Psalms 105:36-45

105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,

the firstfruits of their reproductive power. ¹ 

105:37 He brought his people ²  out enriched ³  with silver and gold;

none of his tribes stumbled.

105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,

for they were afraid of them. ⁴ 

105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, ⁵ 

and provided a fire to light up the night.

105:40 They asked for food, ⁶  and he sent quails;

he satisfied them with food from the sky. ⁷ 

105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;

a river ran through dry regions.

105:42 Yes, ⁸  he remembered the sacred promise ⁹ 

he made to Abraham his servant.

105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;

his chosen ones shouted with joy. ¹⁰ 

105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,

and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, ¹¹ 

105:45 so that they might keep his commands

and obey ¹²  his laws.

Praise the Lord!

[105:36]  ¹ tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).

[105:37]  ² tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Lord’s people) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[105:37]  ³ tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[105:38]  ⁴ tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”

[105:39]  ⁵ tn Or “curtain.”

[105:40]  ⁶ tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).

[105:40]  ⁷ tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).

[105:42]  ⁸ tn Or “for.”

[105:42]  ⁹ tn Heb “his holy word.”

[105:43]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”

[105:44]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”

[105:45]  ¹² tn Heb “guard.”