A recounting of Hashem's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, tracing His faithfulness through Israel's sojourn in Egypt to their deliverance and inheritance of the land.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
O give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name; Make known His doings among the peoples.
verse value 1557
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "give·thanks" (הוֹד֣וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "His·doings" (עֲלִילוֹתָֽיו, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·His·name" (בִשְׁמ֑וֹ), "make·known" (הוֹדִ֥יעוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "in·the·peoples" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "in·His·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·His·name', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הוֹד֣וּ [give·thanks] (21) + לַ֭יהֹוָה [to·Hashem] (56) + קִרְא֣וּ [call] (307) + בִשְׁמ֑וֹ [in·His·name] (348) + הוֹדִ֥יעוּ [make·known] (101) + בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים [in·the·peoples] (162) + עֲלִילוֹתָֽיו [His·doings] (562) = 1557.
Rashi
"His deeds" — Heb. עלילותיו, His deeds.
Ibn Ezra
"Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name" — David spoke this to Israel when they carried the Ark, for so it is written; and the proof that he is speaking to the people of Israel is that he said "seed of Abraham." And the sense of "call upon His name" is: to teach the way of Hashem, like Abraham: "and he called there on the name of Hashem, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33).
Radak
"Give thanks" — David composed this psalm when he brought up the Ark from the house of Obed-edom the Gittite to the City of David, and he gave it to Asaph and his brothers to sing before the Ark, as is written in Chronicles; and there this psalm is written up to "and do My prophets no harm," except that there is a slight difference between them in wording, though the matter is the same. And when David composed this Book of Psalms, he wrote this psalm and lengthened it with the account of the seed of Abraham until they entered the Land of Israel. And there [in Chronicles] two psalms are written — this psalm and the psalm "Sing to Hashem, all the earth" — and so they said these two psalms every day before the Ark, until Solomon brought the Ark to the eternal House and said "Give thanks to Hashem." These are the words of David to the singers and the congregation: "call upon His name" — to pray to Him; or the meaning of "call upon His name" is to give thanks to Hashem. And this is the sense of "make known His doings" — the doings He wrought against the Philistines concerning the Ark.
Metzudat David
"By His name" — [The name] unique to Him alone, which indicates His greatness. "Make known" — Publicize among the peoples the wonders of His deeds.
Malbim
'Give thanks' — after he blessed Hashem for His governance with man, in particular for the healing of the soul and its recompense, and for the governance of the world in general according to the nature that He established in the six days of creation, he now comes to give thanks for a second, miraculous governance, by which He conducts Himself with the people close to Him. And he said to them, 'Sing to Hashem' — a specific thanksgiving for the specific favors received; 'and call upon His name' — to publicize His particular deeds; 'make known His deeds among the peoples' — these are the acts of governance that He performs according to His attributes of being merciful and gracious and abounding in kindness, which is in accordance with the deeds of men and in accordance with reward and punishment.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak you of all His marvelous works.
verse value 1800
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 1800 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "speak" (שִׂ֝֗יחוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·all·His·marvelous·works" (בְּכׇל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו, 11 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·all·His·marvelous·works" (בְּכׇל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sing·to·Him" (root שיר, 68x in Psalms); "sing·praises·to·Him" (root זמר, 41x in Psalms); "in·all·His·marvelous·works" (root פלא, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sing·praises·to·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹ [sing·to·Him] (552) + זַמְּרוּ־ל֑וֹ [sing·praises·to·Him] (289) + שִׂ֝֗יחוּ [speak] (324) + בְּכׇל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו [in·all·His·marvelous·works] (635) = 1800.
Ibn Ezra
"Sing" — with your mouths. "Make music" — with the lyre. "Speak" — to others.
Radak
"Sing to Him" — with the mouth and with instruments. "Speak of all His marvelous works" — also speak to one another of all the wonders of the Ark, and the other wonders that He performed for you.
Metzudat David
"Sing to Him" — With the mouth. "Sing praises to Him" — With musical instruments. "Speak" — Speak continually of all His wonders.
Malbim
'Sing to Him' — you, the children of Israel, 'shall sing and make music to Him' in particular; 'and speak of all His wondrous deeds' — you shall recount the wonders that He performed above the way of nature.
Glory you in His holy name; Let the heart of them rejoice who seek Hashem.
verse value 2096
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "heart·of" (לֵ֤ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "glory" (הִֽ֭תְהַלְלוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "glory" (הִֽ֭תְהַלְלוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "in·the·name·of" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "glory" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·holiness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: הִֽ֭תְהַלְלוּ [glory] (476) + בְּשֵׁ֣ם [in·the·name·of] (342) + קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ [His·holiness] (410) + יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח [let·rejoice] (358) + לֵ֤ב [heart·of] (32) + מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י [who·seek] (452) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2096.
Rashi
"Boast of His holy name" — Boast of the stronghold of His holy name that you have a patron like Him. התהללוּ is “porvontez vous” in Old French, [vantez vous in modern French, boast].
Ibn Ezra
"Glory yourselves" — the sense is: there is no [other] language in which the glorious Name is called by that very Name, but only in relation to His works — [this is true of every nation] besides Israel. Therefore, "glory yourselves"; and also, "let the heart rejoice" of those who seek this Name — [even] those who did not [previously] know it.
Radak
"Glory" — you are able to glory over all the [other] peoples in His holy name, which was sanctified upon you just as it was sanctified through the matter of the Ark; therefore let your heart rejoice, you who are seekers of Hashem. Or: every seeker of Hashem, even from among the nations, let their heart rejoice in Him when they seek Him.
Metzudat David
"Glory" — Praise yourselves, to take pride in His holy name, which indicates His power. "Let the heart rejoice" — So that the heart of each one of those who seek Hashem shall rejoice upon hearing all this.
Malbim
'Glory yourselves' — he adds that they should 'glory in His holy name.' His holy name indicates the governance that He conducts in holiness, which is distinct from the fixed laws of nature — a holy and wondrous governance. And this will be in accordance with the holiness of Israel and their deeds, through which His name, too, will be sanctified, as it is said, 'And I will be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel.' And this is praise and glory for Israel, since His holy name is sanctified through their holiness. And through this, 'the heart of those who seek Hashem will rejoice,' for they will see that He is to be found by those who seek Him, and that He conducts Himself with them according to their measure. And also, anyone who seeks something does not rejoice while he has not yet found the thing sought — whether because there is doubt whether he will find it, or because he has not yet reached the goal of his aim, and joy comes only with the attainment of the ultimate object of desire. Nevertheless, 'the heart of those who seek Hashem will rejoice' — for they are certain that they will attain what they seek, since He is to be found by those who seek Him: whether because the seeking itself is the goal, for Hashem can never be attained, but only sought continually, and this itself is the goal — and so it says, 'Seek Hashem and His strength,' for the essential thing is the seeking, not the attaining, for no one can attain His essence; one need only seek His deeds. And from this, 'seek His face continually' — since the goal is that they seek and search for Him, and this is a thing that has no end, for that which is sought is without limit, and so the attainment, too, is without end. Therefore, 'continually shall you seek His face,' for whatever you attain from Him, you will realize that you have not attained Him, and that further seeking is needed, as it is said, 'They go from strength to strength.'
Seek you Hashem and His strength; Seek His face continually.
verse value 1633
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "His·face" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "and·His·strength" (root עז, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·His·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: דִּרְשׁ֣וּ [seek] (510) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + וְעֻזּ֑וֹ [and·His·strength] (89) + בַּקְּשׁ֖וּ [seek] (408) + פָנָ֣יו [His·face] (146) + תָּמִֽיד [continually] (454) = 1633.
Ibn Ezra
"Seek" — serves for both [clauses]: "seek Hashem" and "[seek] His strength," as in "and He gave His strength into captivity" (Psalm 78:61) — referring to the Ark; and the one who interprets "and His strength" as [equivalent to] "in His strength" is not correct. And the sense is like "you shall seek His dwelling" (Deuteronomy 12:5).
Radak
"Seek" — the Ark is called "strength"; that is to say, seek out the dwelling place of the Ark and pray there before it; and likewise "seek His face" means that you should pray before it continually.
Metzudat David
"And His strength" — Seek [Him], that He show you His strength and His power.
Cross-references: Psalms 78:61; Psalms 132:8; I Chronicles 16:11
Remember His marvelous works that He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;
verse value 2769
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 32 letters. Verse gematria: 2769 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "remember" (זִכְר֗וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·the·judgments·of·His·mouth" (וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "that·He·has·done" (אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה), "His·wonders" (מֹ֝פְתָ֗יו), "and·the·judgments·of·His·mouth" (וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·He·has·done" (root עשה, 109x in Psalms); "and·the·judgments·of·His·mouth" (root משפט, 65x in Psalms); "remember" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that·He·has·done', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: זִכְר֗וּ [remember] (233) + נִפְלְאוֹתָ֥יו [His·marvelous·works] (583) + אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה [that·He·has·done] (876) + מֹ֝פְתָ֗יו [His·wonders] (536) + וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו [and·the·judgments·of·His·mouth] (541) = 2769.
Ibn Ezra
"Remember" — in the heart. "His wonders" — these are the works of heaven and earth. "His marvels" — in Egypt. "The judgments of His mouth" — at Sinai.
Radak
"Remember" — in your heart His marvelous works and His wonders that God performed in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and after they entered the Land, and likewise in the matter of the Ark in the land of the Philistines; for on account of one sign and one wonder, a person is obligated to remember the earlier wonders. "And the judgments of His mouth" — for the plagues that He brought upon Egypt, He announced beforehand through Moses His prophet; and so the judgments came upon Egypt just as He had spoken with His mouth.
