Psalm 81:5
New International Version
When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say:

New Living Translation
He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say,

English Standard Version
He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known:

Berean Standard Bible
He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:

King James Bible
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

New King James Version
This He established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand.

New American Standard Bible
He established it as a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language I did not know:

NASB 1995
He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:

NASB 1977
He established it for a testimony in Joseph, When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:

Legacy Standard Bible
He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went forth over the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:

Amplified Bible
He established it for a testimony in Joseph When He went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard the language [of One whom] I did not know, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
He set it up as a decree for Joseph when he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard an unfamiliar language:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph when He went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard an unfamiliar language:”

American Standard Version
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language that I knew not.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He appointed a testimony in Joseph when he went forth to the land of Egypt; he heard a language that he did not know.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He made it to be a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.

Contemporary English Version
The descendants of Joseph were told to obey it, when God led them out from the land of Egypt. In a voice unknown to me, I heard someone say:

Douay-Rheims Bible
He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.

English Revised Version
He appointed it in Joseph for testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I knew not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These are the instructions God set in place for Joseph when Joseph rose to power over Egypt. I heard a message I did not understand:

Good News Translation
He gave it to the people of Israel when he attacked the land of Egypt. I hear an unknown voice saying,

International Standard Version
a decree that he prescribed for Joseph when he went throughout the land of Egypt, speaking a language I did not recognize.

JPS Tanakh 1917
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:

Literal Standard Version
He has placed it—a testimony on Joseph, | In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known—I hear.

Majority Standard Bible
He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:

New American Bible
He made it a decree for Joseph when he came out of the land of Egypt.

NET Bible
He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph, when he attacked the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I did not recognize.

New Revised Standard Version
He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:

New Heart English Bible
He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I did not know.

Webster's Bible Translation
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

World English Bible
He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.

Young's Literal Translation
A testimony on Joseph He hath placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known -- I hear.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sing for Joy to God, Our Strength
4For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language: 6“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.…

Cross References
Exodus 11:4
So Moses declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,

Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle--a nation whose language you will not understand,

Psalm 78:5
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

Psalm 81:4
For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

Psalm 114:1
When Israel departed from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,

Jeremiah 5:15
Behold, I am bringing a distant nation against you, O house of Israel," declares the LORD. "It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand.


Treasury of Scripture

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

in Joseph

Psalm 77:15
Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

Psalm 80:1,2
To the chief Musician upon ShoshannimEduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth…

Amos 6:6
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

for a

Psalm 78:6
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

Exodus 13:8,9,14-16
And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt…

Deuteronomy 4:45
These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt,

through.

Exodus 12:12,27,29
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD…

where

Psalm 114:1
When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

Isaiah 28:11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

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Appointed Decree Ears Egypt Established Forth Hear Heard Joseph Language Ordained Placed Sounding Speech Statute Strange Testimony Throughout Tongue Understand Understood Voice Witness Words
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Appointed Decree Ears Egypt Established Forth Hear Heard Joseph Language Ordained Placed Sounding Speech Statute Strange Testimony Throughout Tongue Understand Understood Voice Witness Words
Psalm 81
1. An exhortation to a solemn praising of God
4. God challenges that duty by reason of his benefits
8. God, exhorting to obedience, complains of their disobedience, which proves their own hurt.














(5) Joseph.--The prominence given to this name indicates, according to some critics, that the author belonged to the northern kingdom:. but when a poet was wishing to vary his style of speaking of the whole people--the names Israel and Jacob have just been used--the name Joseph would naturally occur, especially with the mention of Egypt, where that patriarch had played such a conspicuous part.

Through the land of Egypt.--The Hebrew means either upon, over, or against, but none of these meanings will suit with Israel as the subject of the verb. Hence, the LXX., in disregard of use, give "out of Egypt." But God is doubtless the subject of the verb, and we may render, over the land of Egypt, in allusion to Exodus 12:23, or against the land of Egypt, in reference to the Divine hostility to Pharaoh.

Where I heard . . .--The insertion of the relatival adverb, where, makes this refer to the Egyptian tongue (comp. Psalm 114:1), giving an equivalent for, "when I was in a foreign country." So apparently the LXX. and Vulg. But the expression, words unknown to me I heard, when followed by an apparent quotation, most naturally introduces that quotation. The poet hears a message, which comes borne to him on the festival music, and this he goes on to deliver.

Verse 5. - This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony. The special mention of "Joseph" here is strange. Professor Cheyne explains, "God appointed the Law to be valid in northern as well as southern Israel." Hengstenberg and Professor Alexander account for the expression by the pre-eminence of Joseph during the sojourn in Egypt. When he went out through the land of Egypt. When he (Joseph) went out over (or, across) the land," i.e. at the time of the Exodus. Where I heard a language that I understood not. It can scarcely be supposed that this clause belongs properly to ver. 5. It is rather an introduction to the monody wherewith the psalm (as it has come down to us) concludes - the mournful complaint of God against his people. So Professor Cheyne, who translates, "The discourse of no whom I had not known (i.e. of God) did I hear."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He ordained it
שָׂמ֗וֹ (śā·mōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

as a testimony
עֵ֤דוּת ׀ (‘ê·ḏūṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5715: Testimony

for Joseph
בִּֽיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף (bî·hō·w·sêp̄)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3084: Jehoseph

when he went out
בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ (bə·ṣê·ṯōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the land
אֶ֣רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt,
מִצְרָ֑יִם (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

[where] I heard
אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (’eš·mā‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

an unfamiliar
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

language:
שְׂפַ֖ת (śə·p̄aṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin


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OT Poetry: Psalm 81:5 He appointed it in Joseph (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 81:4
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