Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Psalms 78:38 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ps 78:38 |
Strong Concordance |
But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534]. |
|
King James |
But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
But he, being full of compassion - literally, "But he, merciful," That is, he was ready to forgive them.
Forgave their iniquity - literally, Atoned for, expiated, covered over their iniquity. There is connected with the word the idea of expiation or atonement, as the ground of pardon.
And destroyed them not - Did not cut them off in their repeated acts of rebellion. He bore with them, and spared them.
Yea, many a time turned he his anger away - literally, He multiplied to turn his anger away. That is, he did it repeatedly. There were frequent occasions on their journey for doing this, and he did it.
And did not stir up all his wrath - literally, Did not excite, or arouse all his anger. His anger was stayed or mitigated, and they were suffered still to live. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
The second part of the Psalm now begins. God, notwithstanding, in His compassion restrains His anger; but Israel's God-tempting conduct was continued, even after the journey through the desert, in Canaan, and the miracles of judgment amidst which the deliverance out of Egypt had been effected were forgotten. With והוּא in Psa 78:38
(Note: According to B. Kiddushin 30a, this Psa 78:38 is the middle one of the 5896 פסוקין, στίχοι, of the Psalter. According to B. Maccoth 22b, Psa 78:38, and previously Deu 28:58-59; Deu 29:8 [9], were recited when the forty strokes of the lash save one, which according to Co2 11:24 Paul received five times, were being counted out to the culprit.)
begins an adversative clause, which is of universal import as far as ישׁהית, and then becomes historical. Psa 78:38 expands what lies in רחוּם: He expiates iniquity and, by letting mercy instead of right take its course, arrests the destruction of the sinner. With והרבּה (Ges. ֗֗142, 2) this universal truth is supported out of the history of Israel. As this history shows, He has many a time called back His anger, i.e., checked it in its course, and not stirred up all His blowing anger (cf. Isa 42:13), i.e., His anger in all its fulness and intensity. We see that Psa 78:38 refers to His conduct towards Israel, then Psa 78:39 follows with the ground of the determination, and that in the form of an inference drawn from such conduct towards Israel. He moderated His anger against Israel, and consequently took human frailty and perishableness into consideration. The fact that man is flesh (which not merely affirms his physical fragility, but also his moral weakness, Gen 6:3, cf. Gen 8:21), and that, after a short life, he falls a prey to death, determines God to be long-suffering and kind; it was in fact sensuous desire and loathing by which Israel was beguiled time after time. The exclamation "how oft!" Psa 78:40, calls attention to the praiseworthiness of this undeserved forbearance.
But with Psa 78:41 the record of sins begins anew. There is nothing by which any reference of this Psa 78:41 to the last example of insubordination recorded in the Pentateuch, Num 35:1-9 (Hitzig), is indicated. The poet comes back one more to the provocations of God by the Israel of the wilderness in order to expose the impious ingratitude which revealed itself in this conduct. התוה is the causative of תּוה = Syriac tewā', תּהא, to repent, to be grieved, lxx παρώξυναν. The miracles of the tie of redemption are now brought before the mind in detail, ad exaggerandum crimen tentationis Deu cum summa ingratitudine conjunctum (Venema). The time of redemption is called יום, as in Gen 2:4 the hexahemeron. שׂים אות (synon. עשׂה, נתן) is used as in Exo 10:2. We have already met with מנּי־צר in Psa 44:11. The first of the plagues of Egypt (Exo 7:14-25), the turning of the waters into blood, forms the beginning in Psa 78:44. From this the poet takes a leap over to the fourth plague, the ערב (lxx κυνόμυια), a grievous and destructive species of fly (Exo 8:20-32), and combines with it the frogs, the second plague (Exo 8:1-15). צפרדּע is the lesser Egyptian frog, Rana Mosaica, which is even now called Arab. ḍfd‛, ḍofda. Next in Psa 78:46 he comes to the eighth plague, the locusts, חסיל (a more select name of the migratory locusts than ארבּה), Ex 10:1-20; the third plague, the gnats and midges, כּנּים, is left unmentioned in addition to the fourth, which is of a similar kind. For the chastisement by means of destructive living things is now closed, and in Psa 78:47 follows the smiting with hail, the seventh plague, Ex 9:13-35. חנמל (with pausal , not ā, cf. in Eze 8:2 the similarly formed החשׁמלה) in the signification hoar-frost (πάχνη, lxx, Vulgate, Saadia, and Abulwald), or locusts (Targum כּזוּבא = חגב), or ants (J. D. Michaelis), does not harmonize with the history; also the hoar-frost is called כּפוּר, the ant נּמלה (collective in Arabic neml). Although only conjecturing from the context, we understand it, with Parchon and Kimchi, of hailstones or hail. With thick lumpy pieces of ice He smote down vines and sycamore-trees (Fayum was called in ancient Egyptian "the district of the sycamore"). הרג proceeds from the Biblical conception that the plant has a life of its own. The description of this plague is continued in Psa 78:48. Two MSS present לדּבר instead of לבּרד; but even supposing that רשׁפים might signify the fever-burnings of the pestilence (vid., on Hab 3:5), the mention of the pestilence follows in Psa 78:50, and the devastation which, according to Exo 9:19-22, the hail caused among the cattle of the Egyptians is in its right place here. Moreover it is expressly said in Exo 9:24 that there was conglomerate fire among the hail; רשׁפים are therefore flaming, blazing lightnings. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
But he, being full of compassion - Feeling for them as a father for his children.
