Bible Strands
Psalms 78:59
On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist records God’s response to Israel’s idolatry at their high places, which provoked His jealousy. This declaration occurs immediately after the people’s covenant violations and directly precedes the abandonment of the tabernacle at Shiloh.
The words — The Hebrew verb שָמַ֣ע (sha.maʿ) means "he heard," marking the catalyst for the divine response. The phrase וַיִּתְעַבֶּר (va.yitʿabbēr) translates literally as "and He was furious," while וַיִּמְאַס (va.yimʾaś) means "and He rejected."
The thread — The psalmist situates this rejection within a broader pattern of covenant judgment. Related texts include Psalms 106:40, Lamentations 2:7, and Deuteronomy 32:19, each describing distinct divine actions triggered by Israel’s unfaithfulness.
Why it lands — The text states God’s fury and rejection before noting the physical consequence of abandoning Shiloh. A reader must confront the direct causal link between covenant violation and divine withdrawal without softening the recorded outcome.
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
When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
Cross-references
- Psalms 106:40 So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance.
- Lamentations 2:7 The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.
- Deuteronomy 32:19 When the LORD saw this, He rejected them, provoked to anger by His sons and daughters.
- Genesis 18:20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
- Leviticus 20:23 You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
- Leviticus 26:44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject or despise them so as to destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God.
- Psalms 11:4 The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.
- Psalms 14:2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
- Zechariah 11:8 And in one month I dismissed three shepherds. My soul grew impatient with the flock, and their souls also detested me.