Psalm 105 34

Psalm 105:34 kjv

He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,

Psalm 105:34 nkjv

He spoke, and locusts came, Young locusts without number,

Psalm 105:34 niv

He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number;

Psalm 105:34 esv

He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,

Psalm 105:34 nlt

He spoke, and hordes of locusts came ?
young locusts beyond number.

Psalm 105 verses

Psalm 105 34 Meaning

Psalm 105:34 describes God's direct and sovereign command that brought forth the plague of locusts and caterpillar-like insects upon Egypt. This verse emphasizes the overwhelming and innumerable quantity of these pests, signifying a divinely orchestrated judgment that stripped Egypt bare, demonstrating God's absolute control over creation and His faithfulness in delivering His chosen people, Israel, from bondage.

Psalm 105 34 Context

Psalm 105 is a historical psalm of praise, celebrating God's covenant faithfulness and mighty deeds from Abraham through the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. It served to remind Israel of their divine heritage and God's consistent care. Verses 23-38 specifically recount the narrative of God's powerful deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage through the ten plagues. Psalm 105:34 focuses on the eighth plague, where God's sovereign command unleashed swarms of insects that devastated Egypt's crops. This plague directly challenged Egyptian deities associated with agriculture and prosperity, powerfully demonstrating the supreme sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation and the false gods of Egypt, thus leading to Israel's ultimate freedom.

Psalm 105 34 Word analysis

• "He spake" (וַיֹּאמֶר - waiyōmer): This signifies an immediate, deliberate, and powerful divine command. God did not merely permit a natural occurrence; He specifically initiated and directed it through His authoritative word. This emphasizes divine agency and sovereignty, directly paralleling God's creative acts in Genesis 1 where things come into existence by His spoken word.
• "and the locusts" (וְאַרְבֶּה - wĕ'arbeh): Refers to the common swarming locust, which in ancient Near Eastern contexts was infamous for its devastating migratory capabilities. In the biblical narrative (Exo 10), this particular species of locust was an instrument of intense agricultural destruction, leaving the land utterly bare.
• "and caterpillers" (וְיֶלֶק - wĕyeleq): Often interpreted as a distinct stage of the locust (e.g., the hopping or unfledged locust, or perhaps a different destructive insect entirely, such as a caterpillar-like grub). In prophetic books like Joel 1:4 and Nahum 3:15, yeleq often implies a different or subsequent wave of devastation, highlighting the comprehensive and total nature of the destruction, consuming what even the 'arbeh might have left, ensuring no vegetation remained.
• "and that without number" (וְאֵין מִסְפָּר - wĕ'ên mispār): Literally "and no number," this phrase emphatically stresses the overwhelming, countless multitude of these destructive insects. It conveys the sheer immensity and incomprehensibility of the swarm, signifying a plague of unprecedented scale that defied any human attempt to quantify, control, or resist. It underscores the complete and inescapable nature of the judgment God brought upon Egypt.

• "He spake, and the locusts came": This phrase vividly illustrates the direct and immediate link between divine decree and the subsequent natural phenomenon. God's word is entirely efficacious; it does not return void (Isa 55:11), but accomplishes what He purposes.
• "locusts came, and caterpillers": This grouping emphasizes a layered or multi-faceted devastation, encompassing potentially different species, stages, or waves of these destructive pests. This ensured that no part of Egypt's greenery, from sprouts to mature crops, was spared from complete annihilation.
• "locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number": This combined phrase highlights the comprehensive, overwhelming, and irresistible nature of this divine judgment. It conveys the sheer impossibility for Egypt to cope with such an unmanageable and limitless onslaught, leading to absolute famine and demonstrating the futility of Pharaoh's continued defiance.

Psalm 105 34 Bonus section

• Polemics Against Egyptian Deities: The plague of locusts specifically undermined several prominent Egyptian deities. Seth, often associated with disorder and storms, could not control or prevent this devastating wind-borne destruction. Renenutet, the goddess of harvest and granaries, was utterly helpless to protect Egypt's crops, which were devoured by God's commanded insects. Additionally, the god Osiris, associated with vegetation and fertility, proved powerless as all plant life was consumed. This plague clearly demonstrated Yahweh's direct, superior authority over these specific forces and aspects of nature.
• Exemplification of Divine Knowledge and Control: The phrase "without number" (wĕ'ên mispār) does not imply that the swarms were literally uncountable by an omniscient God, but rather that they were beyond human enumeration or resistance. It highlights the vast scale of divine judgment that transcends human comprehension and control. This contrasts with God's perfect knowledge, who "counts the number of the stars" (Ps 147:4) and directs even the flight of sparrows.
• Typological Significance: The devastating, overwhelming hordes of locusts serve as a potent biblical type for later divine judgments. Prophets like Joel use the imagery of locust swarms to depict vast, destructive armies or periods of intense, widespread calamity preceding the "Day of the Lord," further emphasizing God's use of seemingly natural phenomena as instruments of His sovereign will and judgment (Joel 1:6-7; 2:2-11).

Psalm 105 34 Commentary

Psalm 105:34 distills the monumental power of the eighth Egyptian plague into a concise, potent declaration, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His active hand in the deliverance of His people. "He spake" reveals a God who doesn't merely permit or observe, but actively commands events into being, demonstrating the divine effectiveness of His word. The subsequent onslaught of "locusts and caterpillers, and that without number" illustrates the meticulously destructive and overwhelming nature of divine judgment. This specific plague directly targeted Egypt's agricultural prosperity, thereby directly challenging the impotence of their pantheon of gods believed to control fertility and harvests. It powerfully showcased Yahweh's unparalleled authority over every aspect of life, ultimately compelling Pharaoh to release Israel and fulfill God's covenant promises.