Psalm 78:27

Modern

He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

Traditional

He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

Literal

And He rained upon them food like the dust, and winged bird like the sand of the seas,

Latin

Et pluit super eos sicut pulverem carnes, et sicut arenam maris volatilia pennata.

Hebrew

English

He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

God powerfully satisfied the people’s desires, but they did not respond with gratitude or faith. Therefore, God exercised his justice.

Israel rebelled in the wilderness despite God’s abundant provision.

This wisdom psalm urges people to learn wisdom and share it faithfully.

Theme notes and profiles

Exodus 16:12–13
“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”
Numbers 11:18–19
And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have cried out in the hearing of the LORD, saying: ‘Who will feed us meat? For we were better off in Egypt!’ Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat.
Numbers 11:32
All that day and night, and all the next day, the people stayed up gathering the quail. No one gathered less than ten homers, and they spread them out all around the camp.