Metzudat David
"And the judgments of His mouth" — The judgments that He carried out by the utterance of His mouth.
Malbim
'Remember' — Yet you will reach your desired destination of grasping Him through His deeds, by 'remembering His marvelous works that He did,' apart from the reason [given] in the Torah. And there were three aspects to this: (1) 'His marvelous works' — such as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the stopping of the sun, the manna, and the like; (2) 'His wonders' — which He performed to prove His words, such as turning the staff into a serpent, and the like; (3) 'the judgments of His mouth' — these are the plagues and punishments He brought upon Egypt, which came as punishment for their sins, in the manner of judgment. And they were distinguished from all the judgments He executes in the world in that they were 'the judgments of His mouth' — meaning, He stated explicitly with His mouth that He would execute this judgment upon them, and He gave them warning before every plague; and also, that He had already decreed it, as it is written, 'And also that nation, whom they shall serve, I will judge.'
O you seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones.
verse value 1087
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "seed·of" (זֶ֭רַע, 3 letters) and the longest is "His·chosen·ones" (בְּחִירָֽיו, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "His·chosen·ones" (בְּחִירָֽיו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 62x in Psalms); "His·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms); "Jacob" (root יעקב, 34x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·servant', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: זֶ֭רַע [seed·of] (277) + אַבְרָהָ֣ם [Abraham] (248) + עַבְדּ֑וֹ [His·servant] (82) + בְּנֵ֖י [sons·of] (62) + יַעֲקֹ֣ב [Jacob] (182) + בְּחִירָֽיו [His·chosen·ones] (236) = 1087.
Ibn Ezra
"Seed" — you are the seed of Abraham. He mentioned Abraham because he was the first father who began to accept the commandments of Hashem; he also mentioned Jacob, because he alone is our father, and no one else shares [that status] with us, as it is written: "Is not the God of Israel our father?" (cf. 1 Chronicles 29:10).
Radak
"Seed" — and in Chronicles [it says] "seed of Israel, His servant," and the meaning is the same. And as for what it says, "seed of Abraham," this refers to the seed of Israel, not to the rest of the seed of Abraham; for so God said to Abraham, "for through Isaac shall seed be called to you," and Isaac said to Jacob, "and may He give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your seed with you, that you may inherit it" — for behold, the seed specially designated for Abraham is Israel. And so it goes on to explain, saying: "Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones" — that is to say, who is the seed of Abraham? They are the sons of Jacob, who are chosen from the rest of his seed.
Metzudat David
"Seed of Abraham" — You are the seed of Abraham His servant, and the children of Jacob, chosen by Hashem from the seed of Abraham.
Malbim
'Seed' — this you shall remember, you 'seed of Abraham' — for whom Hashem acted because he was 'His servant,' and served Him in faith; and you, 'children of Jacob,' who are 'His chosen ones' — whom He chose for His portion by virtue of [His] choice, as it is written, 'seed of Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen,' as is stated there.
He is Hashem our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
verse value 933
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "He" (ה֭וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·all·the·earth" (בְּכׇל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "His·judgments" (מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "our·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "in·all·the·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'our·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: ה֭וּא [He] (12) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ [our·God] (102) + בְּכׇל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ [in·all·the·earth] (348) + מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו [His·judgments] (445) = 933.
Ibn Ezra
"He" — we have [reason] to glory, for He is our God forever; He endures; He judges the whole earth.
Radak
"He" — even though His judgments are throughout all the earth, and He directs the entire world, nevertheless He is our God, and we are His people.
Metzudat David
"He, etc." — That is to say: He whose judgments rule over all the earth — He is our God.
Malbim
'He is Hashem' — meaning, through His wonders you will grasp Him and see that 'He is Hashem our God' — for the name 'our God,' with its pronominal suffix, indicates the bond He has with us, and His special providence. And although His essence cannot be grasped, nevertheless, 'His judgments are in all the earth,' and He becomes known through His judgments and His governance.
He has remembered His covenant for ever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations;
verse value 1679
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "He·has·remembered" (זָכַ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·eternity" (לְעוֹלָ֣ם, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·a·thousand" (לְאֶ֣לֶף). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·eternity" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "word" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "He·has·remembered" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·covenant', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: זָכַ֣ר [He·has·remembered] (227) + לְעוֹלָ֣ם [for·eternity] (176) + בְּרִית֑וֹ [His·covenant] (618) + דָּבָ֥ר [word] (206) + צִ֝וָּ֗ה [He·commanded] (101) + לְאֶ֣לֶף [to·a·thousand] (141) + דּֽוֹר [generation] (210) = 1679.
Rashi
"the word He had commanded to the thousandth generation" — The Torah, which He commanded to make known in the world after a thousand generations, but He saw that the world could not exist without Torah, so he skipped 974 generations of them. It may also be interpreted according to its simple meaning: He remembered for Israel His covenant, which He commanded and promised to keep for them for a thousand generations, as the matter of (Deut. 7:9): “Who keeps the covenant and the kindness for those who love Him and who keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.”
Ibn Ezra
"He remembered" — he said "He remembered," corresponding to [the earlier] "remember" (v. 5); and this covenant is the Covenant Between the Pieces (Genesis 15). And the sense of "remembered" is: that it should not be forgotten. "The word He commanded" — like "decreed," as in "Hashem had not commanded [it]." And the sense of "to a thousand generations" is: that the name of Israel will not be cut off, and moreover, that he will inherit the land of Canaan forever.
Radak
"He has remembered His covenant forever" — which He made with Abraham; now He remembers it for his seed forever, in that He gave the land to his seed after four generations; and this is "the word which He commanded," meaning which He decreed — just as He said to Abraham, so He fulfilled the matter, also for his seed after him. And as for what it says "forever" and "to a thousand generations" — for the land shall belong to Israel forever, and even though they were exiled from it, they will yet return to it and will never be exiled from it again forever; and this is [the meaning of] "forever, to a thousand generations."
Metzudat David
"He remembered" — The covenant that He made, He remembers forever. "The word which He commanded" — The covenant concerned the matter which He decreed and said, to keep the kindness for a thousand generations, as it says, "who keeps the covenant and the kindness ... for a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).
Malbim
'He remembered' — Hashem 'remembered His covenant forever,' and likewise 'the word which He commanded' He remembered 'to a thousand generations.' The covenant that He made with the Patriarchs is a matter not dependent on human beings, [therefore] it says 'forever,' which indicates a time that cannot be divided. But the matter that He commanded to human beings — since one generation goes and another comes — He commanded it 'to [all] generations.' From here [Scripture] will first explain what the covenant was, and afterward explain the matter that He commanded.
Cross-references: Deuteronomy 7:9; I Chronicles 16:15
[The covenant] which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac;
verse value 3008
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·Abraham" (אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·cut" (כָּ֭רַת), "and·His·oath" (וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ), "to·Isaac" (לְיִשְׂחָֽק). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Abraham', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֲשֶׁ֣ר [which] (501) + כָּ֭רַת [He·cut] (620) + אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם [with·Abraham] (649) + וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ [and·His·oath] (790) + לְיִשְׂחָֽק [to·Isaac] (448) = 3008.
Ibn Ezra
‘Which’ — the meaning is: He said to Isaac, ‘And I will fulfill the oath.’
Radak
"Which" — and that covenant was [made] for the sake of Isaac, meaning on account of Isaac, as it is said, "for through Isaac shall seed be called to you"; and the oath was [sworn] at the Binding of Isaac. And He said to Isaac, "and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father" — and this is as though [He said], "I swore to Isaac."
Metzudat David
"Which He made" — Concerning the matter over which He made a covenant with Abraham, and over which the oath was made to Isaac.
Metzudat Zion
“To Isaac” — the same as “to Yitzchak,” a variant spelling of the name.
Malbim
'Which' — this explains what was said, 'He remembered His covenant forever' — it is the covenant 'which He made with Abraham,' and afterward, 'and His oath to Isaac.' Since He made the covenant with Isaac a second time, its status became like that of an oath — for a matter that is repeated before Hashem twice has the status of an oath, as our Sages, of blessed memory, have said.
Cross-references: Jeremiah 33:26; Amos 7:9; Amos 7:16; I Chronicles 16:16
And He established it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant;
verse value 1824
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "for·a·statute" (לְחֹ֑ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·He·established·it" (וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֣הָ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·established·it" (וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֣הָ), "for·a·statute" (לְחֹ֑ק). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "eternity" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "to·Israel" (root ישראל, 61x in Psalms); "and·He·established·it" (root עמד, 36x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·a·statute', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֣הָ [and·He·established·it] (145) + לְיַעֲקֹ֣ב [to·Jacob] (212) + לְחֹ֑ק [for·a·statute] (138) + לְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל [to·Israel] (571) + בְּרִ֣ית [covenant·of] (612) + עוֹלָֽם [eternity] (146) = 1824.
Radak
"And He established it" — that covenant and that oath He established to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant; for the covenant and the oath applied to the specially designated seed, not to Esau.
Metzudat David
"And He established it" — That covenant He established for Jacob as a fixed statute. "To Israel, etc." — The matter is repeated in different words.
Malbim
'And He established it' — and to Jacob He established the covenant as 'a statute' and ordinance, as though it were a law and statute that must be kept for its own sake. But 'to Israel,' which is a rank higher than Jacob, He established it 'for an everlasting covenant' — this being the covenant on which the existence of the world depends. For at the time Israel is elevated to be above nature, as the name 'Israel' itself indicates, this covenant was established in relation to the second order of governance, by which Hashem conducts [the world] by way of providence — corresponding to the covenant of the world, by which He conducts the first, natural order of governance. And He bound the two together, one to the other, in such a way that if the one covenant were annulled, the other would be annulled as well, as it is written, 'If not for My covenant, day, etc. — also the seed of Israel would I reject.'
