Psalms 78:44 — Word Study
WLCוַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ לְ֭דָם יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗ם בַּל־ יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃
BSAHe turnedhâphak▸ [completely changed, overturned] their riversyᵉʼôr [streams, watercourses] to blooddâm [the liquid that flows through the body] and from their streamsnâzal [floods, canals] they could notbal [were able, had the power, nothing, absent] drinkshâthâh▸ [consume, feast]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ | and he turned | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לְ֭דָם | into blood | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם | canals their | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗ם | and streams their | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| בַּל־ | not | Particle |
| יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃ | they drank ! | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink. |
| KJV | And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. |
| ASV | And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink. |
| YLT | And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not. |
| WEB | he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink. |
| BBE | So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams. |
Where they part company is יְאֹרֵיהֶן — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb governs the sentence, with additional phrases providing context and consequence.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָפַךְ
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 78:44
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 Wonders in Egyptgenerated
Psalm 78:44 describes how God performed miraculous signs in Egypt, specifically turning the rivers into blood, which is a reference to the plagues that afflicted the Egyptians. This event highlights God's judgment and power over nature, as He intervened in the lives of the Israelites and the Egyptians. The psalmist is recalling these events to remind the people of God's might and the consequences of disobedience.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 105:29 | He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die. |
| 2 | Exodus 7:17–21 | This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood. |
| 3 | Revelation 16:3–6 | And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הָפַךְ, vai.ya.ha.Fokhgenerated
The verb הָפַךְ (haphak) means to turn or overturn, indicating a complete transformation. In this context, it signifies God's authority to change the natural state of water into blood, emphasizing a radical reversal.
This action reflects God's power over creation, showcasing His ability to perform wonders that defy natural laws. The parsing as a sequential imperfect verb indicates that this was a deliberate act by God, not a mere occurrence.
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 of the verse is הָפַךְ, He turned, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating what was turned, and a second clause that describes the result of that action.
The structure emphasizes the transformation of the rivers into blood, with the subsequent inability to drink from the streams serving as the consequence of God's action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הָפַךְ as μετέστρεψεν, which means 'to turn around' or 'to change.' This choice reflects a similar understanding of the act of transformation, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.
The use of ποταμοὺς for יְאֹרֵיהֶן indicates a broader interpretation of watercourses, encompassing rivers and streams, which aligns with the context of the plagues in Egypt.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:44 tells us that God turned the rivers of Egypt into blood, making the water undrinkable. This act was part of the plagues that God sent upon Egypt to demonstrate His power and judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This signifies God's judgment against Egypt, showing His power to control nature and the consequences of disobedience.
Blood often symbolizes life, sacrifice, and judgment, making this transformation a powerful image of God's authority.
This verse recalls one of the plagues God inflicted on Egypt, which was a pivotal event in the liberation of the Israelites.
We learn about God's sovereignty and the seriousness of His judgments, as well as His ability to intervene in the natural world.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's power at work in my life?
- How can I better understand the significance of blood in the biblical narrative?
- What does this verse teach me about God's judgment?
- How can I apply the lessons from the plagues to my own life today?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd had turned their rivers into blood,.... The river Nile and its seven streams; this was the first of the plagues of Egypt, Exodus 7:20, and was a just retaliation for drowning the infants of the
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHow oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe several branches and streams of the river Nilus, and those many rivulets which they brought from it.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.Ver. 44. And had turned their rivers into blood, &c.] Seven of those ten plagues of Egypt are here instanced, to aggravate the forgetfulness or perfidy of the Israelites. Good turns aggravate unkindness, and our offences are increased by our obligations. And their floods, that they could not drink] Usque adeo ut aquae potabiles totam, alioqui stagnantem Aegyptum, deficerent. The Rabbis say (who told them I know not) that out of the same vessel an Egyptian drank blood and an Israelite water (Midras Tilling).
