Psalms 78:28 — Word Study
WLCוַ֭יַּפֵּל בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ סָ֝בִ֗יב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃
BSAHe felled themnâphal▸ [caused to fall, let fall] in the midstqereb [inner part, center] of their campmachăneh [army, encampment] all aroundçâbîyb [surrounding, encompassing] their dwellingsmishkân [tabernacles, tents]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַ֭יַּפֵּל | and he made [them] fall | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בְּקֶ֣רֶב | in [the] midst of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ | camp his | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| סָ֝בִ֗יב | around | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃ | dwelling his | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings. |
| KJV | And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. |
| ASV | And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their habitations. |
| YLT | And causeth [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles. |
| WEB | He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations. |
| BBE | And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents. |
Where they part company is in the phrase וַ֭יַּפֵּל — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two phrases providing additional context about the location and surroundings.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָפַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 78:28
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Provision and Judgmentgenerated
Psalm 78:28 recounts how God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness while also executing judgment against those who rebelled. This verse emphasizes the dual nature of God's actions: He supplies needs while also addressing disobedience. The surrounding verses describe God's miraculous provision of meat, illustrating His care for His people even amid their failures.
Cross References
The Key Word — וַ֭יַּפֵּל, Vai.ya.pelgenerated
The verb נָפַל (naphal), in the Hiphil form, means 'to cause to fall.' It indicates an active role in bringing about a fall, whether literal or metaphorical. In this context, it reflects God's decisive action against those in rebellion.
This word appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, often in contexts of defeat or destruction. Here, it underscores the severity of God's judgment as He causes the enemies to fall right in the midst of their encampment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַ֭יַּפֵּל governs the sentence, with several phrases providing additional detail: a prepositional phrase indicating location, a noun phrase specifying the camp, another noun phrase describing the surroundings, and a final prepositional phrase detailing the dwellings. This structure emphasizes the central action of God in relation to the camp and its dwellings.
The Hebrew word order places the verb first, highlighting God's decisive action before describing the context of that action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַ֭יַּפֵּל as ἐπέπεσον, meaning 'they fell upon.' This choice conveys a sense of suddenness and judgment, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but suggesting a more collective experience of falling.
The Greek term used indicates a broader scope of action, focusing on the impact of God's judgment on the entire camp.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:28 tells us that God caused the enemies to fall right in the middle of their camp, surrounding their tents. This shows God's power and judgment against those who rebel against Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God caused them to fall, indicating His judgment and power over those who opposed Him.
The camp represents the gathering of those who were opposed to God, and their fall signifies God's authority over them.
The dwellings symbolize the places where the people lived and their security, which God disrupted through His judgment.
This verse illustrates the theme of God's provision and judgment throughout Israel's history, showing how He responds to both their needs and their disobedience.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's judgment in the world around me?
- How can I recognize God's provision in my life, even during difficult times?
- What does this verse teach me about the seriousness of rebellion against God?
- How can I ensure that I remain within God's will and not face His judgment?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he let it fall in the midst of their camp,.... Or, "his camps" (l); the four camps of Israel; for so many there were, Numbers 2:1 or the camp of God, where he dwelt, and before which he went as
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMarvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOf their camp, Heb. of his camp; either Israel’ s camp, or God’ s camp; for seeing Israel was God’ s people, and he dwelt among them, their camp was his camp.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:28 And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.Ver. 28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp] A day’ s journey on each side, and about two cubits above the earth, Numbers 11:31, in such abundance, that Moses could not believe it were possible to be done, though all the fish in the sea should be gathered together, and turned into flesh, Numbers 11:31.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. their camp … their habitations] Cp. Exodus 16:13; Numbers 11:31.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd he let it fall in the midst of their camp ... - It was brought to their very doors; they had not to go and seek it abroad.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.
He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp, all around their homes.
Tyndale line
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their habitations.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, around their habitations.
And hee made it fall in the middes of their campe euen round about their habitations.
Strictly literal
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations:
And causeth [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.
And causes [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, || Around His dwelling places.
And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
They fell in the middle of their camp, all around their tents.
Simplified
He made them fall right in the middle of their camp, all around where they were living.
And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, "וַ֭יַּפֵּל בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ סָ֝בִ֗יב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃" which translates to, "He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings." The Septuagint has a similar structure, matching 4 out of 5 words with the Masoretic Text, indicating a strong agreement in meaning, although the exact wording and order may differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls are not mentioned in the provided data, so their agreement or differences cannot be assessed here.
וַ֭יַּפֵּל בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ סָ֝בִ֗יב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 78:28
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5…
קֶ֫רֶב (qereb) refers to the inward part or midst of something, encompassing both physical and figurative meanings. It can denote the center of a person or object, as well as the seat of thought and emotion. The term also relates to the entrails of sacrificial animals. It is used in various contexts, including references to being among or within a group.
קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst
base
H7130 קֶ֫רֶב inward part, midst
7130 qereb keh'-reb
from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center,
whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with
preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, +
eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s,
thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X
within self.
see HEBREW for 07126
קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: among.
: among/within
1) midst, among, inner part, middle
1a) inward part
1a1) physical sense
1a2) as seat of thought and emotion
1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion
1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)
1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)
Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)
קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: inner parts.
: inner_parts
1) midst, among, inner part, middle
1a) inward part
1a1) physical sense
1a2) as seat of thought and emotion
1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion
1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)
1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מַחֲנֶה (machaneh) refers to an encampment or camp, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can denote a place where people or troops gather, an army, or a body of individuals. The term is used in various contexts, including military, social, and even celestial gatherings.
מַחֲנֶה 214 n.m. and f. encampment, camp
camp, place of encampment
camp of armed host
those who encamp
company, body of people
army, host
base
H4264 מַחֲנֶה encampment, camp . camp, place of encampment
. camp of armed host
. . those who encamp
. company, body of people
. army, host
4264 machaneh makh-an-eh'
from 2583; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an
army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers,
angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts):--
army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.
see HEBREW for 02583
מַחֲנֶה (ma.cha.neh) — camp.
1) encampment, camp
1a) camp, place of encampment
1b) camp of armed host, army camp
1c) those who encamp, company, body of people
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3ms
סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.
סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
base
H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'
or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a
circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with
or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,
circuit, compass, on every side.
see HEBREW for 05437
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.
: around/border
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.
: side
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.
: whole
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.
: neighours
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) means 'dwelling-place' or 'tabernacle.' It is derived from a root meaning to dwell and can refer to various types of residences, including the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. The term encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, such as a grave or the Temple.
מִשְׁכָּן 139 n.m. dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
base
H4908 מִשְׁכָּן dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
4908 mishkan mish-kawn'
from 7931; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair
of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple);
specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden
walls):--dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle,
tent.
see HEBREW for 07931
מִשְׁכָּן (mish.kan) — tabernacle.
1) dwelling place, tabernacle
1a) dwelling-place
1b) dwellings
Aramaic equivalent: mish.kan (מִשְׁכַּן "habitation" H4907)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms