Psalms 105:38
in Psalms 105Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
KJV
Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
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This verse in Psalms 105
Commentary
9 notes on this verseEgypt was glad when they departed, which would not have been the case had the gold and silver been borrowed by the Israelites, for men do not carry their goods into a far country. The awe of God like to see borrowers lad to nay them to be was on Egypt, and they feared his people and were glad to pay them to be gone.
This site's exposition
He brought Israel out with silver
on Psalms 105:37-41
The silver and gold come from Exodus 12:35 and 36, and the dread of Israel makes Egypt glad to see them go. None of the tribes stumbled on the way out. The provisions run together, a cloud, a fire, quail, the bread of heaven, and water out of a rock.
This site's exposition
Egypt was glad when they departed
Exodus 12:33 gives the scene. The Egyptians urged the people to leave in haste, fearing they would all die. The same dread falls on the peoples of Canaan in the song of Exodus 15:16.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Egypt was glad at their departing: for their fear fell upon them" [Psalm 105:38]; that is, the fear of the Hebrews upon the Egyptians. For "their fear" is not that with which the Hebrews feared, but that with which they were feared. Some one will say, how then were the Egyptians unwilling to dismiss them? Why did they let them go as if they expected them to return? Why did they lend them gold and silver, as to men who were to return, and to repay them, if "Egypt was glad at their departing"? But we must understand, after that final destruction of the Egyptians, and the terrible overthrow of the mighty pursuing army in the Red Sea, that the rest of the Egyptians feared lest the Hebrews should return, and with great ease crush the relics of them: illustrating what he had stated, that He made His people stronger than their enemies.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): Egypt was glad when they departed; for God had so wonderfully owned them, and pleaded their cause, that the fear of Israel fell upon them, and they owned themselves baffled and overcome.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Judgments - The punishments which he brought upon Egypt by his mere word. Of Jacob - The only branch of Abraham's seed to whom the following blessings belong. Judgments - God executes his judgments upon all nations and people.
Egypt was glad when they departed,.... The Egyptians, as the Targum; they were glad when the Israelites were gone, for whose sake they had been so much and so long plagued. So wicked men are glad to be rid of the company of good men, which is very disagreeable to them; so the Gergesenes were glad when Christ departed out of their coasts, which they requested he would.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Egypt was glad when they departed, which would not have been the case had the gold and silver been borrowed by the Israelites, for men do not carry their goods into a far country. The awe of God like to see borrowers lad to nay them to be was on Egypt, and they feared his people and were glad to pay them to be gone. What a change from the time when the sons of Jacob were the drudges of the land, the offscouring of all things, the brick makers whose toil was only requited by the lash or the stick. Now they were reverenced as prophets and priests; for the fear of them fell upon them, the people proceeded even to a superstitious terror them. Thus with cheers and good wishes their former taskmasters sent them on their way: Pharaoh was foiled and the chosen people were once more on the move, journeying to the place which the Lord had given to them by a covenant of salt. "O give thanks unto Jehovah; call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people."
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Egypt was glad when they departed - They had suffered so many plagues; the land was so utterly desolate, there was so much sorrow in their dwellings, from the calamities which had come upon them for refusing to let the Israelites go, that at last they were glad to have them depart, and they were willing to aid them that they might get rid of them. This will, in part, account for the fact that they were willing to give them what they asked - even silver and gold - if they might thus facilitate their departure. For the fear of them fell upon them - The fear of them, as being under the protection of God; and the fear of the judgments, which must follow if they continued to oppress them.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שָׂמַ֣ח | samach | it was glad | H8055 → | 155 times |
| מִצְרַ֣יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| בְּצֵאתָ֑ם | betzetam | when went out they | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָפַ֖ל | nafal | it had fallen | H5307 → | 435 times |
| פַּחְדָּ֣ם | pachdam | dread of them | H6343 → | 49 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
שָׂמַ֣חit was glad
samachH8055 →155 times
מִצְרַ֣יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
בְּצֵאתָ֑םwhen went out they
betzetamH3318 →1067 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נָפַ֖לit had fallen
nafalH5307 →435 times
פַּחְדָּ֣םdread of them
pachdamH6343 →49 times
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃on them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 35:5As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:27
I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10
And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
- Joshua 5:1
Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until…
- Psalms 14:5
There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.
- Exodus 23:27
Through
Joshua 2:9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 2:25
This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 15:15–16
Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 2:25
Through
Exodus 15:16and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have…
it leads to
- Psalms 74:2
Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance— Mount Zion where You dwell.
- Psalms 74:2
Through
Exodus 12:33And in order to send them out of the land quickly, the Egyptians urged the people on. “For otherwise,” they said, “we are all going to die!”
it leads to
- Exodus 11:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will…
- Exodus 11:1
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 105; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.