Berean Study Bible Give Thanks to the LORD, for He Is GoodPraise (Hallelu Yah, meaning “Praise the LORD”) opens Psalm 106, calling God’s people to worship before recounting Israel’s repeated rebellion and the LORD’s enduring mercy. Israel’s failures never diminished God’s right to receive glory. Psa 111:1 Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart… Give thanks to the LORD, Gratitude acknowledges that every deliverance, provision, and covenant blessing comes from the LORD. David used these words when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, joining thanksgiving to the worship of God’s presence among His people (1 Chronicles 16:34). Psa 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;… for He is good; The LORD’s goodness is seen in His holy character and gracious actions. He rescued Israel from Egypt, sustained them in the wilderness, and remained faithful despite their unbelief. God’s goodness reaches its fullest revelation in Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to save sinners. Psa 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man… His loving devotion endures forever. God’s covenant love does not fail when His people prove unfaithful. Psalm 106 recounts judgment for sin, yet also remembers the LORD’s compassion whenever Israel cried to Him. His steadfast mercy secures hope for all who turn to Him in faith. Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures… Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD The LORD’s works in creation, in the deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea, and in His judgments and mercies throughout history exceed human measure. Psalm 106 will recount Israel’s repeated rebellion alongside God’s enduring faithfulness, showing that His mighty acts include both righteous judgment and covenant mercy. Job 38–41 likewise reminds humanity that the wisdom and power displayed in creation cannot be fully comprehended by finite minds. Jesus revealed the same divine glory through His signs, culminating in His resurrection from the dead. Psa 145:4 One generation will commend Your works to the next,… or fully proclaim His praise? No human voice can adequately declare all that God deserves, yet His people are called to continual worship. Israel praised the LORD in song after He defeated Pharaoh’s army, and the Psalms summon every generation to remember His works with gratitude. The unsearchable riches of Christ and the unending praise of heaven show that worship will never exhaust the greatness of God. Faithful praise rises not from complete understanding, but from humble recognition of His holiness, power, mercy, and steadfast love. Psa 145:21 My mouth will declare the praise of the LORD;… Blessed are those who uphold justice, God’s blessing rests on those who order their lives by His righteous standards and defend what is right. Israel’s law required impartial judgments, honest dealings, and protection for the poor, foreigners, widows, and orphans. Justice reflects the character of the Lord, the Judge of all the earth, who neither overlooks evil nor shows favoritism. Psalm 106 recalls Israel’s repeated rebellion and God’s enduring mercy; amid that history, the psalm honors faithful obedience as the proper response to divine grace. Jer 22:3 This is what the LORD says: Administer justice… who practice righteousness at all times. Righteousness is not limited to public worship, legal decisions, or moments of opportunity. God calls His people to faithful integrity in every relationship, responsibility, and season of life. The prophets condemned religious activity divorced from righteous conduct and commanded God’s people to seek justice, correct oppression, and walk humbly with Him. Such steadfast obedience cannot be produced by outward conformity alone. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled all righteousness, and those who belong to Him are called to reflect His character through enduring obedience. Luk 1:75 in holiness and righteousness before Him… Remember me, O LORD, The psalmist asks God to turn His covenant mercy toward him personally. God’s remembrance is never mere awareness; it leads to faithful action, as when He remembered Noah in the ark and brought the floodwaters to recede (Genesis 8:1). The plea rests on dependence upon the Lord’s grace rather than personal merit. Psa 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellious acts… in Your favor to Your people; God’s favor belongs to His covenant people, whom He chose and preserved despite their repeated rebellion. The psalmist does not seek blessing apart from Israel but identifies himself with the people to whom God gave His promises, worship, and inheritance. Moses likewise appealed to God’s favor as the ground for Israel’s continued presence before Him (Exodus 33:13). Psa 44:3 For it was not by their sword that they took the land;… visit me with Your salvation, The psalmist longs for God to intervene with deliverance and restoration. Israel’s history repeatedly showed that the Lord saves His people from enemies, exile, sin, and judgment when they turn to Him. Such salvation ultimately points forward to Jesus Christ, in whom God visited His people and provided redemption according to His promises (Luke 1:68–69). Luk 1:68-69 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,… that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, Israel was chosen by God’s covenant grace to be His treasured people and a witness among the nations (Deuteronomy 7:6; Exodus 19:5–6). The psalmist seeks not private advantage but participation in the good God grants His people—His favor, protection, restoration, and covenant blessing. Israel’s flourishing under faithful kings such as David and Solomon displayed God’s faithfulness, though the nation’s sin repeatedly brought discipline. Deu 33:29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you?… and rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, God’s saving acts produced public joy in Israel, especially in worship, feasts, deliverance from enemies, and renewed fellowship after repentance. The writer desires to share the people’s joy rather than remain separated from their hope. Such gladness points beyond Israel’s historical celebrations to the lasting joy secured through Christ, the promised Seed through whom God’s blessing reaches the nations (Galatians 3:16). Psa 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,… and give glory with Your inheritance. Israel belonged to the Lord as His inheritance, called to praise Him for His mercy and mighty works. The psalmist longs to stand among God’s redeemed people and join their worship. Through Christ, believing Jews and Gentiles are brought into God’s people and await the day when every nation will glorify the Lamb together (Ephesians 1:18; Revelation 5:9–13). Eph 1:18 I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,… We have sinned like our fathers; Israel’s worshipers confess that their generation has continued the rebellion of earlier generations. The psalm soon recounts the unbelief, idolatry, and grumbling that marked Israel’s wilderness journey after the exodus. Rather than blaming their ancestors, the people acknowledge their shared pattern of resisting God’s covenant mercy. Jer 3:25 Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us.… we have done wrong The confession includes both public failures and personal guilt. God had repeatedly revealed His will through the law, the prophets, His deliverances, and His patient discipline. Honest repentance begins when God’s people stop excusing sin and agree with His judgment. 1Ki 8:47 We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly… and acted wickedly. The admission recognizes conduct that was not merely mistaken but opposed to God’s holiness. Israel’s history included idolatry, injustice, distrust, and disregard for God’s commands. Yet the psalm’s confession is offered to the Lord whose steadfast love endures, pointing to the forgiveness and restoration He provides for those who turn to Him. Neh 9:33 You are just in all that has befallen us… Our fathers in Egypt Israel’s ancestors entered Egypt through Jacob’s household during the famine in Joseph’s day. There they multiplied into a great people, yet Egypt became the land of their oppression and slavery. Neh 9:9 You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt;… did not grasp Your wonders The plagues and judgments upon Egypt openly displayed the Lord’s power over Pharaoh, the created order, and Egypt’s false gods. Yet the nation did not respond with enduring faith or reverent understanding. Psa 78:11 They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. or remember Your abundant kindness; God had preserved Jacob’s family, heard their cries under bondage, and acted to redeem them. Forgetting His former mercies prepared their hearts for fear, complaint, and disobedience. Exo 34:6 Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out:… but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea. When Pharaoh’s army approached and the sea blocked their escape, Israel accused Moses and doubted God’s purpose in bringing them out of Egypt. The Lord nevertheless divided the waters, delivered His people, and destroyed their pursuers. Their passage through the sea became a defining act of redemption and foreshadowed the salvation God provides through Christ. Exo 14:11-12 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves… Yet He saved them Israel’s rescue from Egypt came despite their unbelief and rebellion at the Red Sea. God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and delivered a people who could not deliver themselves. The Exodus displays mercy grounded in God’s faithfulness rather than Israel’s worthiness. Exo 14:30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the Egyptians… for the sake of His name, God acted to uphold the honor of His holy character before Egypt and the nations. Having identified Israel as His covenant people, He would not allow Pharaoh’s defiance or Israel’s sin to overturn His declared purposes. His faithfulness to His name assures His people that His promises stand firm. Ezk 20:9 But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not… to make His power known. The plagues, the Passover, and the division of the Red Sea revealed the Lord’s supremacy over Pharaoh, Egypt’s gods, and creation itself. Israel’s salvation became a testimony to the nations that the God of Israel alone is mighty to save. The deliverance from Egypt also anticipates the greater redemption accomplished through Christ, whose death and resurrection reveal God’s power to save sinners from sin and death. Exo 9:16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose… He rebuked the Red Sea, The Lord exercised sovereign authority over the waters that stood between Israel and freedom. At His command, the sea that had seemed an impassable barrier became subject to His purpose, while Pharaoh’s pursuing army could not thwart His deliverance. Jesus displayed the same divine authority when He rebuked the wind and sea, bringing immediate calm (Mark 4:39). Exo 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,… and it dried up; God drove back the waters and provided dry ground for His people, fulfilling His promise to bring them out of Egypt (Exodus 14:21–22). Israel’s escape was not achieved by human strength or military power but by the Lord’s mighty hand. He still makes a way for His people where no way is visible. Jos 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters… He led them through the depths The God who opened the sea also personally guided Israel through it. The waters that ordinarily brought death became a path of salvation for those who followed Him, while the same waters brought judgment upon Egypt. Paul identifies the crossing as a foreshadowing of baptism, marking Israel’s separation from bondage and identification with God’s covenant people (1 Corinthians 10:1–2). Isa 63:13 who led them through the depths like a horse… as through a desert. Israel crossed the seabed with the security of travelers walking across dry wilderness ground. The Lord transformed the depths into a safe roadway, demonstrating that no created power can prevent Him from preserving and leading those whom He redeems. Heb 11:29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea… He saved them from the hand that hated them; Egypt’s Pharaoh enslaved Israel and subjected them to bitter labor, seeking even to destroy their sons (Exodus 1:13–16). The Lord heard the cries of His covenant people and displayed His authority over Pharaoh, Egypt’s gods, and every human power. Israel’s deliverance revealed that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had not forgotten His promises. Their rescue from Egypt also anticipates the greater deliverance accomplished by Jesus Christ, who frees His people from sin, death, and the dominion of darkness. Exo 14:30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the Egyptians… He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The Lord brought Israel out through the plagues, the Passover sacrifice, and the crossing of the Red Sea, where the pursuing Egyptian army was defeated (Exodus 12–14). Redemption belonged to God’s saving work, accomplished by His mighty power and received by a people unable to free themselves. The Passover especially points forward to Christ, whose blood redeems believers from bondage and secures their eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:18–19). Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed… The waters covered their foes; After Israel crossed on dry ground, the Lord caused the divided sea to return, overwhelming Pharaoh’s chariots, horsemen, and army (Exodus 14:26–28). The same waters that formed a path of deliverance for God’s people became instruments of judgment upon those who pursued them. Egypt’s military power, which had enslaved and terrorized Israel, could not resist the Creator’s command over the sea. Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them; they sank there like a stone. not one of them remained. God’s victory over Pharaoh was complete. No Egyptian force survived to recapture Israel or renew the oppression from which the Lord had redeemed them. The Red Sea deliverance displayed God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises and established Israel’s freedom to serve Him. Paul later connects the crossing of the sea with baptism, portraying Israel’s passage from bondage into a new life under God’s leadership (1 Corinthians 10:1–2). Exo 15:19 For when Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen… Then they believed His promises Israel’s faith arose after the Lord divided the Red Sea, brought His people safely through, and overthrew Pharaoh’s army. Their deliverance confirmed God’s covenant faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including His promise to bring their descendants out of bondage and into the land He had pledged to them. Exodus 14:31 records that the people feared the Lord and believed in Him and in Moses His servant. Psalm 106 also exposes the weakness of this response, for Israel soon forgot God’s works and rebelled against His guidance. Their history shows that genuine faith must continue in obedience and remembrance of God’s word. Exo 14:31 When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised… and sang His praise. Moses and the Israelites answered God’s victory with worship in the song recorded in Exodus 15, while Miriam led the women with tambourines and dancing. Their praise declared that the Lord alone had triumphed over Egypt and had become their salvation. Singing joined the congregation in remembering God’s mighty acts and confessing His glory before the nations. God’s people continue to praise Him not merely for past deliverance, but because His saving faithfulness endures and His promises are sure. Exo 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:… Yet they soon forgot His works Israel quickly lost sight of the Lord’s judgments in Egypt, His deliverance through the Red Sea, and His daily provision in the wilderness. Though they had witnessed unmistakable acts of power and mercy, remembrance did not govern their hearts for long. Their history warns God’s people against allowing present hardship or desire to eclipse the evidence of His past faithfulness. Moses therefore commanded Israel to remember God’s deeds and teach them to their children (Deuteronomy 4:9). Psa 78:11 They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. and failed to wait for His counsel. Rather than trusting the Lord to lead them in His time, Israel repeatedly demanded immediate answers and acted according to fear, appetite, and human reasoning. Their impatience appeared in their complaints for food, their refusal to enter Canaan, and their idolatry with the golden calf while Moses remained on Sinai. God’s counsel directs His people in ways that often require patience and trust; abandoning it leads to disobedience and spiritual ruin. Psa 27:14 Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous.… They craved intensely in the wilderness Israel despised the manna God faithfully supplied and longed for the foods of Egypt, forgetting the bondage from which the Lord had delivered them (Numbers 11:4–6). Their hunger became discontent because they measured God’s goodness by immediate appetite rather than by His covenant care. The wilderness exposed hearts still drawn toward the old life and unwilling to rest in God’s daily provision. Num 11:4 Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving… and tested God in the desert. Israel demanded proof that the Lord was present and able to sustain them, as at Massah, where they quarreled over water (Exodus 17:2–7). Such demands challenged the God who had already displayed His power in the exodus, at the Red Sea, and through manna from heaven. Scripture warns believers not to repeat that rebellion but to depend on God in seasons of trial, as Jesus trusted the Father during His wilderness temptation (Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:1–11). Exo 17:2 So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water…”… So He granted their request, God gave Israel quail in response to their craving, though their demand arose from discontent with manna, the bread He faithfully supplied each day. In Numbers 11:4–34, the people looked back longingly to Egypt and despised the provision that sustained them in the wilderness. Their desire for meat revealed hearts drawn more to remembered pleasures than to the God who had redeemed them. God’s granting of their demand showed His power and patience, but it did not signify His approval. Jesus directs His people toward a different priority: seeking first God’s kingdom and trusting the Father for daily needs (Matt. 6:31–33). Num 11:18-20 And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow,… but sent a wasting disease upon them. While the quail was still being eaten, the Lord struck the people with a severe plague at Kibroth-hattaavah, “the graves of craving” (Numbers 11:33–34). Their physical appetite had become an occasion for unbelief, rebellion, and contempt for God’s goodness. The judgment demonstrated that receiving what sinful desire demands can bring ruin rather than satisfaction. Paul recalls Israel’s wilderness failures as warnings for believers not to crave evil things, indulge idolatry, or presume upon God’s grace (1 Cor. 10:6–11). Num 11:33-34 But while the meat was still between their teeth,… In the camp Israel’s wilderness encampment was ordered around the tabernacle, where the LORD dwelt among His people. Rebellion within that community struck at the order God had established for worship, leadership, and holiness. Num 16:3 They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them… they envied Moses, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their followers resisted Moses’ God-given leadership (Numbers 16). Their complaint against Moses revealed rebellion against the LORD who had appointed him to lead Israel. Num 16:13 Brought us out of a land flowing with milk and honey… as well as Aaron, The rebels also challenged Aaron’s exclusive priestly office, demanding access to sacred duties God had not assigned to them. The judgment that followed confirmed that priestly service could not be seized by human ambition. Num 16:11 Therefore, it is you and all your followers… the holy one of the LORD. Aaron had been consecrated as Israel’s high priest and set apart for service before God. Though Aaron was himself a sinful man, his office pointed ahead to Jesus Christ, the perfect and eternal High Priest who alone brings His people into God’s presence. Exo 28:36 You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it… The earth opened up The Lord disrupted the created order to judge the rebellion of Dathan, Abiram, and their followers against Moses and Aaron. The ground itself became the instrument of God’s righteous judgment. Num 16:31-32 As soon as Moses had finished saying all this,… and swallowed Dathan; Dathan’s rejection of God’s appointed leadership ended in sudden and irreversible destruction, as recorded in Numbers 16. His fate warned Israel that rebellion against the Lord’s revealed order was rebellion against the Lord Himself. Num 26:10 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them… it covered the assembly of Abiram. Abiram and those united with him in the insurrection perished together. The judgment demonstrated that communal participation in sin brings communal accountability, while God preserves those who heed His word. Num 16:34-35 At their cries, all the people of Israel fled,… Then fire blazed through their company; God sent fire from His presence to consume the 250 men who joined Korah in rejecting the leadership He had established through Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:35). Dathan and Abiram, with their households, were swallowed by the earth, while the fire judged those who presumptuously sought the priesthood. The judgment displayed God’s holiness and confirmed that access to Him could not be claimed on human terms. Num 16:35 And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men… flames consumed the wicked. Those who opposed God’s ordained order were judged as wicked because their rebellion was ultimately against the Lord Himself. Israel was meant to remember that sin brings real judgment and that no one may approach God apart from His appointed provision. The priestly mediation foreshadowed the perfect mediation of Jesus Christ, who bears the judgment sinners deserve and brings His people safely into God’s presence. Psa 21:9 You will place them in a fiery furnace… At Horeb Israel turned to idolatry at the mountain where God had revealed His holiness, spoken His law, and established His covenant with them. Deu 5:2-4 The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.