Psalm 81

Psalms · Chapter 81

Psalms 81:5

1Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.2Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.3Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.4For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.5This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.6I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.7Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.8Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;9There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.10I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.11But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.12So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.13Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!14I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.15The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
5This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language that I knew not.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
a testimonyעֵ֤דוּת׀'E-dutH5715
testimony

עֵדוּת (e.dut) testimony

in Josephבִּֽיה֘וֹסֵ֤ףbi-HO-SEFH3084
Joseph

יְהוֹסֵף (ye.ho.seph) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.24; son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354); brother of: Benjamin (H1144); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); married to Asenath (H0621); father of: Manasseh (H4519) and Ephraim (H0669); also called Zaphenath-paneah at Gen.41.45; Another name of yo.seph (יוֹסֵף "Joseph" H3130G) § Joseph = "Jehovah has added" the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

he established itשָׂמ֗וֹsa-MOH7760A
to set: make

שׂוּם (sum) : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set

when went out heבְּ֭צֵאתוֹbe-tze-toH3318G
to come out: come

יָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] land ofאֶ֣רֶץ'E-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםmitz-RA-yimH4714G
Egypt

מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) "Matsor", a name for Egypt Another spelling of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) This name means siege, entrenchment

a languageשְׂפַ֖תse-FATH8193K
lips

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) : lips/mouth 1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding 1a) lip (as body part) 1b) language 1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

of [which] notלֹא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

I knewיָדַ֣עְתִּיya-DA'-tiH3045
to know

יָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) …

I heardאֶשְׁמָֽע׃'esh-MA'H8085G
to hear: hear

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) : hear v 1) to hear, listen to, obey 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to hear (perceive by ear) 1a2) to hear of or concerning 1a3) to hear (have power to hear) 1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to 1a5) to understand (language) 1a6) to hear (of judicial cases) 1a7) to listen, give heed 1a7a) to consent, agree 1a7b) to grant request 1a8) to listen to, yield to 1a9) to obey, be obedient 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound) 1b2) to be heard of 1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed 1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.