Saying: 'To you will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance.'
verse value 2242
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לְךָ֗, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·land·of·Canaan" (אֶת־אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·will·give" (אֶתֵּ֥ן), "the·land·of·Canaan" (אֶת־אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן), "the·lot·of" (חֶ֝֗בֶל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "I·will·give" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "to·you" (root לך, 35x in Psalms). First appearance of the root כנען ("the·land·of·Canaan") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·land·of·Canaan', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: לֵאמֹ֗ר [saying] (271) + לְךָ֗ [to·you] (50) + אֶתֵּ֥ן [I·will·give] (451) + אֶת־אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן [the·land·of·Canaan] (882) + חֶ֝֗בֶל [the·lot·of] (40) + נַחֲלַתְכֶֽם [your·inheritance] (548) = 2242.
Rashi
"Saying, “To you I shall give, etc.”" — That is the covenant that He made for them.
Ibn Ezra
‘Saying’ — to each one. ‘To you will I give’ — in speech. ‘And to your seed’ — in deed.
Radak
"Saying" — to each one of the patriarchs He said thus. "The lot of your inheritance" — [spoken] concerning Israel.
Metzudat David
"To you will I give" — And not to Ishmael and Esau, even though they too are of that seed. "The lot of your inheritance" — That which is now the lot of your inheritance.
Metzudat Zion
“The lot” — a region and portion, as in “the portion of the children of Judah” (Joshua 19).
Malbim
'Saying' — now [Scripture] explains what was said, 'the word which He commanded to a thousand generations' — which is what is stated: 'To you will I give the land of Canaan.' And it explains that He gives it to them because it is 'the lot of your inheritance' — for since it is the land uniquely suited to providence, holiness, and prophecy, it belongs to you, for divine providence rests upon you.
When they were but a few men in number. Indeed, very few, and sojourners in it,
verse value 1698
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "in·it" (בָּֽהּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "when·they·were" (בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·they·were" (בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם), "and·sojourners" (וְגָרִ֥ים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "when·they·were" (root היה, 97x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'number', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם [when·they·were] (463) + מְתֵ֣י [men·of] (450) + מִסְפָּ֑ר [number] (380) + כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט [like·a·little] (139) + וְגָרִ֥ים [and·sojourners] (259) + בָּֽהּ [in·it] (7) = 1698.
Ibn Ezra
‘When they were’ — this speaks of the patriarchs, for their number was few — sojourners and settlers in the land.
Radak
"When they were" — He said this of the patriarchs and their children, that they were few in number. "Indeed, very few, and sojourners in it" — they were sojourners in the land for hardly any time at all, for they were forced to leave it, as Abraham, who went because of famine to Egypt and to the land of the Philistines, and likewise Isaac to the land of the Philistines, and likewise Jacob to Egypt; this is [the meaning of] what it says, "and they went about from nation to nation." And nevertheless, God's promise and the faith [in Him] in their heart [remained] — they did not murmur against Him.
Metzudat David
"When they were" — While they were but a few men in number, the very least in count, and were like strangers/sojourners in the land.
Metzudat Zion
“A few men in number” — men who could be counted [i.e., few].
Malbim
'When they were' — and this He said to them at the time when they were 'a few men in number' in quantity, and 'very few' in quality and strength, and also 'sojourners in it,' for they were not citizens there but only sojourners. And nevertheless He said and promised that He would give them the land.
And when they went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people,
verse value 1111
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "another" (אַחֵֽר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·went·about" (וַ֭יִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·they·went·about" (וַ֭יִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ), "to·nation" (אֶל־גּ֑וֹי), "from·a·kingdom" (מִ֝מַּמְלָכָ֗ה). The root גוי appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "and·they·went·about" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms); "from·nation" (root גוי, 59x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·nation', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַ֭יִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ [and·they·went·about] (477) + מִגּ֣וֹי [from·nation] (59) + אֶל־גּ֑וֹי [to·nation] (50) + מִ֝מַּמְלָכָ֗ה [from·a·kingdom] (175) + אֶל־עַ֥ם [to·people] (141) + אַחֵֽר [another] (209) = 1111.
Rashi
"And they walked from nation to nation" — Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines, in Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, and so Isaac, and so Jacobthey all were exiled from one strange place to another strange place.
Ibn Ezra
‘And they went about’ — like Abraham, [who went] to Egypt and to the land of the Philistines; and also Isaac to the Philistines, and Jacob to Egypt.
Radak
"And when they went about" — from the land of Canaan to Egypt and to the land of the Philistines. "And from one kingdom" — to another people.
Metzudat David
"And they went about" — They did not settle in one place, but went from one nation to another, and from one kingdom [to another], etc.; and it was the way of the people of the land, formerly, to oppress the foreigner who came to dwell [there] without a fixed status.
Malbim
(13-14) 'And they went about' — although they afterward went about from nation to nation — for 'nations' [goyim] are groupings that have no king, while 'peoples' [amim] are groupings that do have a king — behold, when they went about 'from nation to nation, He suffered no man to do them wrong,' and when they went about 'from one kingdom to another people' that had a king, 'He reproved kings on their account.'
He suffered no man to do them wrong, Indeed, for their sake He reproved kings:
verse value 1034
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אָדָ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·He·allowed" (לֹא־הִנִּ֣יחַ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·He·allowed" (לֹא־הִנִּ֣יחַ), "to·oppress·them" (לְעׇשְׁקָ֑ם), "and·He·reproved" (וַיּ֖וֹכַח). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·them" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "kings" (root מלך, 70x in Psalms); "man" (root אדם, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·oppress·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: לֹא־הִנִּ֣יחַ [not·He·allowed] (104) + אָדָ֣ם [man] (45) + לְעׇשְׁקָ֑ם [to·oppress·them] (540) + וַיּ֖וֹכַח [and·He·reproved] (50) + עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם [upon·them] (155) + מְלָכִֽים [kings] (140) = 1034.
Rashi
"and He reproved kings on their account" — (Gen. 12:17): “And the Lord plagued Pharaoh”; (ibid. 20:18), “For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech.”
Ibn Ezra
‘And they went about’ — like Abraham, [who went] to Egypt and to the land of the Philistines; and also Isaac to the Philistines, and Jacob to Egypt.
Radak
"Kings" — Pharaoh and Abimelech.
Metzudat David
"And He reproved" — For their sake He reproved, with affliction, the king of Egypt and the king of the Philistines, because they had taken Sarah. (And although He reproved no one on account of Isaac, it says this about them, because that [earlier episode] was the reason Abimelech did not touch Rebekah, his wife.)
Metzudat Zion
“To do them wrong” — from the term for oppression and robbery.
Cross-references: Genesis 12:17; I Chronicles 16:21
'Touch not My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.'
verse value 1696
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "do·not·touch" (אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ, 6 letters) and the longest is "and·to·My·prophets" (וְ֝לִנְבִיאַ֗י, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "do·not·touch" (אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ), "in·My·anointed·ones" (בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י), "and·to·My·prophets" (וְ֝לִנְבִיאַ֗י). 4 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·My·anointed·ones', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ [do·not·touch] (510) + בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י [in·My·anointed·ones] (370) + וְ֝לִנְבִיאַ֗י [and·to·My·prophets] (109) + אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ [do·not·harm] (707) = 1696.
Rashi
"My anointed ones" — My great ones. Every [expression of] anointing is an expression of rulership and greatness.
Ibn Ezra
‘Touch not’ — this is the rebuke; and He called them ‘My anointed ones,’ like ‘My princes.’ Perhaps this indeed [refers to] Abraham, a prophet — as in [the verse] ‘Restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet’ — and Isaac’s blessing to Jacob was through prophecy, like the blessing of Moses.
Radak
"[Touch] not" — He warned them, as [He warned] Abimelech and Laban, or through plagues; and likewise the rest of mankind, if they wished to oppress them. "My anointed ones" — they were princes and great men, and they were honored in the eyes of the kings as though they were anointed kings. "And My prophets" — for the patriarchs were prophets, and Hashem spoke with them in a prophetic vision and in a dream.
Metzudat David
"Touch not" — By the affliction that He brought, it was as though He said, "Touch not," etc.; and to Abimelech it was said explicitly. "My anointed ones" — That is to say, My great ones and My princes; and similarly, "to His anointed, to Cyrus" (Isaiah 45:1). "And My prophets" — For the Patriarchs were prophets. "Do no harm" — Do not do evil.
Malbim
'Touch not' — He reproved kings and commanded them, saying, 'Touch not My anointed ones,' and likewise commanded them, 'and do My prophets no harm.' For although the Patriarchs were prophets, who rebuked and spoke to the people against idol worship, and called out everywhere in the name of Hashem, nevertheless [He said]: do them no harm, for they speak in My name. And all this was 'the word He commanded to a thousand generations.'
And He called a famine upon the land; He broke the whole staff of bread.
verse value 1669
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "famine" (רָ֭עָב, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·whole·staff·of·bread" (כׇּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·called" (וַיִּקְרָ֣א), "famine" (רָ֭עָב), "the·whole·staff·of·bread" (כׇּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·the·land" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "and·He·called" (root קרא, 56x in Psalms); "He·broke" (root שבר, 26x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּקְרָ֣א [and·He·called] (317) + רָ֭עָב [famine] (272) + עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ [upon·the·land] (396) + כׇּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם [the·whole·staff·of·bread] (182) + שָׁבָֽר [He·broke] (502) = 1669.