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 44. Turned their rivers into blood] See on Exodus 7:20.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges44. And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink. See Exodus 7:17 ff. The word for ‘rivers’ (y’ôr) is one specially used of the Nile and its canals.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd had turned their rivers into blood - Exodus 7:20. There was properly but one river in Egypt - the Nile.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible43, 44. Field of Zoan—See on Psalms 78:12. Rivers into blood—This was the first plague. Exodus 7:20-21. The plural, rivers, includes the Nile with its arms and canals. Isaiah 19:6-8; Ezekiel 29:3-5; Ezekiel 29:9-10.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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 turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.
He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams.
Tyndale line
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink.
And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink.
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
And turned their riuers into blood, and their floods, that they could not drinke.
Strictly literal
And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink;
And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.
And He turns their streams to blood, || And they do not drink their floods.
And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].
He turned the Egyptians' rivers to blood so that they could not drink from their streams.
Simplified
There he turned their rivers and their streams into blood so that no one could drink from them.
So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.
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 and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all six words matched between the two versions. This consistency underscores the reliability of the account of God's miraculous acts.
וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ לְ֭דָם יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗ם בַּל־ יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃
6 of the 6 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 78:44
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.
הָפַךְ (haphak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn or overturn, with implications of change and transformation. It can describe actions like turning back, being reversed, or even being perverse. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive uses, indicating a wide range of applications in the Old Testament.
הָפַךְ vb. turn, overturn
Qal
trans.
turn, turn about, turn over
overturn, overthrow
turn = change, transform
intrans.
turn, turn back
turn = change, change into
Niph.
reflex. & intrans.
turn oneself, turn, turn back
turn = change (oneself)
be perverse
pass.
be turned, turn over to
be reversed
be turned, changed
be overturned, overthrown
be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
Hithp.
turn this way & that, every way
transform oneself
Hoph. there have been turned upon me terrors
base
H2015 הָפַךְ turn, overturn .. trans. . turn, turn about, turn over
. overturn, overthrow
. turn = change, transform
. intrans. . turn, turn back
. turn = change, change into
. . reflex. & intrans. . turn oneself, turn, turn back
. turn = change (oneself)
. be perverse
. pass. . be turned, turn over to
. be reversed
. be turned, changed
. be overturned, overthrown
. be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
. . turn this way & that, every way
. transform oneself
. there have been turned upon me terrors
2015 haphak haw-fak'
a primitive root; to turn about or over; by implication, to
change, overturn, return, pervert:--X become, change, come, be
converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse,
retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary,
every way).
הָפַךְ (ha.phakh) — to overturn.
1) to turn, overthrow, overturn
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to overturn, overthrow
1a2) to turn, turn about, turn over, turn around
1a3) to change, transform
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to turn oneself, turn, turn back
1b2) to change oneself
1b3) to be perverse
1b4) to be turned, be turned over, be changed, be turned against
1b5) to be reversed
1b6) to be overturned, be overthrown
1b7) to be upturned
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to transform oneself
1c2) to turn this way and that, turn every way
1d) (Hophal) to turn on someone
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
דָּם (dam) means 'blood' and refers to the blood of both humans and animals. It is often associated with death, particularly when shed, and can also figuratively denote the juice of grapes or bloodshed. The term carries religious significance and is used in various contexts, including references to guilt and innocence.
דָּם 300 n.m. blood
blood of man or animal
usually blood become visible
blood used with religious significance
fig. of wine
base
H1818 דָּם blood
1818 dam dawm
from 1826 (compare 119); blood (as that which when shed
causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of
the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed
(i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), +
innocent.
see HEBREW for 01826
see HEBREW for 0119
דָּם (dam) — blood.
1) blood
1a) of wine (fig.)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
blud (dam, probably from 'adham "to be red"; haima): Used in the Old Testament to designate the life principle in either animal or vegetable, as the blood of man or the juice of the grape (Le 17:11, et al.); in the New Testament for the blood of an animal, the atoning blood of Christ, and in both Old Testament and New Testament in a figurative sense for bloodshed or murder (Ge 37:26; Ho 4:2; Re 16:6).
