Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Psalms 81:5

He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Passover;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Shoshannim;   Trumpets, Feast of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Asaph;   Joseph;   Music and Musical Instruments;   Priests and Levites;   Psalms;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gittith;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Confusion of Tongues;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Day of Judgment;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
He established it for a testimony in JosephWhen he went forth over the land of Egypt.I heard a language that I did not know:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This he ordayned in Ioseph for a testimonie, when he came out of the lande of Egypt: [where] I hearde a tongue [whiche] I knewe not.
Darby Translation
He ordained it in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [where] I heard a language that I knew not.
New King James Version
This He established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand.
Literal Translation
This He ordained as a testimony in Joseph, when He went out over the land of Egypt; I heard a lip I did not understand.
Easy-to-Read Version
God made this agreement with Joseph's people, when he led them out of Egypt. In a language we didn't understand, God said,
World English Bible
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn't know.
King James Version (1611)
This he ordained in Ioseph for a testimonie, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language, that I vnderstood not.
King James Version
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This he ordened in Ioseph for a testimony, when he came out of Egipte, & had herde a strauge laguage.
Amplified Bible
He established it for a testimony in Joseph When He went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard the language [of One whom] I did not know, saying,
American Standard Version
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language that I knew not.
Bible in Basic English
He gave it to Joseph as a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt; then the words of a strange tongue were sounding in my ears.
Update Bible Version
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, [Where] I heard a language that I did not know.
Webster's Bible Translation
This he ordained in Joseph [for] a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: [where] I heard a language [that] I understood not.
New English Translation
He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph, when he attacked the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I did not recognize.
Contemporary English Version
The descendants of Joseph were told to obey it, when God led them out from the land of Egypt. In a language unknown to me, I heard someone say:
Complete Jewish Bible
because this is a law for Isra'el, a ruling of the God of Ya‘akov.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee set this in Ioseph for a testimonie, when hee came out of the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, that I vnderstoode not.
George Lamsa Translation
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony when he went out to the land of Egypt, where he heard a language that he understood not.
Hebrew Names Version
He appointed it in Yosef for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Mitzrayim, I heard a language that I didn't know.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
New Life Bible
He made it a Law for Joseph, when he went through the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He made it to be a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.
English Revised Version
He appointed it in Joseph for testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I knew not.
Berean Standard Bible
He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language.
New Revised Standard
He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A testimony in Joseph, he appointed it, When he went forth over the land of Egypt: A language I liked not, used I to hear;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(80-6) He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
Lexham English Bible
He made it a statute in Joseph when he went out against the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not know.
English Standard Version
He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known:
New American Standard Bible
He established it as a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language I did not know:
New Century Version
He gave this rule to the people of Joseph when they went out of the land of Egypt. I heard a language I did not know, saying:
Good News Translation
He gave it to the people of Israel when he attacked the land of Egypt. I hear an unknown voice saying,
Christian Standard Bible®
He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph when He went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard an unfamiliar language:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He settide that witnessing in Joseph; whanne he yede out of the lond of Egipt, he herde a langage, which he knew not.
Young's Literal Translation
A testimony on Joseph He hath placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known -- I hear.
Revised Standard Version
He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:

Contextual Overview

1

For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.

Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. 2 Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp. 3 Blow the ram's horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival! 4 For this is required by the decrees of Israel; it is a regulation of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say, 6 "Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks. 7 You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. Interlude

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in Joseph: Psalms 77:15, Psalms 80:1, Psalms 80:2, Amos 6:6

for a: Psalms 78:6, Exodus 13:8, Exodus 13:9, Exodus 13:14-16, Deuteronomy 4:45, Ezekiel 20:20

through: or, against, Exodus 12:12, Exodus 12:27, Exodus 12:29

where: Psalms 114:1, Deuteronomy 28:49, Isaiah 28:11, Jeremiah 5:15, 1 Corinthians 14:21, 1 Corinthians 14:22

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 5:6 - brought Psalms 78:5 - For he Ezekiel 3:5 - of a strange speech and of an hard language