… they made a calf While Moses remained before the Lord, the people pressed Aaron to fashion an idol from their gold. The calf reflected the corrupt worship they had known in Egypt and openly violated God’s command against making images for worship. Exo 32:1-4 Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed… and worshiped a molten image. They exchanged devotion to the living God for a work of human hands. Moses interceded for the nation, yet the event exposed Israel’s need for a faithful mediator and warned against forsaking God when His presence seems distant. Exo 32:8 How quickly they have turned aside from the way… They exchanged their Glory Israel forsook the Lord, whose presence, power, and covenant love had set them apart from every nation. The God who delivered them through the Red Sea, led them by the cloud and fire, and provided bread from heaven was their true honor and protection. Their rebellion revealed the dreadful folly of turning from the Creator after personally witnessing His mighty works. Jer 2:11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods…)… for the image of a grass-eating ox. At Mount Sinai, while Moses received God’s law, the people persuaded Aaron to make the golden calf (Exodus 32:1–6). They bowed before an image of a creature sustained by the grass God had made. The calf may have reflected Egyptian religious imagery, but Israel’s sin was especially grievous because they credited an idol with the deliverance God alone had accomplished. Jeremiah likewise condemned those who exchanged their glory for what cannot profit (Jeremiah 2:11), and Paul identified such idolatry as mankind’s exchange of the immortal God for created images (Romans 1:23). Christ, the true image of the invisible God, reveals the Father perfectly and stands in absolute contrast to every false object of worship (Colossians 1:15). Exo 32:4 He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving… They forgot God their Savior, Israel’s failure was more than a lapse of memory; they neglected the Lord who had rescued them from slavery and made them His covenant people. The title Savior identifies God as the Deliverer who acted when Israel could not save itself. Though they had witnessed His power, they repeatedly turned toward fear, unbelief, and idolatry. Their history warns God’s people against neglecting His former mercies, as Deuteronomy 6:12 commands them not to forget the Lord who brought them out of Egypt. Isa 17:10 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation… who did great things in Egypt, The Lord displayed His sovereignty through the plagues, judging Pharaoh’s hardened rule and the false gods of Egypt. The Passover, the death of Egypt’s firstborn, and Israel’s departure from bondage revealed God’s faithfulness to His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Egypt’s deliverance became the defining Old Testament picture of redemption: God brought His people out by His power and through the blood of a substitute. It anticipates the greater salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ, who delivers His people from sin and death. Deu 11:3 the signs and works He did in Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt… wondrous works in the land of Ham, Egypt (the land of Ham) witnessed the Lord’s judgments upon Pharaoh and the gods of the nation through the plagues. God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, exposed Egypt’s false powers, and brought Israel out from slavery by His mighty hand. Psa 105:27 They performed His miraculous signs among them,… and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. At the Red Sea, the Lord divided the waters for Israel and destroyed Pharaoh’s pursuing army when the waters returned. Israel passed from bondage into freedom under God’s protection, an event later associated with baptism and fulfilled deliverance through Christ. Exo 14:21-31 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,… So He said He would destroy them— At Sinai, Israel quickly abandoned the God who had redeemed them, making and worshiping the golden calf. Their idolatry violated the covenant and provoked the righteous judgment of the Lord. God’s holiness cannot overlook rebellion, though His judgment was not the final word. Exo 32:10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them… had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach Moses interceded for Israel, pleading on the basis of God’s covenant promises, His glory among the nations, and His mercy. Like a defender standing in a broken wall to keep destruction from entering, Moses placed himself between the guilty people and the judgment they deserved. God had chosen him to lead Israel and to serve as their mediator. Moses foreshadowed Christ, the greater Mediator, who not only intercedes for His people but secured their salvation through His own sacrifice. Ezk 22:30 I searched for a man among them to repair the wall… to divert His wrath from destroying them. The Lord spared Israel from immediate national destruction, though sin still brought severe judgment through the death of idolaters, a plague, and the later judgment of the unbelieving wilderness generation. Mercy did not excuse their sin; it preserved them according to God’s covenant faithfulness. In Christ, believers are saved from the wrath to come because He bore judgment in their place and now intercedes before the Father. Exo 32:14 So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened… They despised the pleasant land; Canaan was God’s gift to Israel, a fertile land flowing with milk and honey and prepared for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. At Kadesh-barnea, the people allowed the fearful report of ten spies to outweigh God’s command and promise. Though Joshua and Caleb testified that the Lord would give them victory, the congregation grumbled, wept, and spoke of returning to Egypt. Their rejection of the land revealed contempt for God’s provision, leadership, and covenant faithfulness. Num 14:31 But I will bring your children into the land… they did not believe His promise. God had repeatedly pledged to bring Israel into Canaan and had displayed His power through the Exodus, the Red Sea crossing, and His provision in the wilderness. Unbelief did not arise from a lack of evidence but from hearts unwilling to trust the God who had spoken. That generation was therefore forbidden to enter the land, while Joshua, Caleb, and the next generation received the inheritance. Hebrews recalls this rebellion as a warning that unbelief hardens the heart and turns people away from the living God. Deu 1:32 But in spite of all this, you did not trust the LORD… They grumbled in their tents Israel’s rebellion spread