1. Primitive Ideas:
Although the real function of the blood in the human system was not fully known until the fact of its circulation was established by William Harvey in 1615, nevertheless from the earliest times a singular mystery has been attached to it by all peoples. Blood…
Blood
(1.) As food, prohibited in Gen. 9:4, where the use of animal food is first allowed. Comp. Deut. 12:23; Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14. The injunction to abstain from blood is renewed in the decree of the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:29). It has been held by some, and we think correctly, that this law of prohibition was only ceremonial and temporary; while others regard it as still binding on all. Blood was eaten by the Israelites after the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 14:32-34).
(2.) The blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a basin, and then sprinkled seven times on the altar; that of the passover on the…
To blood is ascribed in Scripture the mysterious sacredness which belongs to life, and God reserved it to himself when allowing man the dominion over and the use of the lower animals for food. Thus reserved, it acquires a double power: (1) that of sacrificial atonement; and (2) that of becoming a curse when wantonly shed, unless duly expiated. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; 17:11-13)
The life of all animals was regarded as especially in the blood, which was a sacred and essential part of the sacrifices offered to God, Heb 9:22. It was solemnly sprinkled upon the altar and the mercy seat, "for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul," Le 17:1-16 the life of the victim for the life of the sinner. It was therefore most sacredly associated with the blood of the Lamb of God which "cleanseth us from all sin," Eph 1:7 1Jo 1:7. Hence the strict prohibition renewed in Ac 15:29. In direct opposition to this are the heathen customs of drinking the blood of animals and even of men- of eating raw flesh, with the blood, and even fresh cut from the living…
יְאֹר (ye'or) refers to a stream or canal, specifically associated with the Nile River in Egypt. It encompasses various watercourses, including collateral canals and trenches, and can also denote rivers in general. The term is of Egyptian origin and highlights the significance of the Nile as a primary water source.
יְאֹר, יְאוֹר n.m. stream of the Nile, stream, canal
base
H2975 יְאֹר, יְאוֹר stream of the Nile, stream, canal
2975 y`or yeh-ore'
of Egyptian origin; a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft;
specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including
its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of
Assyria:--brook, flood, river, stream.
יְאֹר (ye.or) — Nile.
This name means river, stream, canal
Also named: shi.chor (שִׁיחוֹר "Nile" H7883H)
יְאֹר (ye.or) — stream.
1) river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal
1a) stream, river (Nile)
1b) Nile-arms, Nile-canals
1c) watercourses
1d) shafts (mining)
1e) river (in general)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3mp
נָזַל (nazal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to flow or trickle. It encompasses various forms of flowing, including distilling and shedding liquid. The term appears in both the Qal and Hiphil stems, indicating both a simple action of flowing and causing something to flow. The poetic usage suggests a rich imagery associated with water and movement.
[נָזַל] vb. flow, trickle, drop, distil (poet.)
Qal
flow
distil
Hiph. cause to flow
base
H5140 [נָזַל] flow, trickle, drop, distil (poet.)
5140 nazal naw-zal'
a primitive root; to drip, or shed by trickling:--distil,
drop, flood, (cause to) flow(-ing), gush out, melt, pour
(down), running water, stream.
נָזַל (na.zal) — to flow.
1) to flow, distil, flow forth or down, trickle, drop
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to flow
1a1a) streams, floods (participle)
1a2) to distil
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to flow
Conj | V-Qal | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vqrmpc/Sp3mp
בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.
בַּל 69 adv. not
base
H1077 בַּל not
1077 bal bal
from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;
usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,
none (that...), not (any), nothing.
see HEBREW for 01086
בַּל (bal) — not.
not, hardly, else
Part — ParticleHTn
שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and can refer to both literal drinking and figurative uses, such as feasting or experiencing God's wrath. It is a primitive root that appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like drinking and being drunk. The lexicons note its connection to the Aramaic equivalent שְׁתָה (she.tah), but do not present significant disagreements.
שָׁתָה 217 vb. drink
Qal 216
Niph. all which is (may be) drunk
base
H8354 שָׁתָה drink
8354 shathah shaw-thaw'
a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X
assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk
(X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)
see HEBREW for 08248
שָׁתָה (sha.tah) — to drink.
1) to drink
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to drink
1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig)
1a2) to feast
1b) (Niphal) to be drunk
Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVqi3mp/Sn