Rashi
"He called a famine" — in order to exile them to Egypt (I found).
Ibn Ezra
‘And He called’ — like ‘commanded’; all the decrees that He decreed are [described] by ‘calling.’ ‘upon the land’ — the land of Canaan.
Radak
"And He called" — He mentions the cause of Jacob's descent to Egypt; and the meaning of "He called" is as though He summoned the famine and brought it upon the land, for the decrees that come upon the land are from Him. "The whole staff of bread" — like "the support of bread," meaning that He withheld from the land every food that a person relies upon.
Metzudat David
"And He called" — And when He called a famine over all the land, and broke every staff of bread.
Metzudat Zion
“Staff” — because it is customary to lean upon a staff, the word “staff” is borrowed to mean support/sustenance.
Malbim
'And He called' — now [Scripture] tells how He fulfilled His covenant to give them the land, and the causes He brought about for this. For since it was necessary that they first descend into the iron furnace, to refine them there in the crucible of affliction — as when Abraham said, 'How shall I know that I shall inherit it?' He said to him, 'Know for certain that your seed shall be a stranger' — and the exile in Egypt was the preparation for the inheritance of the land, He brought about the causes for them to go down to Egypt, by 'calling a famine upon the land' — that is, He decreed the famine and made His decree known through Pharaoh's dream — and this famine 'broke the whole staff of bread.'
He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant;
verse value 1436
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "He·sent" (שָׁלַ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "before·them" (לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "was·sold" (נִמְכַּ֥ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "before·them" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "for·a·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms); "man" (root איש, 39x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'man', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׁלַ֣ח [He·sent] (338) + לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם [before·them] (215) + אִ֑ישׁ [man] (311) + לְ֝עֶ֗בֶד [for·a·servant] (106) + נִמְכַּ֥ר [was·sold] (310) + יוֹסֵֽף [Joseph] (156) = 1436.
Rashi
"He sent a man before them" — (Gen. 45:5): “And God sent me before you.” Now who was the man? Joseph, who was sold.
Ibn Ezra
‘He sent before them’ — before Jacob and his sons, whom he mentioned above; and the lamed of ‘as a servant’ means ‘on account of.’ And some say that Potiphar himself was a servant.
Radak
"He sent" — before Jacob and his sons; for it already mentioned the patriarchs, and also the sons, when it said "when they were but a few men in number." And as for what it says "He sent" — God, may He be blessed, brought this about through the dreams that Joseph dreamed, until his brothers grew jealous of him. "Joseph was sold for a servant" — meaning [sold] for [the price of] a servant, that is, he was sold to be a servant.
Metzudat David
"He sent before them" — Before Jacob and his sons mentioned above, of whom it said "the seed...," "the sons of Jacob, His chosen ones" — before them He sent Joseph, and he was sold as a slave.
Malbim
'He sent' — 'and sent a man before them,' and this was 'Joseph, [who] was sold for a servant.' Him He sent before them, to keep them alive for a great deliverance. And it was necessary that this man too be refined in the iron furnace and tested first, and therefore, 'his feet were hurt with fetters.' And more than this, 'he was laid in iron' — for the fetters, his master was able to place upon him by virtue of his servitude, like the shackle of a slave; but the iron was placed upon him because they accused him in the matter of Potiphar's wife.
His feet they hurt with fetters, His person was laid in iron;
verse value 1351
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "they·hurt" (עִנּ֣וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·the·fetter" (בַכֶּ֣בֶל, 4 letters). Words sharing gematria 239: his·foot, iron. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·the·fetter" (בַכֶּ֣בֶל), "his·foot" (רַגְל֑וֹ), "came" (בָּ֣אָה). The root רגל appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "came" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "they·hurt" (root ענה, 56x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·foot', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words.
Rashi
"his soul was placed in irons" — Said Rav Huna the son of Idi: She [Potiphar’s wife] made him a “shirtua” under his beard, so that if he bent his face over, the “shirtua” would wound him. שרתוע means a forked, suspended spear.
Ibn Ezra
‘They afflicted’ — he did not mention the agents [who inflicted the affliction]; and this was while he was in the prison house. ‘his person’ — a figure of speech referring to himself, and the letter bet is missing: ‘[with] iron came his soul.’
Radak
"They hurt" — when his master put him in prison. And it is written "his feet" [plural] — for both of his feet were placed in fetters, but it is read "his foot" [singular], in a general sense. "Iron came upon his soul" — the meaning of "iron" is a chain of iron; and it says "his soul," because the soul is afflicted through the affliction of the body.
Metzudat David
"They afflicted his feet with fetters" — They afflicted him, putting his foot in a fetter, and his person came into chains of iron. And although it was [really] his body that came into the iron, it says "his person," because the soul too is afflicted through the affliction of the body; or, "his person" here is [used] like "his body," and likewise, "and his person is empty" (Isaiah 29:8).
Metzudat Zion
“They hurt” — from the term for afflictions. “With fetters” — with chains, as in “with fetters of iron” (below, Psalm 149).
Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of Hashem tested him.
verse value 2207
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "until·the·time·of" (עַד־עֵ֥ת, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·coming·of·his·word" (בֹּא־דְבָר֑וֹ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "until·the·time·of" (עַד־עֵ֥ת), "the·coming·of·his·word" (בֹּא־דְבָר֑וֹ), "tested·him" (צְרָפָֽתְהוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "the·word·of" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "the·coming·of·his·word" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·coming·of·his·word', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: עַד־עֵ֥ת [until·the·time·of] (544) + בֹּא־דְבָר֑וֹ [the·coming·of·his·word] (215) + אִמְרַ֖ת [the·word·of] (641) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְרָפָֽתְהוּ [tested·him] (781) = 2207.
Rashi
"Until His word came" — [The word] of the Holy One, blessed be He, to fulfill His decree that the matter should “roll” and Israel should descend to Egypt. "the saying of the Lord purified him" — It tried Joseph, for he was tested and he overcame the temptation [to sin] with his master’s wife, and he was tortured because of her and purified with tortures to place him in the dungeon.
Ibn Ezra
‘Until’ — a manner of eloquent expression in poetry: ‘until the time his word came to pass.’ And the meaning is that the matter of the dream came about just as he had interpreted it, like [the idiom] ‘when your word comes to pass.’ And the meaning of ‘the word of Hashem tested him’ — that Hashem placed the true interpretation in his mouth, so that his interpretation came out refined, without dross. Now, the heh and the vav in the word ‘tzerafat’hu’ (‘tested/refined him’) refer back to the matter of Joseph. And some explain it [to mean]: when the matter of Joseph came before Hashem, then His word tested/refined him — and that is the decree that He had decreed.
Radak
"Until the time that his word came to pass" — before Pharaoh, when the chief butler mentioned him to Pharaoh. And then [came the fulfillment of] "the word of Hashem tested him," for God brought this about through the dream that He showed to Pharaoh, which could not be interpreted except by Joseph; and then he went out like refined silver before Pharaoh, for the chief butler said to him, "just as he interpreted for us, so it was."
Metzudat David
"Until the time" — He sat in prison until the time that the word of the interpretation of the dream came to Pharaoh. "The word of Hashem" — Then the word of Hashem refined Joseph's words; that is to say, the word of Hashem was in his mouth, to interpret the dream with a pure interpretation, without dross or error.
Malbim
'Until the time that his word came to pass' — meaning, until the matter mentioned above came about, which is 'the word He commanded to a thousand generations' — that the word of Hashem was aroused, which He had commanded concerning the sons of Jacob, that [no one] touch them. And until the time that his word came to pass, 'the word of Hashem tested him' — for the fact that 'he was laid in iron' until that time was a refining and purifying in the iron furnace, so that he would stand firm and be tested in his righteousness.
The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of the peoples, and set him free.
verse value 2110
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "sent" (שָׁ֣לַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·loosed·him" (וַיַּתִּירֵ֑הוּ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·he·loosed·him" (וַיַּתִּירֵ֑הוּ), "and·he·set·him·free" (וַֽיְפַתְּחֵֽהוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "peoples" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "king" (root מלך, 70x in Psalms); "sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·loosed·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֣לַח [sent] (338) + מֶ֭לֶךְ [king] (90) + וַיַּתִּירֵ֑הוּ [and·he·loosed·him] (637) + מֹשֵׁ֥ל [the·ruler·of] (370) + עַ֝מִּ֗ים [peoples] (160) + וַֽיְפַתְּחֵֽהוּ [and·he·set·him·free] (515) = 2110.
Rashi
"A king sent and released him" — Pharaoh, king of Egypt, sent his messengers and released him. A ruler of peoples, viz. Pharaoh, [sent] and loosed his bonds.
Ibn Ezra
‘He sent’ — this functions in accordance with the sense of ‘sent, decreed.’ ‘king’ — this is the king of Egypt, and he released him from the fetter.
Metzudat David
"He sent" — Because of the dream, Pharaoh sent to release him from his imprisonment. "The ruler, etc." — The matter is repeated in different words.
Metzudat Zion
“And loosed him” — a term for untying the bonds of imprisonment, as in “He loosens the bonds of kings” (Job 12:18).
Malbim
'The king sent and loosed him' — from the fetters; 'the ruler of the peoples, and set him free' — from the iron. For to free him from the iron, which came upon him through a sin for which he was liable to death, a 'ruler of the peoples' was required, for by virtue of the greatness of his dominion he was able to remove his guilt.