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony,.... That is, this law concerning the blowing of trumpets on the new moon, and the keeping the solemn feast at the full of the moon, was made to be observed by all Israel, who are meant by Joseph, for a testimony of God's good will to them, and of their duty and obedience to him:

when he went out through the land of Egypt, or "over it" b; which some understand of Joseph, who is said to go over all the land of Egypt, to gather in provision against the seven years of famine,

Genesis 41:45 and Jarchi says that his deliverance from prison was at the beginning of the year, and was advanced in Pharaoh's court: and the meaning is, either "when he", the Lord, "went out against the land of Egypt", so Arama, in order to slay their firstborn; and when he passed over Israel, and saved them; marched through the land in his indignation, and went forth for the salvation of his people,

Exodus 11:4 then was the ordinance of the passover appointed: or when Israel went out of Egypt, designed by Joseph, some little time after, while in the wilderness, and dwelling in tents, the feast of tabernacles was instituted; but rather this shows that the feast of passover is before meant, which was instituted at the time of Israel's going out of Egypt, and was the solemn feast day ordained for a statute, law and testimony in Israel; and that the new moon, or month rather, on which the trumpet was to be blown, was the month Abib, the beginning of months, by an ordinance of God, Exodus 12:2

where I heard a language that I understood not; here the prophet represents the people of Israel in Egypt; though the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read,

he heard, and he understood not and the language is either the voice of God out of the fire, which before was never heard in this unusual manner, nor understood, Deuteronomy 5:24 or the speech of Moses, who had Aaron for his mouth and spokesman; or rather the Egyptian language, which was not understood by the Israelites without an interpreter,

Genesis 42:23 which sense is confirmed by Psalms 114:1, and this is mentioned as an aggravation of their affliction in Egypt; see Jeremiah 5:15.

b בצאתו על ארץ "in ipsum exeundo", Montanus; "cum exiret ipse super terram", Pagninus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony - literally, he placed this; that is, he appointed it. The word Joseph here stands for the whole Hebrew people, as in Psalms 80:1. See the notes at that verse. The meaning is, that the ordinance for observing this festival - the Passover - was to be traced back to the time when they were in Egypt. The obligation to observe it was thus enhanced by the very antiquity of the observance, and by the fact that it was one of the direct appointments of God in that strange and foreign land.

When he went out through the land of Egypt - Margin, against. Or rather, In his going out of the land of Egypt. Literally, In going upon the land of Egypt. The allusion is, undoubtedly, to the time when the Hebrews went out of the land of Egypt - to the Exodus; and the exact idea is, that, in doing this, they passed over a considerable portion of the land of Egypt; or, that they passed over the land. The idea in the margin, of its being against the land of Egypt, is not necessarily in the original.

Where I heard a language that I understood not - literally, “The lip, that is, the language, of one that I did not know, I heard.” This refers, undoubtedly, not to God, but to the people. The author of this psalm identifies himself here with the people - the whole nation - and speaks as if he were one of them, and as if he now recollected the circumstances at the time - the strange language - the foreign customs - the oppressions and burdens borne by the people. Throwing himself back, as it were, to that time (compare the notes at 1 Thessalonians 4:17) - he seems to himself to be in the midst of a people speaking a strange tongue - a language unintelligible to him - the language of a foreign nation. The Jews, in all their long captivity in Egypt - a period of four hundred years (see the notes at Acts 7:6) - preserved their own language apparently incorrupt. So far as appears, they spoke the same language, without change, when they came out of Egypt, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had used. The Egyptian was entirely a foreign language to them, and had no affinity with the Hebrew.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 81:5. I heard a language I understood not. — This passage is difficult. Who heard? And what was heard? All the Versions, except the Chaldee, read the pronoun in the third person, instead of the first. "He heard a language that he understood not." And to the Versions Kennicott reforms the text, שפת לא ידעה ישמע sephath lo yadah yisma; "a language which he did not understand he heard." But what was that language? Some say the Egyptian; others, who take Joseph to signify the children of Israel in general, say it was the declaration of God by Moses, that Jehovah was the true God, that he would deliver their shoulder from their burdens, and their hands from the pots - the moulds and furnaces in which they formed and baked their brick.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile