Bible Strands
Psalms 105:28
He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist recounts God's judgments during the Exodus narrative, specifically the plague of darkness inflicted on Pharaoh's Egypt. This event follows the display of miraculous signs and immediately precedes the turning of the Nile to blood.
The words — The Hebrew verb שָׁלַח (Sha.lach) means "he sent," while מָרֻ (ma.Ru) translates to "they rebelled against." These terms frame the plague as a direct divine action met by deliberate human defiance.
The thread — The motif of divinely sent darkness appears in Joel 2:31 as a sign of the Day of the LORD and in Luke 23:44 during the crucifixion. The psalmist also contrasts this rebellion with the obedience described in Psalm 99:7.
Why it lands — The text states that God sent darkness and the Egyptians defied His words. It requires acknowledging that divine judgment proceeds independently of human compliance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
Cross-references
- Psalms 99:7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.
- Joel 2:31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
- Luke 23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
- 2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
- 2 Peter 2:17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
- Exodus 10:21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”
- Ezekiel 2:4 They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’
- Joel 2:2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.