Psalm 99:7
New International Version
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

New Living Translation
He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.

English Standard Version
In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.

Berean Standard Bible
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.

King James Bible
He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

New King James Version
He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.

New American Standard Bible
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.

NASB 1995
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.

NASB 1977
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies, And the statute that He gave them.

Legacy Standard Bible
He would speak to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.

Amplified Bible
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statutes that He gave them.

Christian Standard Bible
He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees and the statutes he gave them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.

American Standard Version
He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: They kept his testimonies, And the statute that he gave them.

Contemporary English Version
You spoke to them from a thick cloud, and they obeyed your laws.

English Revised Version
He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept his testimonies, and the statute that he gave them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He spoke to them from a column of smoke. They obeyed his written instructions and the laws that he gave them.

Good News Translation
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they obeyed the laws and commands that he gave them.

International Standard Version
In a pillar of cloud he spoke to them; they obeyed his decrees and the Law that he gave them.

Majority Standard Bible
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.

NET Bible
He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.

New Heart English Bible
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.

Webster's Bible Translation
He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

World English Bible
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He speaks to them in a pillar of cloud, "" They have kept His testimonies, "" And He has given the statute to them.

Young's Literal Translation
In a pillar of cloud He speaketh unto them, They have kept His testimonies, And the statute He hath given to them.

Smith's Literal Translation
In a pillar of cloud he will speak to them: they watched his testimonies, and the law he gave them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
he spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud. They kept his testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud. They kept his testimonies and the precept that he gave them.

New American Bible
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them; they kept his decrees, the law he had given them.

New Revised Standard Version
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees, and the statutes that he gave them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; they kept his testimonies and the covenant that he gave them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He spoke with them in a column of cloud; they kept his testimony and the covenant that he gave them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies, and the statute that He gave them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies, and the ordinances which he gave them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Reigns
6Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel was among those who called on His name. They called to the LORD and He answered. 7He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them. 8O LORD our God, You answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, yet an avenger of their misdeeds.…

Cross References
Exodus 33:9-11
As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses. / When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent. / Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

Numbers 12:5-8
and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward, / He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. / But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. ...

Deuteronomy 4:12-13
And the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of the words but saw no form; there was only a voice. / He declared to you His covenant, which He commanded you to follow—the Ten Commandments that He wrote on two tablets of stone.

Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

Exodus 20:1-22
And God spoke all these words: / “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. / You shall have no other gods before Me. ...

1 Samuel 3:21
And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.

Exodus 25:22
And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

Leviticus 1:1
Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

1 Kings 8:9
There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.

Hebrews 1:1-2
On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. / But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Acts 7:38
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.

2 Peter 1:17-18
For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” / And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

Hebrews 12:25
See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?


Treasury of Scripture

He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

in the cloudy

Exodus 19:9
And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exodus 33:9
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

Numbers 12:5
And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

kept

Exodus 40:16
Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.

Numbers 16:15
And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

Deuteronomy 4:5
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

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Psalm 99
1. The prophet, setting forth the kingdom of God in Zion
5. Exhorts all, by the example of their forefathers, to worship God at his holy hill














He spoke to them
This phrase highlights the direct communication between God and His people. In the Hebrew context, the verb "spoke" (דִּבֶּר, dibber) signifies not just casual conversation but authoritative and divine instruction. This underscores the personal nature of God's relationship with Israel, where He actively engages with His chosen people. Historically, this communication was a privilege and a sign of God's favor, setting Israel apart from other nations.

from the pillar of cloud
The "pillar of cloud" (עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, ammud he'anan) is a significant symbol of God's presence and guidance during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. This miraculous phenomenon provided both direction and protection, as described in Exodus 13:21-22. The cloud represented God's glory and was a visible assurance of His covenant with Israel. Archaeologically, while no physical evidence of the cloud exists, its consistent mention in scripture underscores its importance in Israel's collective memory and identity.

they kept His decrees
The phrase "they kept" (שָׁמְרוּ, shameru) implies obedience and careful observance. In the Hebrew tradition, keeping God's decrees (חֻקִּים, chuqqim) was central to maintaining a covenant relationship with Him. This obedience was not merely legalistic but a heartfelt response to God's faithfulness and love. Historically, the Israelites' commitment to God's decrees was a testament to their identity as a people set apart for His purposes.

and the statutes He gave them
The "statutes" (תּוֹרוֹת, torot) refer to the specific laws and commandments given by God, particularly those delivered through Moses. These statutes were not arbitrary rules but were designed to guide Israel in righteous living and worship. The giving of these statutes was a formative event in Israel's history, as seen in the Sinai covenant. Scripturally, these laws were seen as a source of wisdom and life, reflecting God's holy character and His desire for His people to reflect that holiness in their lives.

Verse 7. - He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar (see Exodus 33:9, "And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door.., and the Lord talked with Moses"). They kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. Moses was known as "the servant of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua 1:1, 2, etc.). He was "faithful in all his house, as a servant" (Hebrews 3:5). Aaron was "the saint of the Lord" (Psalm 106:16). This general obedience was, however, departed from in some few instances (see the comment on ver. 8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He spoke
יְדַבֵּ֣ר (yə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

them in a pillar
בְּעַמּ֣וּד (bə·‘am·mūḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5982: A column, a stand, platform

of cloud;
עָ֭נָן (‘ā·nān)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6051: A cloud, the nimbus, thunder-cloud

they kept
שָׁמְר֥וּ (šā·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

His decrees
עֵ֝דֹתָ֗יו (‘ê·ḏō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5713: Testimony, witness

and the statutes
וְחֹ֣ק (wə·ḥōq)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2706: Something prescribed or owed, a statute

He gave
נָֽתַן־ (nā·ṯan-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

them.
לָֽמוֹ׃ (lā·mōw)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Poetry: Psalm 99:7 He spoke to them in the pillar (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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