He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions;
verse value 1499
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "he·made·him" (שָׂמ֣וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "over·all·his·possessions" (בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "of·his·house" (לְבֵית֑וֹ), "over·all·his·possessions" (בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms); "of·his·house" (root בית, 48x in Psalms); "he·made·him" (root שים, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·his·house', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: שָׂמ֣וֹ [he·made·him] (346) + אָד֣וֹן [lord] (61) + לְבֵית֑וֹ [of·his·house] (448) + וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל [and·ruler·of] (376) + בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ [over·all·his·possessions] (268) = 1499.
Ibn Ezra
‘He made him’ — and so it says, ‘and lord over all his household.’ And behold, he mentioned ‘lord’ as opposed to ‘sold as a servant,’ [referring to] Joseph.
Metzudat David
"He made him" — Pharaoh made Joseph lord over his house.
Malbim
'He made him lord' — I have already explained in my commentary on the Torah that Pharaoh elevated Joseph through three stages, one after another. First he said, 'You shall be over my house,' and concerning this it says, 'He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions.' Afterward he said, 'See, I have set you over the land of Egypt,' making him an officer over all the officers of Egypt, and concerning this it says, 'to bind his officers at his pleasure.' And after this he said, 'I am Pharaoh, and without you no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt,' elevating him above all his counselors and elders, and concerning this it says, 'and taught his elders wisdom.'
To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
verse value 1502
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "to·bind" (לֶאְסֹ֣ר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·his·elders" (וּזְקֵנָ֥יו, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "his·princes" (שָׂרָ֣יו), "in·his·soul" (בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ), "and·his·elders" (וּזְקֵנָ֥יו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·his·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אסר ("to·bind") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: לֶאְסֹ֣ר [to·bind] (291) + שָׂרָ֣יו [his·princes] (516) + בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ [in·his·soul] (438) + וּזְקֵנָ֥יו [and·his·elders] (179) + יְחַכֵּֽם [he·makes·wise] (78) = 1502.
Rashi
"To bind up his princes with his soul" — This is an expression of endearment, as (I Sam. 18:1): “that Jonathan’s soul had become attached to David’s soul.” When he interpreted the dream, they all loved him. Said Rabbi Idi: It is written שָׂרוֹ, his prince. This was Potiphar.
Ibn Ezra
‘To bind’ — after having been bound himself, he reached so great a level that he could bind Pharaoh’s princes without Pharaoh’s counsel, but rather by his own counsel. ‘and his elders’ — for Pharaoh’s elders became like students before him. ‘he made wise’ — like ‘and the fowl of heaven makes us wise’; he taught them wisdom that was hidden from them.
Radak
"To bind his princes at his pleasure" — that he would have power in his hand to bind his princes and his great men, just as the power was in Pharaoh's hand. And the meaning of "at his pleasure" is "at his will." "And teach his elders wisdom" — the wise are called "elders," even though they are young men, because wisdom is usually found among elders; and its meaning is that Joseph was wise and taught Pharaoh's wise men, for he was found to be wiser than they.
Metzudat David
"To bind" — He gave him great dominion, to bind his princes at his pleasure and will, with none to protest. "And teach his elders wisdom" — He taught wisdom to Pharaoh's elders.
Metzudat Zion
“At his pleasure” — according to his will, as in “do not give me over to the will of my foes” (above, Psalm 27).
Israel also came into Egypt; And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
verse value 1672
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "sojourned" (גָּ֣ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·the·land·of·Ham" (בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·Jacob" (וְ֝יַעֲקֹ֗ב), "in·the·land·of·Ham" (בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·land·of·Ham" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "and·came" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "Israel" (root ישראל, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּבֹ֣א [and·came] (19) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל [Israel] (541) + מִצְרָ֑יִם [Egypt] (380) + וְ֝יַעֲקֹ֗ב [and·Jacob] (188) + גָּ֣ר [sojourned] (203) + בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם [in·the·land·of·Ham] (341) = 1672.
Ibn Ezra
‘And he came’ — the matter of Joseph was the cause that brought Israel to come into Egypt.
Radak
"And [Israel] came" — on account of the famine, to fulfill the decree that was decreed at the Covenant Between the Pieces, in the land of Ham, for Egypt is the son of Ham.
Metzudat David
"And he came" — Through this, Israel came to Egypt. "In the land of Ham" — That is Egypt, which descends from Ham; the matter is repeated in different words.
Malbim
"And he came" — meaning, all of this was preparation, through which "Israel came to Egypt" — as our Sages said, a parable of a cow that was pulled along by [drawing] her calf, etc. "And Jacob" — Jacob is a lower rank than Israel: when he came to Egypt, he came in the rank of Israel, a prince and a person of importance, but afterward he became a sojourner and was called by the name Jacob. Therefore it says, "And Jacob sojourned" — and they no longer dwelt in the cities of the kingdom, but only "in the land of Ham" — and this was after Joseph and all his brothers had died.
And He increased His people greatly, And made them too mighty for their adversaries.
verse value 1431
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "greatly" (מְאֹ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·made·him·mighty" (וַ֝יַּעֲצִמֵ֗הוּ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·increased" (וַיֶּ֣פֶר), "and·made·him·mighty" (וַ֝יַּעֲצִמֵ֗הוּ), "than·his·adversaries" (מִצָּרָֽיו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "greatly" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms); "than·his·adversaries" (root צר, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיֶּ֣פֶר [and·increased] (296) + אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ [His·people] (517) + מְאֹ֑ד [greatly] (45) + וַ֝יַּעֲצִמֵ֗הוּ [and·made·him·mighty] (227) + מִצָּרָֽיו [than·his·adversaries] (346) = 1431.
Rashi
"And He made...fruitful" — The Holy One, blessed be He, [made] His people [fruitful]. He made them fruitful and caused them to multiply.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He made [them] fruitful’ — this refers back to ‘[He who] sent’ [a messenger], and the word is from the heavy, augmented (causative) verb-form. ‘and made him mightier’ — ‘than his adversaries’ — these are the Egyptians.
Radak
"And He increased" — [this refers to] Hashem, whom he mentioned above [in the phrase] "the word of Hashem refined him." He is saying that the blessed God greatly increased His people in the land of Egypt. "And made them too mighty for their adversaries" — He made them more mighty than their adversaries, that is, than the Egyptians, who eventually became their adversaries.
Metzudat David
"And He made fruitful" — He made His people fruitful and multiplied them. "And He made them mightier" — He made them stronger than their adversaries, [namely] the Egyptians.
Malbim
"And He increased" — and nevertheless, Hashem made them very fruitful, until they were mightier than their adversaries, as it says, "And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied." And through this, "He turned their heart to hate His people," as it says, "Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply." And the hatred was, on the one hand, on account of the people, as it says, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we"; and on the other hand, because they were servants of Hashem, and [the Egyptians] wanted to turn them from their religion so that they would not be servants of Hashem — and therefore it says, "to deal craftily with His servants."
He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants.
verse value 1303
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "turned" (הָפַ֣ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·deal·craftily" (לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·deal·craftily" (לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל), "with·His·servants" (בַּעֲבָדָֽיו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "their·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "with·His·servants" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: הָפַ֣ךְ [turned] (105) + לִ֭בָּם [their·heart] (72) + לִשְׂנֹ֣א [to·hate] (381) + עַמּ֑וֹ [His·people] (116) + לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל [to·deal·craftily] (535) + בַּעֲבָדָֽיו [with·His·servants] (94) = 1303.
Ibn Ezra
‘He turned’ — ‘to deal craftily’ — like ‘and they conspired against him,’ for they sought to destroy their memory.
Radak
"He turned their heart" — "turned" here is a transitive verb in its action, meaning: the blessed God Himself turned their heart, for He decreed this and said, "and they shall enslave them and afflict them." Or "turned" may be an intransitive verb, as though it said, "their heart was turned." "To deal craftily" — to devise evil schemes against them, [thinking] how they might overpower them.
Metzudat David
"He turned their heart" — the Omnipresent turned the heart of Egypt to hate His people. "To deal craftily" — to devise against His servants an evil and cunning scheme.
Metzudat Zion
“To deal craftily” — a term for evil scheming and cunning, as in “and they conspired against him to kill him” (Genesis 36).
He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen.
verse value 1740
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "sent" (שָׁ֭לַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "chose·him" (בָּחַר־בּֽוֹ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "chose·him" (בָּחַר־בּֽוֹ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "whom" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "His·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms); "sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·servant', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֭לַח [sent] (338) + מֹשֶׁ֣ה [Moses] (345) + עַבְדּ֑וֹ [His·servant] (82) + אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן [Aaron] (256) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whom] (501) + בָּחַר־בּֽוֹ [chose·him] (218) = 1740.
Ibn Ezra
‘He sent Moses’ — for he was the primary one, since Aaron served as a mouth for him, in the manner of ‘and Moses and Aaron did.’
Radak
"His servant" — for so he is called, "the servant of Hashem": "Moses My servant." "And Aaron whom He had chosen" — for the mission, together with Moses.
Malbim
"He sent" — and therefore He sent Moses and Aaron to redeem them. Moses was sent by virtue of being "the servant of Hashem," and Aaron was sent by virtue of the fact "whom He had chosen," for he and his descendants were chosen to be priests of Hashem — unlike the descendants of Moses, who were not chosen for this.
They wrought among them His manifold signs, And wonders in the land of Ham.
verse value 2344
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "Ham" (חָֽם, 2 letters) and the longest is "His·signs" (אֹתוֹתָ֑יו, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "put·among·them" (שָֽׂמוּ־בָ֭ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·land·of" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "words·of" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "put·among·them" (root שים, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·signs', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָֽׂמוּ־בָ֭ם [put·among·them] (388) + דִּבְרֵ֣י [words·of] (216) + אֹתוֹתָ֑יו [His·signs] (823) + וּ֝מֹפְתִ֗ים [and·wonders] (576) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [in·the·land·of] (293) + חָֽם [Ham] (48) = 2344.