even through the privacy of family life and the camp. Though the LORD had redeemed them from Egypt, sustained them with manna, and led them toward Canaan, many distrusted His goodness. After the spies’ report, the people wept, complained, and wished to return to Egypt rather than receive the land God had promised them (Numbers 14:1–4). Their tents, meant to shelter a pilgrim people under God’s care, became places of unbelief and discontent. Deu 1:27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “Because the LORD hates… and did not listen to the voice of the LORD. The people rejected God’s command to enter the land and refused the faithful counsel of Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb. Their disobedience brought God’s judgment: the unbelieving generation would die in the wilderness, while their children would inherit Canaan (Numbers 14:26–35). Psalm 106 recalls this history as a warning that hearing God’s word requires humble trust and obedient response. Jer 44:23 Because you burned incense and sinned against the LORD… So He raised His hand God lifted His hand as the solemn sign of an oath, declaring the certainty of His judgment. Israel had rejected the good land God promised after hearing the fearful report of the ten spies, refusing to trust His power and faithfulness. Ezk 20:5-6 This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel… and swore The Lord bound Himself to His declaration, swearing by His own life and authority. Though He remained faithful to His covenant promises, the unbelieving generation would bear the consequences of its rebellion. Caleb and Joshua, who trusted the Lord, were preserved to enter the land. Deu 1:34-35 When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry… to cast them down in the wilderness, The adults who came out of Egypt died during forty years of wilderness wandering, corresponding to the forty days the spies searched Canaan. Their judgment became a lasting warning that privilege, deliverance, and outward association with God do not replace obedient faith. Hebrews 3:16–19 applies their failure to believers, urging perseverance and trust in God’s word. Num 14:32-35 As for you, however, your bodies will fall… to disperse their offspring among the nations God’s judgment extended beyond the wilderness generation to their descendants, who would inherit the consequences of persistent covenant unfaithfulness. Israel’s later exile under Assyria and Babylon fulfilled the warnings given through Moses that disobedience would lead to removal from the land (Deuteronomy 28:64; 2 Kings 17:6; 25:21). Yet dispersion did not cancel God’s promises to preserve a remnant and restore His people in His appointed time. Deu 28:32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation… and scatter them throughout the lands. Israel’s scattering among foreign peoples displayed the seriousness of idolatry, unbelief, and rebellion against the Lord. Removed from the land given to Abraham’s descendants, they experienced the bitter results of abandoning the God who had redeemed them. The prophets also looked beyond judgment to a future gathering, when God would bring His people back and establish them in faithful worship (Ezekiel 11:17; 36:24). Ezk 11:16 Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says:… They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor At Peor, Israel abandoned covenant loyalty to the Lord and joined the worship of a Moabite deity through sexual immorality and idolatrous rites (Numbers 25:1–3). The rebellion occurred on the plains of Moab, near the threshold of the Promised Land, after Balak’s efforts to curse Israel had failed. What pagan opposition could not accomplish by divination, temptation accomplished through seduction and false worship. Israel’s attachment to Baal of Peor violated the command to have no other gods and provoked the Lord’s righteous judgment. A plague fell upon the people until Phinehas acted with zeal for God’s holiness, and twenty-four thousand died (Numbers 25:6–9). The event warns that spiritual compromise often begins with fellowship that draws the heart away from God. Num 25:1-3 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began… and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods. Meals connected with idol sacrifices were acts of participation in pagan worship, not merely ordinary eating. Israel shared in rituals devoted to gods that could neither see, hear, nor save, forsaking the living God who had redeemed them from Egypt. The dead idols stood in sharp contrast to the Lord, whose covenant presence sustained His people in the wilderness. Paul draws upon this reality when warning believers that participation in idolatrous worship is incompatible with fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:18–21). True worship centers on the one living God and on the sacrifice of Christ, who gave Himself to cleanse His people from idolatry and make them His own. Deu 32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to newly arrived gods… So they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, At Baal-peor, Israel joined itself to Moabite idolatry and sexual immorality, abandoning covenant loyalty to the God who had redeemed them (Numbers 25:1–3). Their rebellion reflected a persistent pattern seen throughout the wilderness years: distrust of God, rejection of His commands, and compromise with surrounding pagan worship. God’s anger revealed His holy opposition to sin and His determination to preserve His people from the destruction that idolatry brings. Believers likewise are called to reject conduct that grieves the Holy Spirit and dishonors the Lord who has redeemed them (Ephesians 4:30). Num 25:1-3 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began… and a plague broke out among them. God’s judgment fell upon the camp, and twenty-four thousand Israelites died before Phinehas acted with zeal for God’s holiness and the plague was stopped (Numbers 25:6–9). The plague demonstrated the covenant consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness, while its cessation displayed God’s mercy in providing atonement. Phinehas’s intervention foreshadowed the need for a faithful mediator to turn away judgment. Christ ultimately bore the judgment sin deserves and provides lasting reconciliation for all who come to God through Him. Num 25:8-9 followed the Israelite into the tent… But Phinehas stood and intervened, Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, acted during Israel’s rebellion at Baal Peor. As Israelites joined themselves to Moabite idolatry and sexual immorality, Zimri openly brought Cozbi, a Midianite woman, into the camp. Phinehas executed God’s judgment upon them, displaying zeal for the Lord’s holiness when national leaders had failed to restrain the sin. God later granted him a covenant of peace and confirmed an enduring priesthood through his line (Numbers 25:10–13). Num 25:7-8 On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron… and the plague was restrained. The plague that had killed twenty-four thousand Israelites ended when judgment fell upon the defiant offenders. God’s response showed that Phinehas acted in harmony with His righteous purpose. Phinehas’s priestly intervention anticipates Christ’s greater work: Christ alone bore divine judgment for sin and intercedes for His people, securing peace with God through His sacrifice. 