Bible Strands
Psalms 78:18
They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the assembly by recounting Israel's desert rebellion, capturing the moment the people repeatedly sinned against God and challenged His authority while wandering.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְנַסּוּ (va-yenasu) literally means "they put to the test," paired with לִשְׁאֹל (lish'ol), "by requesting," to record their specific demand for food.
The thread — This demand for proof through provision mirrors the Massah incident in Deuteronomy 6:16, the wilderness craving in Numbers 11:4, and the apostolic warning in 1 Corinthians 10:9.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to identify that demanding evidence or sustenance as a prerequisite for obedience is active rebellion, not legitimate faith.
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
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Cross-references
- Numbers 11:4 Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
- Deuteronomy 6:16 Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
- Psalms 106:14 They craved intensely in the wilderness and tested God in the desert.
- 1 Corinthians 10:6 These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
- Exodus 16:2 And there in the desert the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
- Psalms 95:9 where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work.
- James 4:2 You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.