Bible Strands
Psalms 78:67
He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses a community needing historical reminder, placing this statement between a declaration of God's victory over enemies and His subsequent selection of Judah.
The words — The Hebrew יִמְאַס (yima’s) means “he rejected,” and the phrase לֹא בָחַר (lo’ ba’char) literally translates “he did not choose.” The text states plainly that God actively declined the tent of Joseph and the tribe of Ephraim.
The thread — This rejection of Ephraim’s tent aligns with the ark’s placement in David’s pitched tent (2 Samuel 6:17) and the Philistine directive to retrieve the ark from Kiriath-jearim (1 Samuel 6:21). The narrative continues in Psalms 78:68 with God’s contrasting choice of Judah and Mount Zion.
Why it lands — The passage requires acknowledging that covenant privilege follows divine election rather than birthright or tribal prominence. It calls for acceptance of God’s sovereign right to redirect worship and leadership according to His purpose.
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
Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 6:21 So they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up with you.”
- 2 Samuel 6:2 And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.
- 2 Samuel 6:17 So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.