2Sa 24:25 And there he built an altar to the LORD and… It was credited to him as righteousness Phinehas acted in faith-filled obedience when Israel’s covenant unfaithfulness at Baal-peor brought God’s judgment upon the camp. By executing Zimri and Cozbi, he turned away the plague and upheld the holiness of the Lord among His people (Numbers 25:7–13). God regarded his zeal as righteous because it arose from loyalty to God’s covenant rather than personal ambition. Like Abraham’s faith, credited as righteousness in Genesis 15:6, Phinehas’s obedience revealed a heart aligned with God’s will. Gen 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him… for endless generations to come. God confirmed Phinehas’s faithfulness by granting him a covenant of peace and a lasting priesthood through his descendants. His line served as a continuing witness that God honors those who fear Him and guard the holiness of His covenant. The enduring priesthood promised to Phinehas also anticipates the greater and permanent priesthood of Jesus Christ, who lives forever to intercede for His people (Hebrews 7:24–25). Num 25:13 It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood… At the waters of Meribah Meribah, meaning “quarreling,” memorialized Israel’s rebellion against God’s provision. Although Israel had already seen the LORD deliver them from Egypt, sustain them in the wilderness, and provide water at Rephidim, the people again contended with Moses at Kadesh when water failed. Their demand revealed unbelief in the presence and faithfulness of the God who had led them. Num 20:13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites… they angered the LORD, Israel’s complaints were directed ultimately against the LORD. Their rebellion treated His past mercies as insufficient and tested His patience despite repeated evidence of His power. Meribah stands alongside the golden calf, Korah’s rebellion, and other wilderness sins as a warning that unbelief provokes the holy God. Num 20:10-12 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly… and trouble came to Moses because of them. Moses and Aaron bore the pressure of a rebellious people, yet Moses also sinned when he struck the rock rather than speaking to it as God commanded. By acting contrary to the LORD’s word, he failed to honor God as holy before the congregation. God therefore decreed that Moses would not lead Israel into the Promised Land. The incident shows both the weight of spiritual leadership and the necessity of obedience, even for God’s most faithful servants. Deu 1:37 The LORD was also angry with me on your account,… For they rebelled against His Spirit, Israel repeatedly resisted God’s holy presence and guidance in the wilderness. At Meribah, the people quarreled over water, accused God and Moses of bringing them into the desert to die, and refused to trust the Lord’s provision (Numbers 20:2–5). Their unbelief was rebellion against the God who had redeemed them from Egypt, led them by the cloud and fire, and faithfully supplied their needs. The incident exposed the seriousness of resisting divine authority even after receiving abundant evidence of God’s faithfulness. Isa 63:10-11 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit.… and Moses spoke rashly with his lips. Moses was provoked by the people’s rebellion and responded in anger: “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10). God had commanded him to speak to the rock, but Moses struck it twice and spoke as though he and Aaron were the source of the water. The Lord still provided for His people, yet He disciplined Moses for failing to honor Him before the congregation (Numbers 20:12). Even a faithful servant of God must obey Him carefully and give Him alone the glory for His works. Num 20:10-12 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly… They did not destroy the peoples Israel allowed Canaanite nations to remain in the land despite God’s command to remove them. The command involved God’s judgment on entrenched wickedness and protected Israel from idolatry, child sacrifice, and other corrupt religious practices (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 20:16–18). Their continued presence became a snare, as Israel adopted their worship and ways. Jdg 1:27-36 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out… as the LORD had commanded them, The failure was covenant disobedience, not merely incomplete military conquest. Judges records that the nations left in the land tested Israel and repeatedly drew them into apostasy (Judges 2:1–3). Psalm 106 traces Israel’s later spiritual ruin to this refusal to obey God fully, revealing the need for the faithful obedience accomplished by Christ. Deu 7:1-2 When the LORD your God brings you into the land… but they mingled with the nations Israel disregarded God’s command to drive out the Canaanite peoples and avoid covenantal alliances with them (Deuteronomy 7:1–5). During the period of the judges, Israelites lived among the Canaanites, intermarried with them, and entered relationships that weakened their loyalty to the Lord (Judges 3:5–6). What began as coexistence became spiritual compromise, as God’s people lost the distinctiveness required by their covenant calling. Deu 7:3-4 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters… and adopted their customs. Israel embraced the idolatrous worship and moral practices of surrounding nations, including devotion to Baal and Asherah (Judges 2:11–13). Such syncretism violated the first commandment and brought repeated discipline from God. The nation’s willingness to conform to pagan culture revealed a deeper rejection of the Lord’s covenant, a pattern that ultimately contributed to the judgments and exile warned of by the prophets. Jer 10:2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways… They worshiped their idols, Israel abandoned exclusive devotion to the Lord and adopted the gods of the Canaanites, including Baal and Ashtoreth. These practices often involved immorality, divination, and even the sacrifice of children. The people whom God redeemed from Egypt and bound to Himself by covenant gave to lifeless images the worship due to their Creator. Act 7:41 At that time they made a calf and offered… which became a snare to them. The idols Israel tolerated became instruments of spiritual bondage and moral ruin. God had warned that the nations’ gods would trap His people and turn their hearts from Him (Exodus 23:33; Deuteronomy 7:16). Their idolatry repeatedly brought oppression in the days of the judges and ultimately contributed to the judgment of exile. Anything that receives the trust, love, or obedience belonging to God can likewise draw the heart away from faithful worship. Deu 7:16 You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God… They sacrificed their sons and their daughters Israel adopted the detestable practices of the nations rather than driving them out as God commanded. Child sacrifice, associated with the worship of Molech and other Canaanite deities, was expressly forbidden by the Law (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 12:31). Such offerings appeared in Israel during periods of deep apostasy, including the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6). The shedding of their children’s blood defiled the land and revealed a covenant people abandoning the God who had given them life and deliverance. 