Psalm 106:25 kjv
But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Psalm 106:25 nkjv
But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the LORD.
Psalm 106:25 niv
They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.
Psalm 106:25 esv
They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
Psalm 106:25 nlt
Instead, they grumbled in their tents
and refused to obey the LORD.
Psalm 106 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:2 | And all the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said... | Grumbling against leadership |
| Num 14:11 | And the LORD said to Moses: “How long will this people despise Me? How long will they not believe Me.. | Rejection stemming from unbelief |
| Deut 9:7 | Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the.. | Recalling consistent wilderness rebellion |
| Deut 9:23 | And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, “Go up and take possession of the land which.. | Disobeying command to enter Canaan |
| Deut 1:26 | Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. | Direct rebellion against God's command |
| Deut 1:32 | Yet for all this you did not believe the LORD your God. | Linking rebellion to lack of belief |
| Ex 16:2 | Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. | Early wilderness complaints over food |
| Num 11:1 | Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it.. | God hears complaints, displeasure follows |
| Num 16:3 | They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them: "You take too much upon yourselves.. | Korah's rebellion, challenging divine authority |
| Josh 5:6 | For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness till all the people who were men of.. | Disobedience resulted in forty years of wandering |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? | Obedience prioritized over ritual |
| Psa 78:17 | But they sinned even more against Him by provoking the Most High in the wilderness. | Rebellion despite divine provision |
| Psa 78:40 | How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! | Emphasizing frequent rebellion |
| Jer 7:23 | But this is what I commanded them, saying, “Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall.. | God's desire for obedience is central |
| Ezek 20:13 | Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes;.. | Explicit statement of rebellion in wilderness |
| Heb 3:7-8 | Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.. | Warning against hardening hearts as in wilderness |
| Heb 3:17-18 | Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell.. | God's wrath due to disobedience |
| Heb 4:6 | Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter.. | Failure to enter rest due to disobedience |
| Heb 4:7 | Again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after so long a time, as it has been said.. | Emphasizing urgency of obedience |
| Jude 1:16 | These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts.. | Characteristics of grumblers |
| 1 Cor 10:10 | Nor grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. | Warning against grumbling for new covenant believers |
| Titus 3:1 | Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.. | Call to obedience for believers today |
| 2 Tim 3:2 | For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents.. | Characteristics including disobedience |
Psalm 106 verses
Psalm 106 25 Meaning
Psalm 106:25 details a specific instance of Israel's rebellion during their wilderness wanderings, directly linking their internal murmuring to outward disobedience. It reveals that the discontent began privately "in their tents," signifying a deep-seated grumbling, distrust, and complaint against divine provision and leadership, which then manifested as an outright refusal to "obey the voice of the Lord." This disobedience was not merely passive but an active rejection of God's direct commands, especially concerning the entry into the Promised Land.
Psalm 106 25 Context
Psalm 106 is a confessional psalm, part of a historical recounting of Israel's recurring pattern of sin, God's consequent judgment, and His persistent faithfulness. This psalm parallels the narratives found in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, especially emphasizing the wilderness generation's rebellion. Verse 25 falls within a section (Psalm 106:19-33) detailing various specific instances of Israel's rebellion after the Exodus. Specifically, the verse follows immediately after Israel's "despising the pleasant land" (v. 24) – referring to their failure of faith at Kadesh-Barnea when the spies brought back a negative report about the Anakim in Canaan (Numbers 13-14). Their grumbling "in their tents" directly led to their refusal to obey God's command to go up and take possession of the Promised Land, marking a pivotal moment of widespread national disobedience and unbelief. The larger context of the psalm contrasts human unfaithfulness with God's covenant love and longsuffering.
Psalm 106 25 Word analysis
- But (וַ): Connects this action to the previous verses, showing it as a direct consequence or continuation of their previous failures, particularly their unbelief concerning the promised land. It implies a contrary action despite God's goodness.
- grumbled (וַיֵּרָֽגְנוּ - vayyeragenû): From the root רָגַן (ragan), meaning "to murmur," "to complain," "to accuse." It describes a deep-seated, persistent discontent and muttering. This word often carries a connotation of hidden, rebellious, or malicious complaint rather than a legitimate plea. It indicates a rejection of authority, leading to unrest. This wasn't an open revolt at first, but a private, widespread murmuring that festered.
- in their tents (בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶ֑ם - bᵉ’āhōleiyhem):
- tents (אָהֳלִים - ’āhōlîm): Refers to the nomadic dwellings, characteristic of Israel's wilderness journey. It signifies their private spaces, where their personal grievances festered. The complaint wasn't just a public outcry; it started in the intimate, communal setting, reflecting a deeply ingrained mindset among the people, indicating a widespread consensus in their discontent. This highlights that rebellion can brew in perceived private spaces before becoming public defiance.
- and did not obey (וְלֹא שָֽׁמְעוּ - vᵉlō' shāmᵉ‘û):
- did not obey (לֹא שָׁמְעוּ - lō' shāmᵉ‘û): From the root שָׁמַע (shāma‘), meaning "to hear," but crucially in Hebrew, it encompasses the idea of "to listen attentively," and thus, "to understand," and most importantly, "to obey." A true hearing of God's voice implies submission and action. Their failure to "hear" was a deliberate refusal to submit to His divine instruction.
- the voice (בְּקוֹל - bᵉqōl): Refers to the sound, speech, or command. Here, it denotes God's direct and authoritative communication.
- of the LORD (יְהֹוָֽה - YHWH): The personal, covenantal name of God. It emphasizes that their grumbling and disobedience were not just against Moses or the situation, but directly against the sovereign, covenant-keeping God Himself, whose word carries ultimate authority and wisdom.
Words-group analysis:
- But grumbled in their tents: This phrase illustrates the internal, personal nature of their discontent that preceded public rebellion. The private murmuring reflects a deep distrust and lack of faith even in the safety of their own dwellings. It implies that the heart condition (grumbling) led to outward action.
- and did not obey the voice of the LORD: This phrase articulates the climax of their grumbling—a direct and active rejection of God's explicit commands. Their failure to "obey the voice" (shama' b'qol) indicates a profound act of defiance against the divine covenant Lord, rather than merely neglecting His words. This disobedience to "the voice of the LORD" means they dismissed the very Word by which they were to live and be guided.
Psalm 106 25 Bonus section
The historical setting of this verse, the murmuring at Kadesh-Barnea, is not just a past event but serves as a profound typology in Christian theology. The "grumbling" and "disobedience" of Israel illustrate the human tendency to lack faith, especially when faced with challenges or perceived dangers that require trusting God's promises more than immediate sensory experience. The Promised Land, in Christian typology, often represents the spiritual "rest" that God's people are called to enter, which can refer to salvation, God's abiding presence, or ultimate eschatological fulfillment. The warning from the wilderness generation—that an unhearing and disobedient heart leads to forfeiture of God's blessings—is powerfully applied in the New Testament (especially Hebrews 3-4). This teaches believers that internal unbelief (grumbling) can impede spiritual progress and prevent experiencing the fullness of God's purposes, echoing the ongoing necessity for attentive hearing and faithful obedience to "the voice of the Lord" in all generations.
Psalm 106 25 Commentary
Psalm 106:25 concisely captures the essence of Israel's profound failure at Kadesh-Barnea. Their murmuring "in their tents" points to the insidious nature of unbelief, which often begins subtly within the individual's heart or within close community, manifesting as complaints and doubts about God's plan or provision. This was not a sudden outburst, but a pervasive, privately fostered discontent among the people. The mention of "tents" evokes the image of a community where such negativity became a widespread, almost tribal, consensus. This internal rebellion against God's character and leadership quickly translated into active defiance: they "did not obey the voice of the Lord." Their failure to "shama" (hear and obey) God's command to enter the land was a rejection of His sovereign will, His promised blessing, and His faithfulness. This was a crucial test of their faith, and their grumbling rooted in fear and unbelief led directly to a collective act of disobedience that had severe consequences—forty years of wandering and death in the wilderness for that generation, an exclusion from the "rest" (Hebrews 3-4). The verse serves as a perpetual warning that internal, private grievances can fuel outright public rebellion against divine authority, impacting both personal destiny and the collective covenant walk.