81:6 It said: 1 “I removed the burden from his shoulder;
his hands were released from holding the basket. 2
81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.
I answered you from a dark thundercloud. 3
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 4 (Selah)
1 tn The words “It said” are not included in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarification.
2 sn I removed the burden. The Lord speaks metaphorically of how he delivered his people from Egyptian bondage. The reference to a basket/burden probably alludes to the hard labor of the Israelites in Egypt, where they had to carry loads of bricks (see Exod 1:14).
3 tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).
4 sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.