2Ki 17:17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire… to demons. The sacrifices were directed toward idols, but Scripture identifies the spiritual powers behind idolatry as demonic (Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:20). Israel’s rebellion was therefore not merely cultural compromise or religious error; it was fellowship with hostile spiritual forces opposed to the Lord. The horror of child sacrifice exposed the destructive character of false worship, which demanded death rather than leading people to the living God. Deu 32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to newly arrived gods… They shed innocent blood— Israel’s rebellion reached the point of murder, violating God’s command against taking innocent life. The worship of false gods produced not only spiritual adultery but cruelty toward the helpless. Pro 6:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed… the blood of their sons and daughters, The victims were their own children, entrusted to them by God. Rather than receiving their sons and daughters as His heritage, many Israelites delivered them to death in pursuit of prosperity, protection, or favor from pagan deities. 2Ki 17:17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire… whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, Israel adopted abominable Canaanite practices despite God’s repeated warnings (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 12:31). Child sacrifice associated with Molech and other false gods revealed a deliberate rejection of the covenant and of the Lord’s exclusive claim upon His people. Jer 19:5 They have built high places to Baal on which to burn… and the land was polluted with blood. Innocent blood cried out for God’s judgment and defiled the land He had given Israel (Numbers 35:33–34). Such guilt contributed to the judgment that led to exile. The pollution caused by sin ultimately points to the need for cleansing through the blood of Christ, who gives forgiveness and restores those who turn to Him. Num 35:33-34 Do not pollute the land where you live, … They defiled themselves by their actions Israel’s idolatry polluted the people whom God had set apart as His own. Their worship of Canaanite gods, including practices associated with child sacrifice and moral corruption, violated the covenant commands given at Sinai (Exodus 20:3–5; Deuteronomy 18:9–12). Sin was not private in its consequences: the nation’s rebellion brought guilt upon the land and invited God’s judgment (Psalm 106:40–42). Ezk 36:17-18 Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land,… and prostituted themselves by their deeds. The Lord had bound Himself to Israel in covenant faithfulness, and idolatry therefore amounted to spiritual adultery. Like Hosea’s unfaithful wife, Israel pursued other gods and adopted the ways of surrounding nations rather than trusting the Lord who redeemed them from Egypt (Hosea 1:2; 4:12). Yet Psalm 106 also remembers God’s mercy: when His people cried out in distress, He regarded their affliction and remembered His covenant (Psalm 106:44–45). Christ fulfills the promised restoration, cleansing His people from defilement and establishing the new covenant through His blood (Hebrews 8:6–13). Deu 31:16 And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest… So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, Israel’s persistent idolatry, unbelief, and rebellion provoked the holy anger of the covenant God. The psalm recalls generations who forgot His works, tested Him in the wilderness, worshiped idols, and adopted the corrupt practices of the nations. God’s judgment fulfilled the warnings given at Sinai, where covenant blessing depended on faithful devotion to Him. His anger was never capricious; it was the righteous response of the Lord whose people had despised His mercy and rejected His commands. Exo 32:10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them… and He abhorred His own inheritance. Israel belonged to the LORD as His chosen possession and allotted people (Deuteronomy 32:9). Their sin became so grievous that He gave them into the hand of the nations, as the following verses recount. Yet divine judgment did not cancel God’s covenant purposes. Psalm 106 later testifies that He remembered His covenant and showed compassion when they cried to Him. Israel’s repeated failures reveal the need for a faithful Redeemer, fulfilled in Christ, who bore sin’s judgment and secures the restoration of all who belong to God through faith. Psa 78:59 On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel… He delivered them into the hand of the nations, The Lord gave Israel over to foreign powers after repeated rebellion, idolatry, and rejection of His commands. The pattern appears in Judges, when Israel served surrounding peoples after turning to their gods, and later in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. Such judgment fulfilled the covenant warnings of Deuteronomy 28, showing that persistent disobedience brings discipline rather than blessing. Yet God’s judgments were also meant to expose sin and lead His people to repentance. Neh 9:27 So You delivered them into the hands of enemies… and those who hated them ruled over them. Israel endured oppression under enemies such as the Moabites, Philistines, Assyrians, and Babylonians. The nations that ruled them often despised the Lord and His people, making Israel’s subjection especially grievous. Psalm 106 remembers this suffering alongside God’s mercy, for He repeatedly heard their cries and raised deliverers. Israel’s bondage points beyond political oppression to humanity’s deeper slavery to sin, from which Christ delivers all who trust in Him. Neh 9:37 Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us.… Their enemies oppressed them Israel’s oppression fulfilled the covenant warnings of Leviticus 26:17 and Deuteronomy 28:33. In the period of the judges, nations such as the Moabites, Midianites, Canaanites, and Philistines afflicted Israel when the people abandoned the Lord for idols. God’s discipline exposed the misery of life apart from His rule and called His people to repentance. Their repeated cries for mercy revealed that deliverance could come only from the God they had forsaken. Jdg 2:14 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel,… and subdued them under their hand. Enemy rule brought Israel into servitude and stripped the nation of security, land, and freedom. The pattern later reached its most severe historical fulfillment in the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom and the Babylonian exile of Judah. Yet the Lord did not abandon His covenant people forever. Israel’s bondage points beyond political captivity to humanity’s deeper slavery to sin, from which Christ delivers all who belong to Him (Romans 6:18). Psa 47:3 He subdues nations beneath us, and peoples under our feet. Many times He rescued them, Israel’s history repeatedly displayed the Lord’s covenant mercy. He brought His people out of Egypt, preserved them in the wilderness, gave them victory in Canaan, and raised up judges when surrounding nations oppressed them. Deliverance came not because Israel deserved it, but because God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and acted for the honor of His name. Neh 9:27 So You delivered them into the hands of enemies… but they were bent on rebellion After receiving God’s help, Israel repeatedly returned to idolatry, unbelief, and disobedience. The period of the judges especially reveals this pattern: the people forsook the Lord, suffered oppression, cried out in distress, and were rescued again. Their rebellion was deliberate resistance to God’s revealed will, showing the deep corruption of the human heart and the inability of external blessings alone to produce faithfulness. Deu 31:27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are.