When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just describe a physical departure, but emphasizes Israel's release from a culture entirely alien to them – a people whose language, and by extension, their way of life and worship, was foreign and even contemptible. This highlights the profound separation and transformation that God initiated, not just geographically, but culturally and spiritually.
When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm begins by recounting the foundational event of the Exodus, the liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and their separation from a foreign culture. It emphasizes the dramatic nature of this departure, highlighting the linguistic and cultural gulf between the Israelites and their oppressors, a gulf that sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention. The following verses will then describe the earth-shaking events that accompanied Israel's journey, underscoring God's power over all creation.
When the Bible talks about Israel leaving Egypt, it's not just a change of address. It's a complete redefinition.
This verse marks the beginning of a monumental event: the Exodus. But the Hebrew phrasing here, 'in the going out of Israel from Egypt,' suggests it's not just about the physical departure. It encompasses the whole transformative journey. It’s the moment a collection of families, enslaved in a foreign land, began their formation as God’s chosen nation. This wasn't simply an escape; it was the birth of a people defined by their relationship with God, set apart from the world they left behind.
The text highlights the 'people of strange language.' What does this 'foreign tongue' represent for us today?
The phrase 'people of strange language' (or 'barbarian tongue,' as some translations suggest) points to more than just an inability to communicate verbally. It signifies being surrounded by a culture and worldview that is fundamentally alien to God's ways. This 'strange language' is the speech of a society that doesn't worship the true God, that operates on different values, and that often mocks or misunderstands those who follow Him. Leaving Egypt meant stepping away from this alien culture and its deceptive speech.
Understand the original words
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Yisra’el · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, chosen by God to be His people. It signifies a relationship of election, promise, and divine identity.
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
A historical, geographic, and symbolic site of oppression and bondage for God's people. In biblical typology, it often represents the world, sin, and the domain from which God delivers His people.
Ya’aqov · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name given to the patriarch who would become the father of the twelve tribes. Referring to the "house of Jacob" emphasizes the genealogical and covenantal descent of the nation of God.
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a place set apart, consecrated, and holy for the presence and worship of God. It signifies where God manifests His holiness and where He rules as King.
memshalah · Hebrew Noun
The authority, sovereignty, and administrative rule exerted by a king or ruler. When applied to God, it refers to His supreme reign over His creation and His covenant people.
This psalm's powerful imagery of the Exodus vividly recalls the foundational experience of the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian bondage, emphasizing their foreignness and the miraculous nature of their deliverance.
c. 1876 BC
Jacob and family move to Egypt
Following a famine, Jacob's family, descendants of Abraham and Isaac, settles in the fertile land of Goshen in Egypt, initially welcomed.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Exodus from Egypt
Under Moses' leadership, the Israelites, now a vast people, depart from Egypt after centuries of slavery, a pivotal moment of liberation and divine intervention.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
Following the Exodus, the Israelites wander in the Sinai desert for 40 years, a period of testing, divine provision, and covenant establishment.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Led by Joshua, the Israelites cross the Jordan River and begin the military campaigns to take possession of the Promised Land.
This passage describes the very event mentioned in Psalm 114:1, detailing the great multitude of people who left Egypt, highlighting the 'mixed crowd' that went with them, echoing the idea of a diverse group departing.
Jeremiah 5:15Jeremiah references God's judgment through a foreign nation with a strange language, drawing a parallel to the foreign oppressors of Israel that Psalm 114 commemorates God delivering them from.
Acts 7:45-46Stephen recounts the history of Israel, mentioning the Tabernacle being brought into the land of their enemies, indirectly referencing the conquest that followed the Exodus from Egypt, the initial departure point described in Psalm 114.
Deuteronomy 26:5This verse provides a direct historical recounting of Israel's ancestors being 'Arameans, about to perish,' and going down to Egypt, which directly sets the stage for the Exodus described in Psalm 114:1.
Psalm 81:5This Psalm also recalls God's dealing with Israel, specifically mentioning a 'decree' and a 'language I did not know,' which is a strong conceptual link to the 'people of strange language' from whom Israel departed in Psalm 114.
poolePsalms 114:1: "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;"
THE ARGUMENT This Psalm is a solemn commemoration of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt; and probably it was to be sung, amongst others, at the celebration of the passover. The psalmist, rehearsing God’s delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, exhorteth all creatures to praise him. Which was a great aggravation of their captivity and misery. Compare Jeremiah 5:15 .
ellicottPsalms 114:1: "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;"
(1) When Israel went out. —LXX., in “ the Exodus of Israel.” A people of strange language.—LXX., rightly, “a barbarous people.” Since the Hebrew word, like the Greek, implies a certain scorn or ridicule, which ancient races generally had for those speaking another language. To this day the Russians call the Germans “dumb.”
The verse doesn't just describe a physical departure, but emphasizes Israel's release from a culture entirely alien to them – a people whose language, and by extension, their way of life and worship, was foreign and even contemptible. This highlights the profound separation and transformation that God initiated, not just geographically, but culturally and spiritually.
This psalm begins by recounting the foundational event of the Exodus, the liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and their separation from a foreign culture. It emphasizes the dramatic nature of this departure, highlighting the linguistic and cultural gulf between the Israelites and their oppressors, a gulf that sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention. The following verses will then describe the earth-shaking events that accompanied Israel's journey, underscoring God's power over all creation.
This psalm begins by recounting the foundational event of the Exodus, the liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and their separation from a foreign culture. It emphasizes the dramatic nature of this departure, highlighting the linguistic and cultural gulf between the Israelites and their oppressors, a gulf that sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention. The following verses will then describe the earth-shaking events that accompanied Israel's journey, underscoring God's power over all creation.
"When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion." — The verse doesn't just describe a physical departure, but emphasizes Israel's release from a culture entirely alien to them – a people whose language, and by extension, their way of life and worship,…
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Last reviewed October 2026