Ibn Ezra
‘His signs’ — this refers back to Hashem.
Metzudat David
"They set among them" — Moses and Aaron set [these signs] in Egypt.
Malbim
"They set among them His words of signs" — I have already explained above (Psalm 78:43) that among the plagues there were both "signs" (otot) and "wonders" (mofetim): the plagues for which warning was given beforehand were "signs," while the plagues for which no warning was given beforehand — such as lice, boils, and darkness — were "wonders," for they did not come as a sign concerning anything, but only as punishment. And [this was] "in the land of Ham" — [these plagues] did not come to teach them the principles of faith, but [came] in [that] land in order to punish them for their transgression.
He sent darkness, and it was dark; And they did not rebel against His word.
verse value 2128
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "sent" (שָׁ֣לַֽח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·rebelled" (וְלֹא־מָ֝ר֗וּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·it·was·dark" (וַיַּחְשִׁ֑ךְ), "and·not·rebelled" (וְלֹא־מָ֝ר֗וּ), "His·word" (אֶת־דְּבָרֽוֹ). The root חשך appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·word" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·it·was·dark', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words.
Rashi
"And they did not disobey His word" — The plagues, that He commanded upon them, came according to His commandments and did not deviate from His word.
Ibn Ezra
‘He sent’ — perhaps a questioner will ask: if darkness is a chance occurrence, how can it be a messenger? Perhaps this will rouse the questioner from his sleep, and he will see: so shall My word be, that which goes forth from My mouth — that which I sent. ‘and it was dark’ — [referring to] ‘the land of Ham,’ mentioned above. ‘and they did not rebel’ — this refers back to Moses and Aaron, or to His signs. And he mentioned the plague of darkness, because on account of it Pharaoh gave permission to go and serve Hashem; and afterward he returns to mention the plagues, beginning from the first one.
Radak
"He sent" — He did not mention the plagues in order, nor did he mention all of them, since they are [already] written in the Torah; he mentioned only some of them, to recall the signs. And he did the same in the psalm "Give ear, O my people, to my teaching." "And it was dark" — He darkened the land. "And they did not rebel against His word" — thus it is written [in the consonantal text], but the reading is "His words" [plural]; the meaning is the same, except that one is general and the other specific. "And they did not rebel" — [referring to] the signs that he mentioned: they did not rebel against the word of Hashem, but rather came upon them [the Egyptians] by His word. Or the meaning is: Moses and Aaron did not rebel against the word of Hashem — in all that He sent them to do, they went, even though Pharaoh would rebuke them.
Metzudat David
"And it was dark" — He darkened the land. "And they did not rebel" — the signs did not rebel against the word of Hashem; just as He commanded, so it was, and so they came.
Metzudat Zion
“Rebel” — a term for rebellion and refusal.
Malbim
"He sent darkness, and it was dark" — the darkness was the last plague and the conclusion of the three sets [of plagues], for I have already explained in my commentary on the Torah that the plagues came in three sets — DeTZaKh, ADaSh, BeAChaV — to indicate three matters, and at the end of each set came one plague without prior warning: these are lice, boils, [and] darkness, which was the conclusion of the set and [came] by way of punishment, as I wrote in Psalm 78. And darkness was the last plague and the conclusion of the sets, for at the plague of the firstborn [Pharaoh] no longer hardened his heart, but sent them out. And the sense of the verses is as follows: "they set among them His words of signs" and wonders, until "He sent darkness and it grew dark" — meaning that up to and including the darkness, these were His signs and wonders, as it says, "For I have hardened his heart, that I might show these My signs in the midst of him." And all these signs came, "and they did not rebel against His word" — from this point on, [the psalm] begins to enumerate the plagues that came up to the plague of darkness.
He turned their waters into blood, And slew their fish.
verse value 2029
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "turned" (הָפַ֣ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "their·waters" (אֶת־מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "their·waters" (אֶת־מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם), "and·slew" (וַ֝יָּ֗מֶת), "their·fish" (אֶת־דְּגָתָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·waters" (root מים, 38x in Psalms); "and·slew" (root מות, 33x in Psalms); "into·blood" (root דם, 21x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: הָפַ֣ךְ [turned] (105) + אֶת־מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם [their·waters] (546) + לְדָ֑ם [into·blood] (74) + וַ֝יָּ֗מֶת [and·slew] (456) + אֶת־דְּגָתָֽם [their·fish] (848) = 2029.
Ibn Ezra
‘He turned’ — he did not mention the matter of the serpents, for that was not [itself] a plague.
Malbim
(29-30) "He turned their waters into blood; their land swarmed with frogs" — and "swarmed" is a transitive verb. And since [only] one frog came up and swarmed, according to the tradition of our Sages, it says "swarmed" in the singular.
Their land swarmed with frogs, In the chambers of their kings.
verse value 1784
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "swarmed" (שָׁרַ֣ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "frogs" (צְפַרְדְּעִ֑ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "swarmed" (שָׁרַ֣ץ), "frogs" (צְפַרְדְּעִ֑ים), "in·the·chambers·of" (בְּ֝חַדְרֵ֗י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·land" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "their·kings" (root מלך, 70x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'frogs', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: שָׁרַ֣ץ [swarmed] (590) + אַרְצָ֣ם [their·land] (331) + צְפַרְדְּעִ֑ים [frogs] (494) + בְּ֝חַדְרֵ֗י [in·the·chambers·of] (224) + מַלְכֵיהֶֽם [their·kings] (145) = 1784.
Rashi
"Their land swarmed with frogs" — Said Rabbi Johanan: Wherever water would lie, frogs would lie.
Ibn Ezra
‘It swarmed’ — a transitive verb, like ‘let the waters swarm’, for we find ‘eretz’ (land) used with a masculine verb-form, as in ‘the land is scorched.’
Radak
"Their land swarmed" — he refers to "land" in the masculine, and says "swarmed" [in the masculine form], even though it was not the land itself that swarmed but the Nile; rather, he says "their land" because wherever there was water in their land, frogs would swarm there. And so it is written: "upon the rivers, upon the canals, and upon the pools." "In the chambers of their kings" — they came into the chambers of their kings.
Metzudat David
"Their land swarmed" — that is to say, the waters of their land [swarmed with frogs]. "In the chambers" — they came into the chambers of their kings.
Metzudat Zion
“Swarmed” — a term for breeding together with multiplying. “Frogs” — a creature that swarms in the water.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, And gnats in all their borders.
verse value 785
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "spoke" (אָ֭מַר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·all·their·border" (בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלָֽם, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "gnats" (כִּ֝נִּ֗ים), "in·all·their·border" (בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "spoke" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "and·came" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "gnats" (root כן, 36x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'swarm', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אָ֭מַר [spoke] (241) + וַיָּבֹ֣א [and·came] (19) + עָרֹ֑ב [swarm] (272) + כִּ֝נִּ֗ים [gnats] (120) + בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלָֽם [in·all·their·border] (133) = 785.
Ibn Ezra
‘He spoke, and there came’ — of itself; and he mentioned the plague of swarms [of flies] before [the plague of] lice, because it was more severe.
Radak
"He spoke, and there came swarms" — meaning: He roused the harmful beasts to come throughout all their borders, just as it is written [of the lice]: "all the dust of the land became lice."
Malbim
"He spoke, and there came swarms of flies" — for [the plagues of] blood and frogs came about through Aaron, who struck with his staff, but the plague of the swarm [of flies] came about through Hashem's own word, not through a messenger. And as for the fact that [the psalm] mentions lice after the swarm [of flies] — because the plague of lice did not depart from Pharaoh, as appears from the verses — this teaches that even at the time the swarm came, there were still lice throughout their entire territory, and the two plagues operated together.
He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land.
verse value 2181
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "fire·of" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "their·rain" (גִּשְׁמֵיהֶ֣ם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "their·rain" (גִּשְׁמֵיהֶ֣ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·their·land" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "gave" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "fire·of" (root אש, 20x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hail', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: נָתַ֣ן [gave] (500) + גִּשְׁמֵיהֶ֣ם [their·rain] (398) + בָּרָ֑ד [hail] (206) + אֵ֖שׁ [fire·of] (301) + לֶהָב֣וֹת [flames] (443) + בְּאַרְצָֽם [in·their·land] (333) = 2181.
Ibn Ezra
‘He gave’ — and he did not mention the pestilence and the boils, because Pharaoh did not ask Moses to remove that plague. ‘and flaming fire’ — corresponding to ‘and fire ran down to the ground’; and the letter bet is missing, [meaning] ‘fire, with flames.’ Or ‘fire’ is in the construct state, sometimes read as ‘fire’ and sometimes as ‘fire of flames,’ in the manner of ‘flint swords’ [and] ‘his flint sword.’
Radak
"He gave" — here "fire" is placed beside "flames" [i.e., "fire, flames," rather than "flames of fire"], and at times the order is reversed to "flames of fire" — just as the pair "crimson worm" [tola'at shani] can also appear reversed as "worm of crimson" [shani tola'at], in either word order.
Metzudat David
"He gave them hail for rain" — in place of rain, hail came down. "Flaming fire" — a blazing, burning fire came down together with the hail, as it is written, "and fire ran along the ground" (Exodus 9:23).
