Psalm 78 48

Psalm 78:48 kjv

He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

Psalm 78:48 nkjv

He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning.

Psalm 78:48 niv

He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning.

Psalm 78:48 esv

He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts.

Psalm 78:48 nlt

He abandoned their cattle to the hail,
their livestock to bolts of lightning.

Psalm 78 verses

Psalm 78 48 Meaning

This verse describes God's act of judgment during the Exodus plagues, specifically the seventh plague, where He delivered Egypt's livestock to destructive hail and devastating, fire-like "hot thunderbolts." It highlights God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His capacity to execute powerful, precise judgment.

Psalm 78 48 Context

Psalm 78 is a historical psalm recounting God's faithfulness to Israel despite their persistent disobedience. It serves as an instruction (maskil) to future generations about God's deeds from the Exodus to David's reign. Verses 43-51 detail the various plagues God brought upon Egypt as demonstrations of His power and judgment, forcing Pharaoh to release His people. This specific verse (Psa 78:48) falls within the description of the seventh plague, the plague of hail, found in Exodus 9:18-26. The psalmist emphasizes how God "gave over" the Egyptians' prized possessions to destruction, directly challenging the dominion of Egyptian gods over their land and livestock. The broader message of the psalm is a warning: if God judged a powerful nation like Egypt for their arrogance, Israel should be cautious about their own repeated rebellion against His covenant.

Psalm 78 48 Word analysis

• He gave over: Hebrew: נָתַן (nathan). This verb is used here with the sense of delivering something into destruction, handing over to the power of another (in this case, the elements), or allowing something to happen as a judicial act. It signifies God's deliberate, active will in permitting or causing the destruction. It is not merely a passive allowance but an active, sovereign declaration.
• their cattle also: Hebrew: בְּעִיר (b'iyr). Refers to large domestic animals, such as oxen and asses. The mention of "also" indicates that this judgment was comprehensive, not sparing even the essential livelihood of the Egyptians, further underscoring the severity of the plague and its total impact. These animals were central to their economy and agricultural life, and some, like bulls, held religious significance.
• to the hail: Hebrew: בָּרָד (barad). Hail is a divine weapon in Scripture, a manifestation of God's power over nature. It represents judgment and often causes widespread destruction to crops, livestock, and even human life. Its power here highlights God's authority over atmospheric phenomena, a direct challenge to any false gods associated with weather.
• and their flocks: Hebrew: מִקְנֶה (miqneh). This term typically refers to smaller domestic animals, especially sheep and goats, which constituted a significant portion of ancient wealth. Their inclusion, alongside "cattle," indicates that no form of livestock or agricultural wealth was spared from this divine assault.
• to hot thunderbolts: Hebrew: גַּחֲלֵי אֵשׁ (gaḥǎley 'esh). Literally meaning "coals of fire" or "burning coals." In this context, it is understood metaphorically or poetically to describe intensely destructive fire accompanying the hail, such as lightning bolts or ground-level fires ignited by divine power. The ancient Near East would have recognized fire from heaven as a sign of divine power and wrath, making this a powerful and terrifying image of God's judgment. It emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the seventh plague, which was not merely hail but hail intertwined with consuming fire, demonstrating an unprecedented level of destructive power.

Psalm 78 48 Bonus section

The phrase "hot thunderbolts" (or "fiery coals") intensifies the description of the seventh plague beyond mere natural hail, indicating an active divine fire. This vivid imagery is consistent with other biblical depictions of God's awesome presence and wrath (e.g., Psa 18, 2 Sam 22). The specificity of targeting both "cattle" and "flocks" underlines the comprehensive nature of the devastation and God's precision in judgment. The Egyptian god Seth was associated with storms and chaos, and Pharaoh himself was considered divine. This plague, orchestrated by Yahweh, would have been perceived as a direct humiliation of their gods and ruler, further proving Yahweh's supremacy. The historical account serves as a narrative blueprint for understanding divine judgment throughout Scripture, including end-time prophecies where similar elements (hail, fire) are used as instruments of God's final reckoning.

Psalm 78 48 Commentary

Psalm 78:48 encapsulates a moment of powerful divine judgment during the Exodus plagues, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty over creation. By "giving over" Egypt's valuable livestock—their economic foundation and often objects of religious veneration—to catastrophic hail and fiery destruction, God demonstrated His incomparable might. This was a targeted assault not only on Pharaoh's obstinance but also a polemic against the supposed power of Egyptian deities, particularly those associated with weather and fertility. The unprecedented combination of ice (hail) and fire (gaḥǎley 'esh) displayed a supernatural intervention that defied natural laws, further confirming the identity of Yahweh as the one true God. The verse serves as a historical reminder of the severity of God's judgment against unrighteousness and underscores the folly of opposing His will, providing a stern lesson for Israel concerning their own tendencies toward rebellion.