Forgave their iniquity - יחפר yechapper, made an atonement for their iniquity.
And did not stir up all his wrath - Though they often grieved his Spirit, and rebelled against him, yet he seldom punished them; and when he did chastise them, it was as a tender and merciful Father. He did not stir up all his wrath - the punishment was much less than the iniquity deserved. |
24 So there was hail [01259], and fire [0784] [03947] mingled [08432] with the hail [01259], very [03966] grievous [03515], such as there was none [03808] like it in all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714] since it became a nation [01471].
19 Send [07971] therefore now, and gather [05756] thy cattle [04735], and all that thou hast in the field [07704]; for upon every man [0120] and beast [0929] which shall be found [04672] in the field [07704], and shall not be brought [0622] home [01004], the hail [01259] shall come down [03381] upon them, and they shall die [04191].
20 He that feared [03373] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] among the servants [05650] of Pharaoh [06547] made his servants [05650] and his cattle [04735] flee [05127] into the houses [01004]:
21 And he that regarded [07760] [03820] not the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] left [05800] his servants [05650] and his cattle [04735] in the field [07704].
22 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Stretch forth [05186] thine hand [03027] toward heaven [08064], that there may be hail [01259] in all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], upon man [0120], and upon beast [0929], and upon every herb [06212] of the field [07704], throughout the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
50 He made [06424] a way [05410] to his anger [0639]; he spared [02820] not their soul [05315] from death [04194], but gave [05462] their life [02416] over [05462] to the pestilence [01698];
5 Before [06440] him went [03212] the pestilence [01698], and burning coals [07565] went forth [03318] at his feet [07272].
48 He gave up [05462] their cattle [01165] also to the hail [01259], and their flocks [04735] to hot thunderbolts [07565].
2 Then I beheld [07200], and lo a likeness [01823] as the appearance [04758] of fire [0784]: from the appearance [04758] of his loins [04975] even downward [04295], fire [0784]; and from his loins [04975] even upward [04605], as the appearance [04758] of brightness [02096], as the colour [05869] of amber [02830].
47 He destroyed [02026] their vines [01612] with hail [01259], and their sycomore trees [08256] with frost [02602].
46 He gave [05414] also their increase [02981] unto the caterpiller [02625], and their labour [03018] unto the locust [0697].
1 And the LORD [03068] spake [0559] unto Moses [04872], Go [0935] unto Pharaoh [06547], and say [0559] unto him, Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Let my people [05971] go [07971], that they may serve [05647] me.
2 And if thou refuse [03986] to let them go [07971], behold, I will smite [05062] all thy borders [01366] with frogs [06854]:
3 And the river [02975] shall bring forth [08317] frogs [06854] abundantly [08317], which shall go up [05927] and come [0935] into thine house [01004], and into thy bedchamber [02315] [04904], and upon thy bed [04296], and into the house [01004] of thy servants [05650], and upon thy people [05971], and into thine ovens [08574], and into thy kneadingtroughs [04863]:
4 And the frogs [06854] shall come up [05927] both on thee, and upon thy people [05971], and upon all thy servants [05650].