Malbim
"He gave them hail for rain" — [the psalm] skips over the plagues of pestilence (dever) and boils (shechin), for in all the plagues Pharaoh asked Moses that they be removed from him (although this is not mentioned regarding blood, for the plague of blood was limited from the outset to only seven days); but regarding pestilence he did not ask, for he attributed it to chance, and therefore [the psalm] does not count it. And so it says, "For now I had put forth My hand, and smitten you with pestilence, and you had been cut off from the earth; but in very deed for this cause have I made you stand," etc. — it is clear that [Pharaoh] was not concerned about this plague, [and] that it did not come in its full force until the plague of the firstborn. And the plague of boils, too, is not mentioned, for this same reason, and also for the reason I mentioned above, Psalm 78, that there was no warning given for it. (For the mention of lice comes to teach that it was together with the swarm, and darkness, too, is mentioned only to say that it was the end of the plagues; therefore both are mentioned out of order.) Therefore [the psalm] skips over the plagues of pestilence and boils, and counts hail, for Pharaoh asked Moses that the hail be removed.
He smote their vines also and their fig-trees; And broke the trees of their borders.
verse value 1865
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "and·smote" (וַיַּ֣ךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "the·tree·of" (עֵ֣ץ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·fig-tree" (וּתְאֵנָתָ֑ם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·their·fig-tree" (וּתְאֵנָתָ֑ם), "their·border" (גְּבוּלָֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·broke" (root שבר, 26x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·their·fig-tree', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֣ךְ [and·smote] (36) + גַּ֭פְנָם [their·vine] (173) + וּתְאֵנָתָ֑ם [and·their·fig-tree] (897) + וַ֝יְשַׁבֵּ֗ר [and·broke] (518) + עֵ֣ץ [the·tree·of] (160) + גְּבוּלָֽם [their·border] (81) = 1865.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He smote’ — he mentioned the most valued of all the fruit of the tree, that by which a person could live without bread, were he to eat them.
Radak
"He smote their vines and their fig-trees" — the hail struck them; he mentions the vine and the fig-tree in particular — as he also does in the psalm "Give ear, O my people, to my teaching" — because these were the majority of their trees in Egypt.
Metzudat David
"And He smote" — the hail struck their vine-trees and their fig-trees.
He spoke, and the locust came, And the canker-worm without number,
verse value 1061
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "spoke" (אָ֭מַר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·came" (וַיָּבֹ֣א, 4 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "locust" (אַרְבֶּ֑ה), "and·canker-worm" (וְ֝יֶ֗לֶק). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "spoke" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "and·came" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "and·without" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'locust', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אָ֭מַר [spoke] (241) + וַיָּבֹ֣א [and·came] (19) + אַרְבֶּ֑ה [locust] (208) + וְ֝יֶ֗לֶק [and·canker-worm] (146) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·without] (67) + מִסְפָּֽר [number] (380) = 1061.
Ibn Ezra
‘He spoke’ — [meaning] decreed. And he mentioned the ‘yelek’ [young locust] — perhaps it is the harshest among the kinds of locust.
Radak
"And the canker-worm" — it is one of the species of locust.
Metzudat David
"Canker-worm" — and this too is a species of locust, and they were without number.
Malbim
(34-35) "He spoke, and the locust came" — the locust (arbeh) ate all the grass, and the young locust (yelek) ate the fruit of their ground — fruits that grow in the ground, which the locust does not eat.
And did eat up every herb in their land, And did eat up the fruit of their ground.
verse value 1664
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1664 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "the·fruit·of" (פְּרִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·ate" (וַיֹּ֣אכַל, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 67: and·ate, and·ate. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "all·herb" (כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב), "their·ground" (אַדְמָתָֽם). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·their·land" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "and·ate" (root אכל, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·their·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אכַל [and·ate] (67) + כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב [all·herb] (422) + בְּאַרְצָ֑ם [in·their·land] (333) + וַ֝יֹּ֗אכַל [and·ate] (67) + פְּרִ֣י [the·fruit·of] (290) + אַדְמָתָֽם [their·ground] (485) = 1664.
Ibn Ezra
‘And it ate’ — ‘the fruit of their ground’ — the fruit of the tree that the hail had left over.
Radak
"The fruit of their ground" — the produce of the vegetation that the hail had left over.
He smote also all the first-born in their land, The first-fruits of all their strength.
verse value 1735
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "and·smote" (וַיַּ֣ךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "and·smote" (וַיַּ֣ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "of·all·their·strength" (לְכׇל־אוֹנָֽם, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "of·all·their·strength" (לְכׇל־אוֹנָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·their·land" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "of·all·their·strength" (root און, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·their·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֣ךְ [and·smote] (36) + כׇּל־בְּכ֣וֹר [all·firstborn] (278) + בְּאַרְצָ֑ם [in·their·land] (333) + רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית [first-fruits] (911) + לְכׇל־אוֹנָֽם [of·all·their·strength] (177) = 1735.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He smote’ — in Egypt alone, for the firstborn of Israel escaped. ‘the first-fruits of their strength’ — the sons who appear first [i.e., the firstborn].
Radak
"He smote" — the verse repeats the same matter in different words.
Metzudat David
"The first-fruits" — the firstborn of all their children, who came forth from their strength; and the matter is repeated in what is written [next].
Metzudat Zion
“Their strength” — a term for power, as in “from the greatness of might” (Isaiah 40).
Malbim
"He smote all the firstborn in their land" — the firstborn were smitten only in their land, but the "first-fruits of their strength" were smitten everywhere, even [those Egyptians] who did not dwell in Egypt, as [I explained] above, Psalm 78, verse 51.
And He brought them forth with silver and gold; And there was none that stumbled among His tribes.
verse value 1097
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "with·silver" (בְּכֶ֣סֶף, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·brought·them·out" (וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·brought·them·out" (וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם), "among·His·tribes" (בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו), "stumbling" (כּוֹשֵֽׁל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·none" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "and·brought·them·out" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·gold', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם [and·brought·them·out] (163) + בְּכֶ֣סֶף [with·silver] (162) + וְזָהָ֑ב [and·gold] (20) + וְאֵ֖ין [and·none] (67) + בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו [among·His·tribes] (329) + כּוֹשֵֽׁל [stumbling] (356) = 1097.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He brought them out’ — they are the ones who went out; for the listener might otherwise be uncertain, so he did not think it necessary to specify ‘Israel,’ but rather referred back to the word ‘Israel’ [from] ‘sojourned in the land of Ham’ — ‘and He brought them out.’ ‘and there was none that stumbled among His tribes’ — [meaning] a poor person in need, like ‘and this stumbling-block.’ But it is also possible that it is meant literally. And the sense of ‘among His tribes’ — even though they were many.
Radak
"And He brought them forth" — its meaning refers to Israel, whom he mentioned above. "And there was none that stumbled among His tribes" — [although] they were twelve [tribes] and a great multitude, there was not a single one among them who was stumbling or poor; rather, they all went out with silver and gold.
Metzudat David
"And there was none among His tribes" — among all the members of His tribes there was not one who stumbled through his iniquity.
Metzudat Zion
“That stumbled” — a term for the collapse of vigor and the weakening of strength; the same term is also used regarding an abundance of poverty [extreme destitution].
Malbim
"And He brought them forth" — and although it would have been fitting for [the Egyptians] to hate them on account of the firstborn, nevertheless He gave [Israel] favor in the eyes of the people, and they lent to them [what they asked]. And although it would have been fitting for [the Egyptians] to pursue after them to take back their loan, once they saw that they were leaving for good, with no intention of returning — nevertheless, "there was none that stumbled among His tribes." And the reason for this is that "Egypt was glad at their departing," and they left everything in their hands; and also, "their dread fell upon them," and not a dog whetted its tongue.
Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
verse value 1738
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "rejoiced" (שָׂמַ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "Egypt" (מִצְרַ֣יִם, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·they·departed" (בְּצֵאתָ֑ם), "for·fell" (כִּֽי־נָפַ֖ל), "their·terror" (פַּחְדָּ֣ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·them" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "rejoiced" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "when·they·departed" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'when·they·departed', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׂמַ֣ח [rejoiced] (348) + מִצְרַ֣יִם [Egypt] (380) + בְּצֵאתָ֑ם [when·they·departed] (533) + כִּֽי־נָפַ֖ל [for·fell] (190) + פַּחְדָּ֣ם [their·terror] (132) + עֲלֵיהֶֽם [upon·them] (155) = 1738.
Ibn Ezra
‘[Egypt] was glad’ — the reason for their fear was that they said, ‘We are all dying.’
Metzudat David
"Their fear" — the fear of Israel fell upon Egypt.
He spread a cloud for a screen; And fire to give light in the night.
verse value 1528
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "spread" (פָּרַ֣שׂ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·give·light" (לְהָאִ֥יר, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "spread" (פָּרַ֣שׂ), "for·a·covering" (לְמָסָ֑ךְ), "to·give·light" (לְהָאִ֥יר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·give·light" (root אור, 30x in Psalms); "night" (root ליל, 27x in Psalms); "and·fire" (root אש, 20x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·a·covering', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: פָּרַ֣שׂ [spread] (580) + עָנָ֣ן [cloud] (170) + לְמָסָ֑ךְ [for·a·covering] (150) + וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ [and·fire] (307) + לְהָאִ֥יר [to·give·light] (246) + לָֽיְלָה [night] (75) = 1528.
Ibn Ezra
‘He spread’ — this refers back to ‘every firstborn’; and because he mentioned concerning the fire that it was ‘to give light at night,’ this is a sign that [the cloud] was ‘[a screen] by day.’
Radak
"He spread" — from the time they left Egypt, and "Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud," etc. And the meaning of "for a screen" — it is not a covering above, but rather like a curtain before them, for the cloud was in front of them while they traveled; but when they rested, it was over them, until they set out again. And it is possible that the word "for a screen" includes both [functions] — during their travel and during their rest.
Metzudat David
"For a screen" — to be a shelter over them. "And fire" — He spread out a pillar of fire to light up the night.
