Psalms 106:13-22

Context

106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done;¹

they did not wait for his instructions.²

106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving³ for meat;⁴

they challenged God⁵ in the desert.

106:15 He granted their request,

then struck them with a disease.⁶

106:16 In the camp they resented⁷ Moses,

and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.⁸

106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;

it engulfed⁹ the group led by Abiram.¹⁰

106:18 Fire burned their group;

the flames scorched the wicked.¹¹

106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,

and worshiped a metal idol.

106:20 They traded their majestic God¹²

for the image of an ox that eats grass.

106:21 They rejected¹³ the God who delivered them,

the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,

106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,

mighty¹⁴ acts by the Red Sea.

[106:13] ¹tn Heb “his works.”

[106:13] ²tn Heb “his counsel.”

[106:14] ³sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.

[106:14] ⁴tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”

[106:14] ⁵tn Heb “they tested God.”

[106:15] ⁶tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”

[106:16] ⁷tn Or “envied.”

[106:16] ⁸tn Heb “the holy one of the Lord.”

[106:17] ⁹tn Or “covered.”

[106:17] ¹⁰tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”

[106:18] ¹¹sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.

[106:20] ¹²tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the Lord states that his people (Israel) exchanged “their glory” (a reference to the Lord) for worthless idols.

[106:21] ¹³tn Heb “forgot.”

[106:22] ¹⁴tn Or “awe-inspiring.”