Psalms 78:21

THE MESSAGE

When God heard that, he was furious— his anger flared against Jacob, he lost his temper with Israel. It was clear they didn't believe God, had no intention of trusting in his help. But God helped them anyway, commanded the clouds and gave orders that opened the gates of heaven. He rained down showers of manna to eat, he gave them the Bread of Heaven. They ate the bread of the mighty angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. He let East Wind break loose from the skies, gave a strong push to South Wind. This time it was birds that rained down— succulent birds, an abundance of birds. He aimed them right for the center of their camp; all round their tents there were birds. They ate and had their fill; he handed them everything they craved on a platter. But their greed knew no bounds; they stuffed their mouths with more and more. Finally, God was fed up, his anger erupted— he cut down their brightest and best, he laid low Israel's finest young men.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, the Lord heard and became furious;then fire broke out against Jacob,and anger flared up against Israel

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Ya`akov, Anger also went up against Yisra'el,

King James Version
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

English Standard Version
Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,

New Century Version
When the Lord heard them, he was very angry. His anger was like fire to the people of Jacob; his anger grew against the people of Israel.

New English Translation
When the Lord heard this, he was furious. A fire broke out against Jacob, and his anger flared up against Israel,

Amplified Bible
Therefore, when the LORD heard, He was full of wrath; A fire was kindled against Jacob, And His anger mounted up against Israel,

New American Standard Bible
Therefore the LORD heard and was full of wrath; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also mounted against Israel,

World English Bible
Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, Anger also went up against Israel,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore the Lord heard and was angrie, and the fire was kindled in Iaakob, & also wrath came vpon Israel,

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore Yahweh heard and was full of wrath;And a fire was kindled against JacobAnd anger also mounted against Israel,

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

Contemporary English Version
When the Lord heard this, he was angry and furious with Jacob's descendants, the people of Israel.

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, when Adonai heard, he was angry; fire blazed up against Ya‘akov; his anger mounted against Isra'el;

Darby Translation
Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel:

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord heard what they said and became angry with Jacob's people. He was angry with Israel,

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore the LORD heard this and was angered; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel,

Good News Translation
And so the Lord was angry when he heard them; he attacked his people with fire, and his anger against them grew,

Lexham English Bible
Therefore Yahweh heard and he was very angry, and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and his anger also rose up against Israel,

Literal Translation
So Jehovah heard and He passed over, and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and also anger went up against Israel,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Lo, he smote the stony rocke, that the watery streames gusshed out, and the streames flowed withall: but how can he geue bred and prouyde flesh for his people?

American Standard Version
Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also went up against Israel;

Bible in Basic English
So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel;

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Therefore the LORD heard, and was wroth;

King James Version (1611)
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Iacob: and anger also came vp against Israel.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore God hearde [them,] he was wroth, a fire was kindled in Iacob: and there arose vp heauy displeasure against Israel.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore the Lord heard, and was provoked: and fire was kindled in Jacob, and wrath went up against Israel.

English Revised Version
Therefore the LORD heard, and was wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the Lord herde, and delaiede; and fier was kindelid in Jacob, and the ire of God stiede on Israel.

Update Bible Version
Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also went up against Israel;

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

New King James Version
Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,

New Living Translation
When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, his anger rose against Israel,

New Life Bible
The Lord was full of anger when He heard them. And a fire was set against Jacob. His anger went up against Israel,

New Revised Standard
Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of rage; a fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Therefore, Yahweh hearkened, and became wroth, - And, a fire, was kindled against Jacob, Moreover also, anger, mounted against Israel;

Douay-Rheims Bible
(77-21) Therefore the Lord heard, and was angry: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel.

Revised Standard Version
Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel;

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath gone up against Israel,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; And a fire was kindled against Jacob And anger also mounted against Israel,

Contextual Overview

⁹The Ephraimites, armed to the teeth, ran off when the battle began. They were cowards to God's Covenant, refused to walk by his Word. They forgot what he had done— marvels he'd done right before their eyes. He performed miracles in plain sight of their parents in Egypt, out on the fields of Zoan. He split the Sea and they walked right through it; he piled the waters to the right and the left. He led them by day with a cloud, led them all the night long with a fiery torch. He split rocks in the wilderness, gave them all they could drink from underground springs; He made creeks flow out from sheer rock, and water pour out like a river. ¹⁷All they did was sin even more, rebel in the desert against the High God. They tried to get their own way with God, clamored for favors, for special attention. They whined like spoiled children, "Why can't God give us a decent meal in this desert? Sure, he struck the rock and the water flowed, creeks cascaded from the rock. But how about some fresh-baked bread? How about a nice cut of meat?" ²¹When God heard that, he was furious— his anger flared against Jacob, he lost his temper with Israel. It was clear they didn't believe God, had no intention of trusting in his help. But God helped them anyway, commanded the clouds and gave orders that opened the gates of heaven. He rained down showers of manna to eat, he gave them the Bread of Heaven. They ate the bread of the mighty angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. He let East Wind break loose from the skies, gave a strong push to South Wind. This time it was birds that rained down— succulent birds, an abundance of birds. He aimed them right for the center of their camp; all round their tents there were birds. They ate and had their fill; he handed them everything they craved on a platter. But their greed knew no bounds; they stuffed their mouths with more and more. Finally, God was fed up, his anger erupted— he cut down their brightest and best, he laid low Israel's finest young men. ³²And—can you believe it?—they kept right on sinning; all those wonders and they still wouldn't believe! So their lives dribbled off to nothing— nothing to show for their lives but a ghost town. When he cut them down, they came running for help; they turned and pled for mercy. They gave witness that God was their rock, that High God was their redeemer, But they didn't mean a word of it; they lied through their teeth the whole time. They could not have cared less about him, wanted nothing to do with his Covenant. ³⁸And God? Compassionate! Forgave the sin! Didn't destroy! Over and over he reined in his anger, restrained his considerable wrath. He knew what they were made of; he knew there wasn't much to them, How often in the desert they had spurned him, tried his patience in those wilderness years. Time and again they pushed him to the limit, provoked Israel's Holy God. How quickly they forgot what he'd done, forgot their day of rescue from the enemy, When he did miracles in Egypt, wonders on the plain of Zoan. He turned the River and its streams to blood— not a drop of water fit to drink. He sent flies, which ate them alive, and frogs, which bedeviled them. He turned their harvest over to caterpillars, everything they had worked for to the locusts. He flattened their grapevines with hail; a killing frost ruined their orchards. He pounded their cattle with hail, let thunderbolts loose on their herds. His anger flared, a wild firestorm of havoc, An advance guard of disease-carrying angels to clear the ground, preparing the way before him. He didn't spare those people, he let the plague rage through their lives. He killed all the Egyptian firstborns, lusty infants, offspring of Ham's virility. Then he led his people out like sheep, took his flock safely through the wilderness. He took good care of them; they had nothing to fear. The Sea took care of their enemies for good. He brought them into his holy land, this mountain he claimed for his own. He scattered everyone who got in their way; he staked out an inheritance for them— the tribes of Israel all had their own places.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the Lord: Psalms 78:31, Numbers 11:10, 1 Corinthians 10:5, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Jude 1:5

a fire: Numbers 11:1-3, Deuteronomy 32:22, Hebrews 12:29

Reciprocal: Psalms 78:42 - remembered Psalms 78:63 - fire

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore the Lord heard this,.... What they said in their hearts, and what they expressed with their mouths, all their murmurings against him, their distrust of his power and providence, and disbelief of his promises; see Numbers 11:1, and was wroth; exceeding wroth; he was highly displeased; there was an overflow of his indignation, as the word a signifies; it was running upon him, upon the thick bosses of his buckler, to arraign his perfections, call in question any of his attributes, and disbelieve his word; this must greatly exasperate him, and provoke the eyes of his glory:

so a fire was kindled against Jacob; the posterity of Jacob; or in Jacob b, in the camp of Israel; which was literally true, because of the murmurings of the people against the Lord fire came down from heaven, and burnt among them, and consumed the uttermost parts of the camp; wherefore the name of the place was called Taberah, which signifies a burning, Numbers 11:1, or it may be taken figuratively for the wrath of God, which is oftentimes compared to fire; see Nahum 1:6 hence it follows,

and anger also came up against Israel; the people of Israel, the same with Jacob before; the allusion is to men when angry, in whose breasts anger burns, and from thence it rises up, and shows itself in their countenance, in their eyes, and by the words of their mouth.

a יתעבר "transiit in hithpael de transitu vel exundatione bilis solet usurpari", Gejerus. b ביעקב "in Jahacob", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth - See Numbers 11:1, Numbers 11:10.

So a fire was kindled against Jacob ... - Fire may be used here, as in Numbers 11:1, as an emblem of wrath; a fire may have been literally sent down to consume them.