Psalms 78:9

Psalms 78:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
• New International Version (NIV)The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle;
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.

Context of Psalms 78:9

7that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments. 8Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God. The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle. 10They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law. 11They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.

Psalms 78:9 word by word

בְּֽנֵי־אֶפְרַ֗יִם נוֹשְׁקֵ֥י רוֹמֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת הָ֝פְכ֗וּ בְּי֣וֹם קְרָֽב׃Read the interlinear

• The archersנָשַׁקnâshaq · to handleH5401
• The archersרָמָהrâmâh · to shootH7411
• The archersקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• of Ephraimבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• turned backהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• on the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of battleקְרָבqerâb · battleH7128

Cross-references for Psalms 78:9

• 1 Chronicles 7:20The descendants of Ephraim:
• Deuteronomy 1:41“We have sinned against the LORD,” you replied. “We will go up and fight, as the LORD our God has commanded us.” Then each of you put on his weapons of war, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.
• Joshua 17:16“The hill country is not enough for us,” they replied, “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both in Beth-shean with its towns and in the Valley of Jezreel.”
• 1 Samuel 4:10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great—thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
• 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
• Judges 9:28Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
• Luke 22:33“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

Commentaries on Psalms 78:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The children of Ephraim - turned back - This refers to some defeat of the Ephraimites; and some think to that by the men of Gath, mentioned 1 Chronicles 7:21. R. D. Kimchi says this defeat of the Ephraimites was in the desert; and although the story be not mentioned in the law, yet it is written in the Books of the Chronicles, where we read, on the occasion of "Zabad the Ephraimite, and Shuthelah, etc., whom the men of Gath, who were born in the land…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The children of Ephraim - The sons of Ephraim; that is, the descendants of Ephraim; the tribe of Ephraim. Ephraim was one of the “largest” of the tribes of Israel, and was the “chief” tribe in the rebellion, and hence, the term is often used to denote the “ten” tribes, or the kingdom of Israel, in contradistinction from that of Judah. See Isaiah 7:2, Isaiah 7:5, Isaiah 7:8-9, Isaiah 7:17; Isaiah 11:13; Isaiah 28:1. The word is evidently used in this sense…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-39Verses 9-39 Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart. Forgetfulness of God's works is the cause of disobedience to his laws. This narrative relates a struggle between God's goodness and man's badness. The Lord hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of God's mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those cannot be said to trust in God's salvation as their happiness at last, who can not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-11Ephraim was the second son of Joseph. He received a special blessing from Jacob (Genesis 48:15–20; 49:22–26; Deuteronomy 33:13–17). His descendants inherited land with fertile valleys and important roads (Judges 8:2). However, the people of Ephraim did not follow God's covenant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. The privileges of the first-born which belonged to Joseph (1Ch 5:1, 2) were assigned to Ephraim by Jacob (Ge 48:1). The supremacy of the tribe thus intimated was recognized by its position (in the marching of the nation to Canaan) next to the ark (Nu 2:18-24), by the selection of the first permanent locality for the ark within its borders at Shiloh, and by the extensive and fertile province given for its possession. Traces of this prominence…Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 78:9

• Cowardice
• God Continued...
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Asaph
• Compassion
• Consume
• Gush
• Limit
• Psalms
• Dark Sayings
• God

Commentaries on Psalms 78

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings