Psalms

Psalm 78:15–20

¹⁵He split the rocks in the wilderness

and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.

¹⁶He brought streams from the stone

and made water flow down like rivers.

¹⁷But they continued to sin against Him,

rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

¹⁸They willfully tested God

by demanding the food they craved.

¹⁹They spoke against God, saying,

“Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?

²⁰When He struck the rock, water gushed out

and torrents raged.

But can He also give bread

or supply His people with meat?”

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He split	יְבַקַּ֣ע	yə·ḇaq·qa‘	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1234 cleave, break open or through
the rocks	צֻ֭רִים	ṣu·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6697 rock, cliff
in the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
and gave	וַ֝יַּ֗שְׁקְ	way·yašq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
as abundant	רַבָּֽה׃	rab·bāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7227 much, many, great
as the seas	כִּתְהֹמ֥וֹת	kiṯ·hō·mō·wṯ	Preposition-k; Noun - common plural construct	H8415 deep, sea, abyss

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He brought	וַיּוֹצִ֣א	way·yō·w·ṣi	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
streams	נוֹזְלִ֣ים	nō·wz·lîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5140 flow, trickle, drop, distil
from the stone	מִסָּ֑לַע	mis·sā·la‘	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5553 crag, cliff
and made water	מָֽיִם׃	mā·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
flow down	וַיּ֖וֹרֶד	way·yō·w·reḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
like rivers	כַּנְּהָר֣וֹת	kan·nə·hā·rō·wṯ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5104 stream, river

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But they continued	וַיּוֹסִ֣יפוּ	way·yō·w·sî·p̄ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3254 add
to sin	לַחֲטֹא־	la·ḥă·ṭō-	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2398 miss
against Him	ל֑וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
rebelling	לַֽמְר֥וֹת	lam·rō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H4784 be contentious, refractory, rebellious
in the desert	בַּצִּיָּֽה׃	baṣ·ṣî·yāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H6723 dryness, drought
against the Most High	עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן	‘el·yō·wn	Adjective - masculine singular	H5945 high

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They willfully	בִּלְבָבָ֑ם	bil·ḇā·ḇām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
tested	וַיְנַסּוּ־	way·nas·sū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5254 test, try
God	אֵ֥ל	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
by demanding	לִֽשְׁאָל־	liš·’āl-	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7592 ask, inquire
the food	אֹ֥כֶל	’ō·ḵel	Noun - masculine singular	H400 food
they craved	לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃	lə·nap̄·šām	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They spoke	וַֽיְדַבְּר֗וּ	way·ḏab·bə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
against God	בֵּֽאלֹ֫הִ֥ים	bê·lō·hîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
saying	אָ֭מְרוּ	’ā·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H559 utter, say
Can	הֲי֣וּכַל	hă·yū·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
God	אֵ֑ל	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
really prepare	לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ	la·‘ă·rōḵ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6186 arrange or set in order
a table	שֻׁ֝לְחָ֗ן	šul·ḥān	Noun - masculine singular	H7979 table
in the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	הֵ֤ן	hên	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
He struck	הִכָּה־	hik·kāh-	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
the rock	צ֨וּר׀	ṣūr	Noun - masculine singular	H6697 rock, cliff
water	מַיִם֮	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
gushed out	וַיָּז֣וּבוּ	way·yā·zū·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2100 flow, gush
and torrents	וּנְחָלִ֪ים	ū·nə·ḥā·lîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady
raged	יִ֫שְׁטֹ֥פוּ	yiš·ṭō·p̄ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7857 overflow, rinse or wash off
But can	י֣וּכַל	yū·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
He also	הֲגַם־	hă·ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
give	תֵּ֑ת	têṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
bread	לֶ֭חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
or	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
supply	יָכִ֖ין	yā·ḵîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3559 be firm
His people	לְעַמּֽוֹ׃	lə·‘am·mōw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5971 people
with meat	שְׁאֵ֣ר	šə·’êr	Noun - masculine singular	H7607 flesh