Psalms 105:34
He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 105:34
He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The mention of "caterpillars" alongside locusts is fascinating – it's a word choice that expands the description beyond the Exodus account, potentially acting as a poetic synonym for devouring insects or a specific stage of the locust, emphasizing the overwhelming, comprehensive nature of God's spoken judgment. It highlights how the psalm's author artfully weaves together familiar events with fresh detail to magnify God's power.
This passage is part of a larger recounting of God's mighty acts for Israel, specifically focusing on the plagues that afflicted Egypt. Following God's earlier commands and interventions, the psalmist details the tenth plague, where God's spoken word brought forth an overwhelming swarm of locusts and other devouring insects that covered the land and consumed its vegetation, highlighting God's absolute power over creation.
Did God whisper to the locusts? Did He suggest they appear? This verse highlights a stunning aspect of God's power over creation.
In Psalm 105:34, the psalmist describes a plague of locusts descending upon Egypt. The language used, 'He spoke, and the locusts came,' isn't just poetic; it points to the absolute authority of God's word. When God speaks, creation responds. This isn't a suggestion or a request; it's a divine command that cannot be ignored.
Creation in Obedience
The verse mentions 'locusts' and 'caterpillars.' What's the significance of this detail in describing the plague?
The psalmist adds 'caterpillars' to the description of the locust plague. While the book of Exodus primarily mentions locusts, the addition of 'caterpillars' here (or a similar destructive insect) serves a crucial purpose.
Expanding the Impact
Understand the original words
arbeh · Hebrew Noun
A migratory, swarming insect that serves as a powerful symbol of divine judgment, destruction, and total consumption. They represent an unstoppable force that leaves a land barren, illustrating the completeness of God's judicial action.
This verse recalls the eighth plague God sent upon Egypt, a vivid, overwhelming swarm of locusts that destroyed all remaining plant life. It's a powerful reminder of God's direct intervention and His ability to bring about His purposes through seemingly natural, yet divinely controlled, forces.
c. 1440 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of slavery in Egypt, are dramatically delivered by God through a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
The Eighth Plague: Locusts
As part of the ten plagues against Egypt, God sends a devastating swarm of locusts that consume all remaining vegetation. This event is a direct display of God's power over Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods.
c. 1440 BC
The Israelites Leave Egypt
Following the final plague, Pharaoh relents and allows the Israelites to leave Egypt, even providing them with silver, gold, and other riches.
c. 1400 BC - 1000 BC
The Period of the Judges
After entering the Promised Land, Israel experiences a cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance under various judges.
This passage directly recounts the plague of locusts that God sent upon Egypt, mirroring the psalmist's description of God's spoken word causing this devastation.
Joel 1:4The prophet Joel uses similar language to describe different stages of locust devastation, highlighting the immense destructive power that God can unleash through such natural phenomena.
Revelation 9:3This apocalyptic vision describes locusts that come forth from the abyss by God's command, echoing the theme of divine agency in sending swarms of destructive insects.
Psalm 78:45This psalm also recounts the plagues of Egypt, mentioning the sending of swarms of insects and gnats, reinforcing the pattern of God's direct intervention through plagues.
pulpitPsalms 105:34: "He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,"
Verse 34. - He spake, and the locusts came (see Exodus 10:13, 14). And caterpillars. Either a kind of locust, or the locust at one period of its growth. Not mentioned in Exodus. And that without number (see Exodus 10:14, 15).
ellicottPsalms 105:34: "He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,"
(34) Caterpillars. —To the locust, ‘aarbeh, alone mentioned in Exodus, the psalmist adds, as a poetical synonym to suit his parallelism, caterpillar ( yelek ) , a word occurring in Joel 1:4 ; Joel 2:25 ; Nahum 3:15 ; Jeremiah 51:14 ; Jeremiah 51:27 . By derivation the word means “licker” (comp. Numbers 22:4 ), and is possibly used in a wide or general sense for insects of the locust kind. (See Bible Educ…
The mention of "caterpillars" alongside locusts is fascinating – it's a word choice that expands the description beyond the Exodus account, potentially acting as a poetic synonym for devouring insects or a specific stage of the locust, emphasizing the overwhelming, comprehensive nature of God's spoken judgment. It highlights how the psalm's author artfully weaves together familiar events with fresh detail to magnify God's power.
This passage is part of a larger recounting of God's mighty acts for Israel, specifically focusing on the plagues that afflicted Egypt. Following God's earlier commands and interventions, the psalmist details the tenth plague, where God's spoken word brought forth an overwhelming swarm of locusts and other devouring insects that covered the land and consumed its vegetation, highlighting God's absolute power over creation.
This passage is part of a larger recounting of God's mighty acts for Israel, specifically focusing on the plagues that afflicted Egypt. Following God's earlier commands and interventions, the psalmist details the tenth plague, where God's spoken word brought forth an overwhelming swarm of locusts and other devouring insects that covered the land and consumed its vegetation, highlighting God's absolute power over creation.
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c. 1000 BC
The United Monarchy
David establishes Jerusalem as the capital, and his son Solomon builds the First Temple, ushering in a golden age for Israel.
c. 931 BC
The Divided Monarchy
The kingdom splits into two: Israel in the north and Judah in the south, often engaging in conflict and political intrigue.
"He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number," — The mention of "caterpillars" alongside locusts is fascinating – it's a word choice that expands the description beyond the Exodus account, potentially acting as a poetic synonym for devouring insect…