Psalm 106 24

Psalm 106:24 kjv

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Psalm 106:24 nkjv

Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe His word,

Psalm 106:24 niv

Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.

Psalm 106:24 esv

Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.

Psalm 106:24 nlt

The people refused to enter the pleasant land,
for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 24 Meaning

Psalm 106:24 concisely identifies a pivotal moment of Israel's rebellion in the wilderness: "Then they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word." This verse states that the Israelites rejected the highly desirable land of Canaan, promised to them by God, because they fundamentally lacked faith in God's ability and intention to fulfill His promise. Their outward scorn for the divine inheritance stemmed from an inward unbelief in the trustworthiness of God's spoken word.

Psalm 106 24 Context

Psalm 106 is a confessional psalm, part of Book Four of the Psalter. It recounts Israel's tumultuous history, serving as a corporate confession of the nation's repeated unfaithfulness and rebellion against God, despite His persistent grace and mighty acts of deliverance. This specific verse (Ps 106:24) zeroes in on the events recorded in Numbers chapters 13 and 14. After their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, and having been brought to the threshold of the Promised Land, Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan. Ten returned with a discouraging report emphasizing the land's formidable inhabitants and fortified cities, causing the people to lose heart and lament their impending demise. This episode of fear and unbelief led the generation delivered from Egypt to collectively reject God's immediate plan for them, culminating in a direct affront to His promised inheritance and leading to forty years of wilderness wandering and the death of that generation outside the land. The verse thus highlights a profound failure of faith at a critical juncture in Israel's early history as a nation.

Psalm 106 24 Word analysis

• Then (וַיִּמְאֲסוּ - wa-yim'asu): This prefix "wa-" acts as a waw-consecutive, tying the action directly to preceding events (likely the negative report of the spies). It means "and they despised/rejected."
• they despised (וַיִּמְאֲסוּ - wa-yim'asu): From the Hebrew root ma'as (מָאַס), a strong verb meaning "to reject," "to scorn," "to disdain," or "to loathe." This indicates a complete, disdainful refusal rather than mere hesitancy or doubt. It implies contempt for God's gift. This act was an intentional, willful turning away from God's promise, treating it as worthless or undesirable, despite its divine origin and inherent value.
• the pleasant land (אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה - eretz chemdah):
  • אֶרֶץ (eretz): "Land" or "earth."
  • חֶמְדָּה (chemdah): Derived from the root chamad (חָמַד), meaning "to desire," "to covet." Chemdah therefore means "desirable," "precious," "lovely," or "delightful." It emphasizes the inherent beauty and richness of the land promised by God, a land described elsewhere as "flowing with milk and honey" (Ex 3:8). Their despising it was thus an act of rejecting what was objectively and divinely good and sought after.
• they believed not (לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ - lo he'eminu):
  • לֹא (lo): The negation particle, "not."
  • הֶאֱמִינוּ (he'eminu): The Hiphil imperfect form of 'aman (אָמַן), meaning "to be firm, trustworthy, certain." In the Hiphil, it means "to cause to believe" or, more commonly, "to trust," "to put one's faith in," or "to consider as reliable/true." Their unbelief was not simply a lack of understanding but a deep-seated refusal to put their trust in God's character and word, viewing Him as unreliable.
• his word (לִדְבָרוֹ - lidvaro):
  • לִ (li-): A preposition meaning "to" or "in," here indicating the object of their unbelief.
  • דְבָרוֹ (devaro): From davar (דָּבָר), meaning "word," "utterance," "promise," or "thing." This refers to God's specific promise that He would bring them into the land and deliver its inhabitants into their hands. It highlights that their rejection was ultimately a rejection of God Himself as revealed in His declared purpose.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "they despised the pleasant land,": This phrase emphasizes the object of their contempt—the very gift of God, rich and desirable. Their despising of the physical inheritance reveals a spiritual disengagement, undervaluing what God treasures for them. It was not just practical concern but deep-seated contempt.
  • "they believed not his word:": This is presented as the foundational reason for the preceding act. The failure to trust God's explicit promise concerning the land and His power to grant it led directly to their rejection of the land itself. Their lack of faith made them perceive God's gift through eyes of fear and doubt, distorting its value and their trust in the Giver.

Psalm 106 24 Bonus section

The concept of "despising" something refers to treating it as common, valueless, or contemptible. In this context, for Israel to despise the pleasant land implies that they considered it an undesirable burden rather than a blessed inheritance. This directly contrasts with God's view, who prepared this "most beautiful of all lands" (Eze 20:6) for them. This deep irony highlights the tragedy of their unbelief. The spiritual "unbelief" mentioned here (Hebrew lo he'eminu) is not merely intellectual doubt but a comprehensive failure to trust God’s character and His expressed will, leading to active disobedience and rejection of His provision. It demonstrates how unbelief is not passive; it actively fuels disobedience and rejection of God’s perfect plan. The failure to combine faith with the message heard (Heb 4:2) resulted in the promised "rest" (entry into the land) being denied. This historical event became a perpetual object lesson for future generations and believers, particularly warning against the dangers of unbelief leading to a similar forfeiture of spiritual blessings.

Psalm 106 24 Commentary

Psalm 106:24 provides a concise, yet profound, insight into Israel's failure during the wilderness journey. The sequence of "despised" followed by "believed not" reveals a critical spiritual truth: unbelief in God's word is the root cause of rejecting His good gifts and divine will. The "pleasant land" was a physical representation of God's covenant faithfulness and provision, the tangible culmination of their deliverance from slavery. To despise this land was to despise God's promise and ultimately, God Himself (Num 14:11). The incident at Kadesh-barnea, where the spies brought a report that contradicted God's promise, exposed a fatal flaw in the generation—they assessed God's plan through human fear rather than divine revelation. This passage serves as a perennial warning against hardening one's heart against God's Word due to perceived difficulties or obstacles. Faith means trusting God's ability to fulfill what He has spoken, regardless of human limitations or challenges. Their refusal to believe demonstrated a lack of dependence on divine power, leading to devastating consequences for that generation, barring them from their inheritance.