Metzudat Zion
“For a screen” — thus is called the covering that is above, and also the partition in front, as in “and the screen of the entrance” (Exodus 27); and the cloud, when they journeyed, went before them, and when they rested, it covered them from above.
Malbim
"He spread" — that after they left, a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire went before them; and besides the fact that the cloud went before them, as mentioned in the Torah, the cloud also served as a covering over their heads and around them, according to the tradition of our Sages.
They asked, and He brought quails, And gave them in plenty the bread of heaven.
verse value 1592
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "asked" (שָׁ֭אַל, 3 letters) and the longest is "satisfied·them" (יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "satisfied·them" (יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·brought" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "heaven" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms); "satisfied·them" (root שבע, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'quail', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֭אַל [asked] (331) + וַיָּבֵ֣א [and·brought] (19) + שְׂלָ֑ו [quail] (336) + וְלֶ֥חֶם [and·the·bread·of] (84) + שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם [heaven] (390) + יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽם [satisfied·them] (432) = 1592.
Rashi
"They asked, and He brought quails" — Israel asked for meat, and the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them quails.
Ibn Ezra
‘They asked’ — [namely] Israel. ‘and He brought’ — Hashem brought quail for them. ‘and bread of heaven’ — that is the manna.
Radak
"They asked" — Israel, in the wilderness of Sin, asked for bread and meat. "And He brought" — God brought them quail in the evening to eat, and bread in the morning to satisfy them. "The bread of heaven" — the manna satisfied them corresponding to what they had asked for.
Metzudat David
"They asked" — Israel asked for meat, and He brought quail. "And the bread of heaven" — that is the manna.
Metzudat Zion
“Quails” — a type of fat bird.
Malbim
"They asked" — and then they asked for bread; and this was in the wilderness of Sin. "And He brought quails" — for the quail was [given] temporarily. "[And] gave them in plenty the bread of heaven" — as it says, "flesh to eat, and bread to the full."
He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran, a river in the dry places.
verse value 1735
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "opened" (פָּ֣תַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·gushed·out" (וַיָּז֣וּבוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·the·dry·places" (בַּצִּיּ֥וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "went" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms); "water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms); "rock" (root צור, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'water', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: פָּ֣תַח [opened] (488) + צ֭וּר [rock] (296) + וַיָּז֣וּבוּ [and·gushed·out] (37) + מָ֑יִם [water] (90) + הָ֝לְכ֗וּ [went] (61) + בַּצִּיּ֥וֹת [in·the·dry·places] (508) + נָהָֽר [river] (255) = 1735.
Rashi
"in the deserts ran rivers" — Rivers flowed from the well in an arid land.
Ibn Ezra
‘He opened’ — ‘waters’ does double duty [is understood a second time], like ‘and the prophecy of Oded the prophet’ [where a word is elliptically understood twice]. And likewise, ‘they went’ is plural in agreement — from ‘dry land, waters of a river.’
Radak
"He opened" — at Rephidim. "They ran, a river in the dry places" — in a place of drought and dryness, the waters ran like a river.
Metzudat David
"They ran, a river in the dry places" — in a place of drought and desert, the waters ran like a river.
Metzudat Zion
“They ran” — they flowed, dripped.
Malbim
"He opened the rock" — and this was at Rephidim; and at first it flowed drop by drop, and afterward, "they ran, a river in the dry places."
For He remembered His holy word To Abraham His servant;
verse value 2005
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "His·holiness" (קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "Abraham" (אֶֽת־אַבְרָהָ֥ם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·remembered" (כִּֽי־זָ֭כַר), "word·of" (אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "word·of" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "for·remembered" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms); "His·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·holiness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־זָ֭כַר [for·remembered] (257) + אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר [word·of] (607) + קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ [His·holiness] (410) + אֶֽת־אַבְרָהָ֥ם [Abraham] (649) + עַבְדּֽוֹ [His·servant] (82) = 2005.
Rashi
"For He remembered" — The Holy One, blessed be He, [remembered] His holy word, which was with Abraham His servant, which He promised him (Gen. 15:14, 17): “and afterwards they will go out with many possessions...and a fourth generation will return here.”
Ibn Ezra
‘For’ — he mentioned the good things He did for Israel: that He brought them out with silver and gold and sustained them in the wilderness, until they came to the land — and all this was for the sake of His covenant, which He had begun [to recount], just as he began [the psalm] with ‘He remembers His covenant forever.’ And he mentioned Abraham alone, for it was truly with him [that the covenant was made].
Radak
"For" — all this He did for them by the merit of Abraham, for they themselves were not worthy of it, since they quarreled and tested Hashem. And even their being brought out of Egypt, they were not worthy of, were it not for the covenant with the fathers; therefore it says [next], "and He brought forth His people."
Metzudat David
"For He remembered" — Hashem [remembered] His holy word which He had promised to Abraham His servant.
Malbim
"For He remembered" — this refers back to all that has been said, that the exodus from Egypt and the great wealth [taken out] were both promised by Hashem to Abraham. And as our Sages said: lest that righteous man say, "and they shall enslave them and afflict them" — You fulfilled with them, but afterward, "and they shall go out with great wealth" — You did not fulfill with them. And also the cloud, the water, and the manna were [given] in the merit of Abraham, as our Sages said in Genesis Rabbah 48 and Bava Metzia 86.
And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with singing.
verse value 1781
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1781 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "His·people" (עַמּ֣וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "His·chosen·ones" (אֶת־בְּחִירָֽיו, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·joy" (בְשָׂשׂ֑וֹן), "His·chosen·ones" (אֶת־בְּחִירָֽיו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "and·brought·forth" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·joy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיּוֹצִ֣א [and·brought·forth] (113) + עַמּ֣וֹ [His·people] (116) + בְשָׂשׂ֑וֹן [with·joy] (658) + בְּ֝רִנָּ֗ה [with·singing] (257) + אֶת־בְּחִירָֽיו [His·chosen·ones] (637) = 1781.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He brought forth’ — the reason [for their joy] is that Egypt was mourning over their firstborn.
Radak
"And He brought forth" — when He brought them out of Egypt, He brought them out with singing and joy; they were rejoicing while the Egyptians were mourning. "His chosen ones" — for the sake of their fathers.
Malbim
"And He brought forth His people with joy" — as it says, "and the children of Israel went out with a high hand." "[And] His chosen ones with singing" — as our Sages said in the Mechilta, that the righteous, who are the chosen of Hashem, uttered songs and praises.
And He gave them the lands of the nations, And they took the labor of the peoples in possession;
verse value 2090
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָ֭הֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·lands·of" (אַרְצ֣וֹת, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·lands·of" (אַרְצ֣וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·lands·of" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "and·gave" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "to·them" (root הם, 69x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּתֵּ֣ן [and·gave] (466) + לָ֭הֶם [to·them] (75) + אַרְצ֣וֹת [the·lands·of] (697) + גּוֹיִ֑ם [nations] (59) + וַעֲמַ֖ל [and·the·labor·of] (146) + לְאֻמִּ֣ים [peoples] (121) + יִירָֽשׁוּ [took·possession] (526) = 2090.
Ibn Ezra
‘And He gave’ — for Hashem fulfilled His covenant regarding the assembly of nations. And it says: ‘and the labor of the peoples’ — houses, olive trees, vineyards.
Radak
"And He gave them" — when He brought them out, He did not do this one kindness alone for them — bringing them out of slavery — but also gave them the lands of the nations.
Metzudat Zion
“The labor [of the peoples]” — a person's wealth is called “toil” because it is acquired through great toil and exertion.
Malbim
(44-45) "And He gave them the lands of the nations" — [the psalm] skips over the rest of the miracles, for a reason that will be explained in the psalm after this one, and returns to what it said, "which He made with Abraham," meaning that He fulfilled His oath and gave them the lands of the nations, and also gave them their property and possessions. As our Sages said: this is why He led them forty years in the wilderness — because the Canaanites had uprooted all the plantings, [so] He waited until their land was full of all good things. And the purpose of this was "that they might keep His statutes" — for He gave them the land of Israel only on condition that they keep the Torah; and this is an introduction to the psalm that follows, which will recount how they did not keep the statutes and laws of Hashem.
That they might keep His statutes, And observe His laws. Hallelujah.
verse value 2430
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "praise·Hashem" (הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 2430 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "His·statutes" (חֻ֭קָּיו, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·His·laws" (וְתוֹרֹתָ֥יו, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·His·laws" (וְתוֹרֹתָ֥יו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "praise·Hashem" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "might·keep" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms); "and·His·laws" (root תורה, 36x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עבור ("so·that") in Psalms. Full calculation: בַּעֲב֤וּר [so·that] (280) + יִשְׁמְר֣וּ [might·keep] (556) + חֻ֭קָּיו [His·statutes] (124) + וְתוֹרֹתָ֥יו [and·His·laws] (1028) + יִנְצֹ֗רוּ [might·observe] (356) + הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ [praise·Hashem] (86) = 2430.
Ibn Ezra
‘That’ — for so it is written to Abraham concerning his seed: ‘and I will be their God’; and because of these good things that Hashem did for your fathers — [praise Him,] you, the children.
Radak
"That [they might keep]" — on condition that they keep His statutes and His teachings, He gave them the land, as it is written in the Torah: "For I will bring him into the land that I swore to their fathers," etc. — [meaning] that if they did not keep His statutes, then after they had eaten [and were satisfied] they would be exiled from the land.
Metzudat David
"So that" — Hashem did all this good for them so that they would keep His statutes, etc. "Hallelujah" — for this, praise Hashem for the good He did for our forefathers.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim