⁶ The Angel [04397] which redeemed [01350] me from all evil [07451], bless [01288] the lads [05288]; and let my name [08034] be named [07121] on them, and the name [08034] of my fathers [01] Abraham [085] and Isaac [03327]; and let them grow [01711] into a multitude [07230] in the midst [07130] of the earth [0776].

³⁷ And he shall say [0559], Where are their gods [0430], their rock [06697] in whom they trusted [02620],

¹⁸ Of the Rock [06697] that begat [03205] thee thou art unmindful [07876], and hast forgotten [07911] God [0410] that formed [02342] thee.

¹⁵ But Jeshurun [03484] waxed fat [08080], and kicked [01163]: thou art waxen fat [08080], thou art grown thick [05666], thou art covered [03780] with fatness; then he forsook [05203] God [0433] which made [06213] him, and lightly esteemed [05034] the Rock [06697] of his salvation [03444].

⁶ And the LORD [03068] sent [07971] fiery [08314] serpents [05175] among the people [05971], and they bit [05391] the people [05971]; and much [07227] people [05971] of Israel [03478] died [04191].

¹ Elihu [0453] also proceeded [03254], and said [0559],

¹¹ I was a reproach [02781] among all mine enemies [06887], but especially [03966] among my neighbours [07934], and a fear [06343] to mine acquaintance [03045]: they that did see [07200] me without [02351] fled [05074] from me.

²⁸ Say [0559] unto them, As truly as [03808] I live [02416], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], as ye have spoken [01696] in mine ears [0241], so will I do [06213] to you:
²⁹ Your carcases [06297] shall fall [05307] in this wilderness [04057]; and all that were numbered [06485] of you, according to your whole number [04557], from twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] and upward [04605], which have murmured [03885] against me,
³⁰ Doubtless ye shall not [0518] come [0935] into the land [0776], concerning which I sware [03027] [05375] to make you dwell [07931] therein, save Caleb [03612] the son [01121] of Jephunneh [03312], and Joshua [03091] the son [01121] of Nun [05126].
³¹ But your little ones [02945], which ye said [0559] should be a prey [0957], them will I bring in [0935], and they shall know [03045] the land [0776] which ye have despised [03988].
³² But as for you, your carcases [06297], they shall fall [05307] in this wilderness [04057].
³³ And your children [01121] shall wander [07462] in the wilderness [04057] forty [0705] years [08141], and bear [05375] your whoredoms [02184], until your carcases [06297] be wasted [08552] in the wilderness [04057].
³⁴ After the number [04557] of the days [03117] in which ye searched [08446] the land [0776], even forty [0705] days [03117], each day [03117] for a year [08141] [03117] [08141], shall ye bear [05375] your iniquities [05771], even forty [0705] years [08141], and ye shall know [03045] my breach of promise [08569].

³³ Therefore their days [03117] did he consume [03615] in vanity [01892], and their years [08141] in trouble [0928].

¹¹ And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], How long will this people [05971] provoke [05006] me? and how long will it be ere [03808] they believe [0539] me, for all the signs [0226] which I have shewed [06213] among [07130] them?

³² For all this they sinned [02398] still, and believed [0539] not for his wondrous works [06381].

²⁰ But even a whole month [02320] [03117], until it come out [03318] at your nostrils [0639], and it be loathsome [02214] unto you: because [03282] that ye have despised [03988] the LORD [03068] which is among [07130] you, and have wept [01058] before [06440] him, saying [0559], Why came we forth [03318] out of Egypt [04714]?

³³ And while the flesh [01320] was yet [02962] between their teeth [08127], ere it was chewed [03772], the wrath [0639] of the LORD [03068] was kindled [02734] against the people [05971], and the LORD [03068] smote [05221] the people [05971] with a very [03966] great [07227] plague [04347].

³⁰ They were not estranged [02114] from their lust [08378]. But while their meat [0400] was yet in their mouths [06310],
³¹ The wrath [0639] of God [0430] came [05927] upon them, and slew [02026] the fattest [04924] of them, and smote down [03766] the chosen [0970] men of Israel [03478].

¹² Hope [08431] deferred [04900] maketh the heart [03820] sick [02470]: but when the desire [08378] cometh [0935], it is a tree [06086] of life [02416].

³ For thou preventest [06923] him with the blessings [01293] of goodness [02896]: thou settest [07896] a crown [05850] of pure gold [06337] on his head [07218].

²⁹ So they did eat [0398], and were well [03966] filled [07646]: for he gave [0935] them their own desire [08378];
³⁰ They were not estranged [02114] from their lust [08378]. But while their meat [0400] was yet in their mouths [06310],

¹³ And it came to pass, that at even [06153] the quails [07958] came up [05927], and covered [03680] the camp [04264]: and in the morning [01242] the dew [02919] lay [07902] round about [05439] the host [04264].