Psalm 78:31

Psalm 78:31, in plain English

God's anger killed the strongest men and the young soldiers among them. It wasn't random—it targeted Israel's strength, leaving them weakened.

Why it's here

This is describing a plague, likely the one recorded in Numbers 11 where God struck down those who complained. The deaths weren't accidental; they were purposeful—God was demonstrating that He won't tolerate treating His gifts with contempt while denying Him trust.

Who's speaking

Asaph, describing the severity of God's response.

Where it sits in the story

Throughout Scripture, God judges rebellion among His covenant people more severely than among outsiders—they knew better, had seen more, and still chose disbelief.

The scholarly reading

God's anger struck swiftly: He killed Israel's strongest warriors and subdued the young men, turning the very generation that received His provision into victims of His judgment.

Language and setting

The verb וַיַּהֲרֹג (vayaharog, 'and He slew') employs the direct object marker את (et) with בַחוּרֵי (bache, 'young men' or 'chosen ones'), suggesting intentional, targeted killing. The phrase וּבִנְיֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְנִיעַ (uv'ne Yisrael hikhnia, 'and the sons of Israel He humbled/subdued') uses a different verb—הִכְנִיעַ (hikhnia) denotes reduction to powerlessness, the stripping of strength. Numbers 11:33-34 identifies this plague as a wasting sickness, possibly dysentery from the quail consumption. The Septuagint's rendering (κόπτω, kopto, 'struck down') emphasizes the violent, sudden nature. Commentators from John Chrysostom onward recognized this as a judgment of proportionate irony: the people who desired meat beyond God's provision received it abundantly, and the very gratification became the instrument of their punishment.

Voice

The psalmist transitions to judgment narrative, describing God's retaliatory action.

Significance

This verse exemplifies what scholars call 'measure-for-measure' justice in biblical theology—the punishment corresponds precisely to the sin. The death of the strongest warriors suggests societal collapse; the subduing of young men implies the destruction of future generations. This narrative becomes canonical for later biblical wisdom literature about the dangers of uncontrolled desire (Proverbs 23:20-21, 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 where Paul explicitly references this incident as typological warning for the Church).

29So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.

30Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,

31God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.

32In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.

33So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.

Read all of Psalm 78 — The longest historical psalm — a retelling of Israel's journey from Egypt to David. Remember, so the next generation won't forget.