5 And the LORD [03068] spake [0559] unto Moses [04872], Say [0559] unto Aaron [0175], Stretch forth [05186] thine hand [03027] with thy rod [04294] over the streams [05104], over the rivers [02975], and over the ponds [098], and cause frogs [06854] to come up [05927] upon the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
6 And Aaron [0175] stretched out [05186] his hand [03027] over the waters [04325] of Egypt [04714]; and the frogs [06854] came up [05927], and covered [03680] the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
7 And the magicians [02748] did [06213] so with their enchantments [03909], and brought up [05927] frogs [06854] upon the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
8 Then Pharaoh [06547] called [07121] for Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175], and said [0559], Intreat [06279] the LORD [03068], that he may take away [05493] the frogs [06854] from me, and from my people [05971]; and I will let the people [05971] go [07971], that they may do sacrifice [02076] unto the LORD [03068].
9 And Moses [04872] said [0559] unto Pharaoh [06547], Glory [06286] over me: when [04970] shall I intreat [06279] for thee, and for thy servants [05650], and for thy people [05971], to destroy [03772] the frogs [06854] from thee and thy houses [01004], that they may remain [07604] in the river [02975] only?
10 And he said [0559], To morrow [04279]. And he said [0559], Be it according to thy word [01697]: that thou mayest know [03045] that there is none like unto the LORD [03068] our God [0430].
11 And the frogs [06854] shall depart [05493] from thee, and from thy houses [01004], and from thy servants [05650], and from thy people [05971]; they shall remain [07604] in the river [02975] only.
12 And Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175] went out [03318] from Pharaoh [06547]: and Moses [04872] cried [06817] unto the LORD [03068] because of [01697] the frogs [06854] which he had brought [07760] against Pharaoh [06547].
13 And the LORD [03068] did [06213] according to the word [01697] of Moses [04872]; and the frogs [06854] died [04191] out of the houses [01004], out of the villages [02691], and out of the fields [07704].
14 And they gathered them together [06651] upon heaps [02563]: and the land [0776] stank [0887].
15 But when Pharaoh [06547] saw [07200] that there was respite [07309], he hardened [03513] his heart [03820], and hearkened [08085] not unto them; as the LORD [03068] had said [01696].
20 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Rise up early [07925] in the morning [01242], and stand [03320] before [06440] Pharaoh [06547]; lo, he cometh forth [03318] to the water [04325]; and say [0559] unto him, Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Let my people [05971] go [07971], that they may serve [05647] me.
21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people [05971] go [07971], behold, I will send [07971] swarms [06157] of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants [05650], and upon thy people [05971], and into thy houses [01004]: and the houses [01004] of the Egyptians [04714] shall be full [04390] of swarms [06157] of flies, and also the ground [0127] whereon they are.
22 And I will sever [06395] in that day [03117] the land [0776] of Goshen [01657], in which my people [05971] dwell [05975], that no [01115] swarms [06157] of flies shall be [01961] there; to the end [04616] thou mayest know [03045] that I am the LORD [03068] in the midst [07130] of the earth [0776].
23 And I will put [07760] a division [06304] between my people [05971] and thy people [05971]: to morrow [04279] shall this sign [0226] be.
24 And the LORD [03068] did [06213] so; and there came [0935] a grievous [03515] swarm [06157] of flies into the house [01004] of Pharaoh [06547], and into his servants [05650]' houses [01004], and into all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714]: the land [0776] was corrupted [07843] by reason [06440] of the swarm [06157] of flies.
25 And Pharaoh [06547] called [07121] for [0413] Moses [04872] and for Aaron [0175], and said [0559], Go [03212] ye, sacrifice [02076] to your God [0430] in the land [0776].
26 And Moses [04872] said [0559], It is not meet [03559] so to do [06213]; for [02005] we shall sacrifice [02076] the abomination [08441] of the Egyptians [04714] to the LORD [03068] our God [0430]: lo, shall we sacrifice [02076] the abomination [08441] of the Egyptians [04714] before their eyes [05869], and will they not stone [05619] us?
27 We will go [03212] three [07969] days [03117]' journey [01870] into the wilderness [04057], and sacrifice [02076] to the LORD [03068] our God [0430], as he shall command [0559] us.
28 And Pharaoh [06547] said [0559], I will let you go [07971], that ye may sacrifice [02076] to the LORD [03068] your God [0430] in the wilderness [04057]; only ye shall not go [03212] very [07368] far away [07368]: intreat [06279] for me [01157].
