International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1Listen, my people, to my instruction. Hear the words of my mouth.

1Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2I will tell a parable, speaking riddles from long ago—

2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

3things that we have heard and known and that our ancestors related to us.

3things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

4We will not withhold them from their descendants; we'll declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD— his might and awesome deeds that he has performed.

4We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

5He established a decree in Jacob, and established the Law in Israel, that he commanded our ancestors to reveal to their children

5He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

6in order that the next generation— children yet to be born— will know them and in turn teach them to their children.

6that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

7Then they will put their trust in God and they will not forget his awesome deeds. Instead, they will keep his commandments.

7so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

8They will not be like the rebellious generation of their ancestors, a rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirits were unfaithful to God.

8and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9The descendants of Ephraim were sharp shooters with the bow, but they retreated in the day of battle.

9The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.

10They did not keep God's covenant, and refused to live by his Law.

10They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.

11They have forgotten what he has done, his awesome deeds that they witnessed.

11They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.

12He performed marvelous things in the presence of their ancestors in the land of Egypt— in the fields of Zoan.

12In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

13He divided the sea so that they were able to cross; he caused the water to stand in a single location.

13He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.

14He led them with a cloud during the day, and during the night with light from the fire.

14In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light.

15He caused the rocks to split in the wilderness, and gave them water as from an abundant sea.

15He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

16He brought streams from rock, causing water to flow like a river.

16He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17But time and again, they sinned against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

17Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18To test God was in their minds, when they demanded food to satisfy their cravings.

18They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

19They spoke against God by asking, "Is God able to prepare a feast in the desert?

19They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

20It's true that Moses struck the rock so that water flowed forth and torrents of water gushed out, but is he also able to give bread or to supply meat for his people?"

20He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”

21Therefore, when the LORD heard this, he was angry, and fire broke out against Jacob. Moreover, his anger flared against Israel,

21Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,

22because they didn't believe in God and didn't trust in his deliverance.

22because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

23Yet he commanded the skies above and the doors of the heavens to open,

23Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven,

24so that manna rained down on them for food and he sent them the grain of heaven.

24and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.

25Mortal men ate the food of angels; he sent provision to them in abundance.

25Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

26He stirred up the east wind in the heavens and drove the south wind by his might.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;

27He caused meat to rain on them like dust and winged birds as the sand of the sea.

27he rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28He caused these to fall in the middle of the camp and all around their tents.

28he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.

29So they ate and were very satisfied, because he granted their desire.

29And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.

30However, before they had fulfilled their desire, while their food was still in their mouths,

30But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,

31the anger of God flared against them, and he killed the strongest men and humbled Israel's young men.

31the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.

32In spite of all of this, they kept on sinning and didn't believe in his marvelous deeds.

32In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

33So he made their days end in futility, and their years with sudden terror.

33So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.

34When he struck them, they sought him; they repented, and eagerly sought God.

34When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

35Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God was their deliverer.

35They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.

36But they deceived him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.

36But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.

37For their hearts weren't committed to him, and they weren't faithful to his covenant.

37Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

38But he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity and didn't destroy them; He restrained his anger and didn't vent all his wrath.

38Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.

39For he remembered that they were only flesh, a passing wind that doesn't return.

39He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.

40How they rebelled against him in the desert, grieving him in the wilderness!

40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!

41They tested God again and again, provoking the Holy One of Israel.

41They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42They did not remember his power— the day he delivered them from their adversary,

42They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,

43when he set his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the plain of Zoan.

43when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan.

44He turned their rivers into blood and made their streams undrinkable.

44He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.

45He sent swarms of insects to bite them and frogs to destroy them.

45He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.

46He gave their crops to caterpillars and what they worked for to locusts.

46He gave their crops to the destroying locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost.

47He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost.

48He delivered their beasts to hail and their livestock to lightning bolts.

48He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts.

49He inflicted his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, sending destroying angels among them.

49He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels.

50He blazed a path for his anger; he did not stop short from killing them, but handed them over to pestilence.

50He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague.

51He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their manhood in the tents of Ham.

51He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52Yet he led out his people like sheep, guiding them like a flock in the desert.

52Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53He led them to safety so they would not fear. As for their enemies, the sea covered them.

53He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54He brought the people to the border of his holy mountain, which he acquired by his might.

54And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.

55He drove out nations before them and allotted their tribal inheritance, settling the tribes of Israel in their tents.

55He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56But they tested the Most High God by rebelling against him, and they did not obey his statutes.

56Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies,

57They fell away and were as disloyal as their ancestors. They became unreliable, like a defective bow;

57but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.

58they angered him with their high places and with their carved images they made him jealous.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.

59God heard and became furious, and he completely rejected Israel.

59When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.

60He abandoned the tent at Shiloh, the tent that he established among mankind.

60He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind,

61Then he sent his might into captivity and his glory into the control of the adversary.

61and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.

62He delivered his people over to the sword and was angry with his possession.

62He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage.

63The young men were consumed by fire, and the virgins had no marriage celebrations.

63Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song.

64The priests fell by the sword, yet their widows couldn't weep.

64Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

65The LORD awoke as though from sleep, like a mighty warrior stimulated by wine.

65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine.

66He beat back his adversaries, permanently disgracing them.

66And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.

67He rejected the clan of Joseph; and the tribe of Ephraim he did not choose.

67He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68But he chose the tribe of Judah, the mountain of Zion, which he loves.

68but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves.

69He built his sanctuary, high as the heavens, like the earth that he established forever.

69He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever.

70Then he chose his servant David, whom he took from the sheepfold.

70He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;

71He brought him from birthing sheep to care for Jacob, his people, Israel, his possession.

71from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.

72David shepherded them with a devoted heart, and led them with skillful hands.

72With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.