… and sank down in their iniquity. Persistent sin brought humiliation, defeat, and bondage upon the nation. Israel’s decline eventually culminated in exile, when both kingdoms fell under God’s judgment. Yet the record of their failure also magnifies the need for the greater Deliverer, Jesus Christ, who rescues sinners not merely from earthly enemies but from sin, judgment, and death. Pro 14:32 The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin,… Nevertheless He heard their cry; Israel’s rebellion and idolatry had brought severe discipline, yet the Lord did not abandon the people of His covenant. He heard them as He had heard their groaning in Egypt, remembering His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Divine mercy did not excuse their sin; it provided deliverance for a people who had repeatedly proved unable to save themselves. God’s readiness to hear the afflicted reveals His faithful character and His commitment to restore those who turn to Him. Exo 3:7-8 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction… He took note of their distress. The Lord saw both the oppression Israel endured under its enemies and the deeper misery produced by its disobedience. His knowledge was personal and active, leading Him to raise deliverers during the period of the judges and to preserve Israel despite its repeated failures. God’s compassion toward His distressed people anticipates the saving work of Christ, the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep, bears their sin, and delivers them from the bondage they cannot escape on their own. Exo 2:25 God saw the Israelites and took notice. And He remembered His covenant with them, God acted according to His binding promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to the covenant relationship He established with Israel. His remembering denotes purposeful intervention, as when He heard Israel’s groaning in Egypt and moved to deliver them (Exodus 2:24). Israel’s rebellion had brought deserved discipline, yet God did not abandon the people He had chosen. His faithfulness rested on His own character and pledged word. Exo 2:24 So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant… and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion. God withheld the full judgment Israel deserved because His mercy is abundant and enduring. He had disciplined them through oppression and exile, but His covenant love moved Him to preserve a remnant and provide hope for restoration. The same mercy reaches its fullest revelation in Jesus Christ, through whom God forgives repentant sinners and restores them to fellowship with Himself. Jon 4:2 So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD,… He made them objects of compassion Even under judgment for persistent rebellion, Israel was not abandoned by the covenant God. The Lord restrained the severity of their enemies and moved captors to show mercy, as He had done for Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39:21) and later for the exiles in Babylon. Cyrus’s decree allowing Judah’s return demonstrated that kings and empires remain under God’s rule (Ezra 1:1–3). Divine discipline served restoration, preserving the people through whom the promised Messiah would come. Exo 12:36 And the LORD gave the people such favor… to all who held them captive. Israel’s bondage under foreign powers exposed the consequences of idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, yet captivity could not cancel God’s promises. The Lord who turned the hearts of Israel’s captors also accomplished the greater deliverance in Christ, who frees His people from slavery to sin and brings them into the mercy of God. 2Ki 25:27-30 On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month… Save us, O LORD our God, Israel appeals to Yahweh as the covenant God who alone can deliver His people. The psalm remembers repeated rebellion, judgment, and mercy, yet ends in confidence that God remains faithful to His covenant. Israel’s need for rescue points beyond political deliverance to the deeper human need for salvation from sin. Jesus fulfills that hope as the Savior who delivers His people from judgment and brings them to God. 2Ki 19:19 And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand,… and gather us from the nations, The petition anticipates the regathering of Israelites scattered through conquest and exile, especially among the nations that carried them away. God promised through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel to restore His people to their land and renew them under His rule. The return from Babylon gave an initial fulfillment, while the prophetic hope ultimately reaches toward God’s final restoration and the gathering of redeemed people from every nation through Christ. Ezk 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations… that we may give thanks to Your holy name, Deliverance is sought not merely for relief, but so that God’s people may worship Him rightly. God’s holy name represents His revealed character—His faithfulness, mercy, righteousness, and power. A restored people should publicly acknowledge that their salvation came from the Lord rather than from human strength. Psa 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones,… that we may glory in Your praise. The desired end of salvation is joyful worship centered on God’s greatness. God rescues His people so that they may delight in Him and declare His praise before the world. All redemption finds its proper goal when those whom God has saved live for His glory. 1Ch 16:35 Then cry out: ‘Save us, O God of our salvation;…… Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 106 closes with worship after recounting Israel’s repeated unbelief, rebellion, and deliverance. The God who judged sin also preserved His covenant people, proving Himself faithful across every generation. His reign has no beginning or end; He remains the same God revealed in creation, in Israel’s history, and in Jesus Christ, whose kingdom will never pass away. Psa 41:13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel… Let all the people say, “Amen!” Israel was summoned to join in affirming the truth of God’s praise and the certainty of His covenant faithfulness. “Amen” was not a passive response but the congregation’s agreement that the LORD alone is worthy of trust, obedience, and worship. God’s redeemed people are called to confess together what He has done. Deu 27:15 Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—… Hallelujah! Praise is the fitting end of confession, remembrance, and hope. The LORD’s mercy toward Israel points forward to His greater redemption through Christ, who saves His people from sin and will reign forever. The heavenly multitude will also cry “Hallelujah” (“Praise the LORD”) when God’s righteous victory is fully revealed. Rev 19:1 After this I heard a sound like the roar… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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