29 And Moses [04872] said [0559], Behold, I go out [03318] from thee, and I will intreat [06279] the LORD [03068] that the swarms [06157] of flies may depart [05493] from Pharaoh [06547], from his servants [05650], and from his people [05971], to morrow [04279]: but [07535] let not Pharaoh [06547] deal deceitfully [02048] any more [03254] in not [01115] letting the people [05971] go [07971] to sacrifice [02076] to the LORD [03068].
30 And Moses [04872] went out [03318] from Pharaoh [06547], and intreated [06279] the LORD [03068].
31 And the LORD [03068] did [06213] according to the word [01697] of Moses [04872]; and he removed [05493] the swarms [06157] of flies from Pharaoh [06547], from his servants [05650], and from his people [05971]; there remained [07604] not one [0259].
32 And Pharaoh [06547] hardened [03513] his heart [03820] at this time [06471] also, neither would he let the people [05971] go [07971].
44 And had turned [02015] their rivers [02975] into blood [01818]; and their floods [05140], that they could not drink [08354].
14 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Pharaoh's [06547] heart [03820] is hardened [03515], he refuseth [03985] to let the people [05971] go [07971].
15 Get [03212] thee unto Pharaoh [06547] in the morning [01242]; lo, he goeth out [03318] unto the water [04325]; and thou shalt stand [05324] by the river's [02975] brink [08193] against he come [07125]; and the rod [04294] which was turned [02015] to a serpent [05175] shalt thou take [03947] in thine hand [03027].
16 And thou shalt say [0559] unto him, The LORD [03068] God [0430] of the Hebrews [05680] hath sent [07971] me unto thee, saying [0559], Let my people [05971] go [07971], that they may serve [05647] me in the wilderness [04057]: and, behold, hitherto [03541] thou wouldest not hear [08085].
17 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], In this thou shalt know [03045] that I am the LORD [03068]: behold, I will smite [05221] with the rod [04294] that is in mine hand [03027] upon the waters [04325] which are in the river [02975], and they shall be turned [02015] to blood [01818].
18 And the fish [01710] that is in the river [02975] shall die [04191], and the river [02975] shall stink [0887]; and the Egyptians [04714] shall lothe [03811] to drink [08354] of the water [04325] of the river [02975].
19 And the LORD [03068] spake [0559] unto Moses [04872], Say [0559] unto Aaron [0175], Take [03947] thy rod [04294], and stretch out [05186] thine hand [03027] upon the waters [04325] of Egypt [04714], upon their streams [05104], upon their rivers [02975], and upon their ponds [098], and upon all their pools [04723] of water [04325], that they may become blood [01818]; and that there may be blood [01818] throughout all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], both in vessels of wood [06086], and in vessels of stone [068].
20 And Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175] did [06213] so, as the LORD [03068] commanded [06680]; and he lifted up [07311] the rod [04294], and smote [05221] the waters [04325] that were in the river [02975], in the sight [05869] of Pharaoh [06547], and in the sight [05869] of his servants [05650]; and all the waters [04325] that were in the river [02975] were turned [02015] to blood [01818].
21 And the fish [01710] that was in the river [02975] died [04191]; and the river [02975] stank [0887], and the Egyptians [04714] could [03201] not drink [08354] of the water [04325] of the river [02975]; and there was blood [01818] throughout all the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
22 And the magicians [02748] of Egypt [04714] did [06213] so with their enchantments [03909]: and Pharaoh's [06547] heart [03820] was hardened [02388], neither did he hearken [08085] unto them; as the LORD [03068] had said [01696].
23 And Pharaoh [06547] turned [06437] and went [0935] into his house [01004], neither did he set [07896] his heart [03820] to this [02063] also.
24 And all the Egyptians [04714] digged [02658] round about [05439] the river [02975] for water [04325] to drink [08354]; for they could [03201] not drink [08354] of the water [04325] of the river [02975].
25 And seven [07651] days [03117] were fulfilled [04390], after [0310] that the LORD [03068] had smitten [05221] the river [02975].
11 Thou hast given [05414] us like sheep [06629] appointed for meat [03978]; and hast scattered [02219] us among the heathen [01471].
2 And that thou mayest tell [05608] in the ears [0241] of thy son [01121], and of thy son's [01121] son [01121], what things I have wrought [05953] in Egypt [04714], and my signs [0226] which I have done [07760] among them; that ye may know [03045] how that I am the LORD [03068].
4 These [0428] are the generations [08435] of the heavens [08064] and of the earth [0776] when they were created [01254], in the day [03117] that the LORD [03068] God [0430] made [06213] the earth [0776] and the heavens [08064],
1 And the LORD [03068] spake [01696] unto Moses [04872] in the plains [06160] of Moab [04124] by Jordan [03383] near Jericho [03405], saying [0559],
2 Command [06680] the children [01121] of Israel [03478], that they give [05414] unto the Levites [03881] of the inheritance [05159] of their possession [0272] cities [05892] to dwell in [03427]; and ye shall give [05414] also unto the Levites [03881] suburbs [04054] for the cities [05892] round about [05439] them.
3 And the cities [05892] shall they have to dwell in [03427]; and the suburbs [04054] of them shall be for their cattle [0929], and for their goods [07399], and for all their beasts [02416].
4 And the suburbs [04054] of the cities [05892], which ye shall give [05414] unto the Levites [03881], shall reach from the wall [07023] of the city [05892] and outward [02351] a thousand [0505] cubits [0520] round about [05439].
5 And ye shall measure [04058] from without [02351] the city [05892] on the east [06924] side [06285] two thousand [0505] cubits [0520], and on the south [05045] side [06285] two thousand [0505] cubits [0520], and on the west [03220] side [06285] two thousand [0505] cubits [0520], and on the north [06828] side [06285] two thousand [0505] cubits [0520]; and the city [05892] shall be in the midst [08432]: this shall be to them the suburbs [04054] of the cities [05892].
6 And among the cities [05892] which ye shall give [05414] unto the Levites [03881] there shall be six [08337] cities [05892] for refuge [04733], which ye shall appoint [05414] for the manslayer [07523], that he may flee [05127] thither: and to them ye shall add [05414] forty [0705] and two [08147] cities [05892].
7 So all the cities [05892] which ye shall give [05414] to the Levites [03881] shall be forty [0705] and eight [08083] cities [05892]: them shall ye give with their suburbs [04054].
8 And the cities [05892] which ye shall give [05414] shall be of the possession [0272] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478]: from them that have many [07227] ye shall give many [07235]; but from them that have few [04592] ye shall give few [04591]: every one [0376] shall give [05414] of his cities [05892] unto the Levites [03881] according [06310] to his inheritance [05159] which he inheriteth [05157].
9 And the LORD [03068] spake [01696] unto Moses [04872], saying [0559],
41 Yea, they turned back [07725] and tempted [05254] God [0410], and limited [08428] the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478].
41 Yea, they turned back [07725] and tempted [05254] God [0410], and limited [08428] the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478].
40 How [04100] oft did they provoke [04784] him in the wilderness [04057], and grieve [06087] him in the desert [03452]!
21 And the LORD [03068] smelled [07306] a sweet [05207] savour [07381]; and the LORD [03068] said [0559] in [0413] his heart [03820], I will not again [03254] curse [07043] the ground [0127] any more for man's [0120] sake [05668]; for the imagination [03336] of man's [0120] heart [03820] is evil [07451] from his youth [05271]; neither will I again [03254] smite [05221] any more every thing living [02416], as I have done [06213].
3 And the LORD [03068] said [0559], My spirit [07307] shall not always [05769] strive [01777] with man [0120], for that he also [01571] [07683] is flesh [01320]: yet his days [03117] shall be an hundred [03967] and twenty [06242] years [08141].
39 For he remembered [02142] that they were but flesh [01320]; a wind [07307] that passeth away [01980], and cometh not again [07725].
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].
13 The LORD [03068] shall go forth [03318] as a mighty man [01368], he shall stir up [05782] jealousy [07068] like a man [0376] of war [04421]: he shall cry [07321], yea, roar [06873]; he shall prevail [01396] against his enemies [0341].
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].
24 Of [5259] the Jews [2453] five times [3999] received I [2983] forty [5062] stripes save [3844] one [3391].
8 And we took [03947] their land [0776], and gave [05414] it for an inheritance [05159] unto the Reubenites [07206], and to the Gadites [01425], and to the half [02677] tribe [07626] of Manasseh [04520].
58 If thou wilt not observe [08104] to do [06213] all the words [01697] of this law [08451] that are written [03789] in this book [05612], that thou mayest fear [03372] this glorious [03513] and fearful [03372] name [08034], THE LORD [03068] THY GOD [0430];
59 Then the LORD [03068] will make [06381] thy plagues [04347] wonderful [06381], and the plagues [04347] of thy seed [02233], even great [01419] plagues [04347], and of long continuance [0539], and sore [07451] sicknesses [02483], and of long continuance [0539].
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].