I Will Open My Mouth in Parables (Matthew 13:34–35)
1 ULT A maskil of Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. BSB BSB: A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.
2 ULT I will open my mouth in a parable; I will pour out riddles from antiquity. BSB BSB: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
3 ULT These are things that we have heard and learned, things that our fathers have told us. BSB BSB: that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
4 ULT We will not keep them from their descendants. We will tell the next generation about the praises of Yahweh, his strength, and his wonders that he has done. BSB BSB: We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed.
5 ULT And he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach them to their children, BSB BSB: For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
6 ULT So that the later generation might know, the children yet to be born, and they will rise up and tell to their children. BSB BSB: that the coming generation would know them—even children yet to be born—to arise and tell their own children
7 ULT And they would place their confidence in God and not forget the deeds of God but keep his commandments. BSB BSB: that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.
8 ULT And they would not be like their fathers, a stubborn generation and a rebellious generation,{ which} did not cause its heart to be steadfast, and its spirit was not faithful with God. BSB BSB: Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 ULT The sons of Ephraim being armed{ with} shooters of bows, they turned back on the day of battle. BSB BSB: The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.
10 ULT They did not keep the covenant of God, and they refused to walk in his law. BSB BSB: They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.
11 ULT And they forgot his deeds, and his wonders that he had shown them. BSB BSB: They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.
12 ULT He did wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the territory of Zoan. BSB BSB: He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
13 ULT He divided the sea and led them across it, and he made the waters to stand like a heap. BSB BSB: He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
14 ULT And by day he led them with the cloud and all the night with the light of fire. BSB BSB: He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
15 ULT He split open the rocks in the wilderness, and he gave drink abundantly as the deep. BSB BSB: He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.
16 ULT He made streams flow out of the rock and made the water flow like rivers. BSB BSB: He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
17 ULT And they added still to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the dry land. BSB BSB: But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18 ULT And they tested God in their hearts by asking{ for} food for their appetite. BSB BSB: They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
19 ULT And they spoke against God. They said,“Can God arrange a table in the wilderness? BSB BSB: They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 ULT Behold, he struck the rock and waters gushed out and streams overflowed. Is he able to give bread also? Or can he provide meat for his people?” BSB BSB: When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
21 ULT Therefore, Yahweh heard and was furious, and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and also{ his} nose went up against Israel, BSB BSB: Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,
22 ULT because they did not believe in God and did not trust in his salvation. BSB BSB: because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.
23 ULT Yet he commanded the clouds from above and opened the doors of the sky. BSB BSB: Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
24 ULT And he rained down manna to eat on them, and gave to them the grain of heaven. BSB BSB: He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.
25 ULT Man ate the bread of the mighty. He sent to them provision to{ their} satisfaction. BSB BSB: Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
26 ULT He caused the east wind to blow in the sky, and by his power he guided the south wind. BSB BSB: He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.
27 ULT And he rained down meat on them like dust, and birds of wing as the sands of the sea. BSB BSB: He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.
28 ULT And he caused them to fall in the middle of his camp, around his dwellings. BSB BSB: He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
29 ULT And they ate and were very satisfied. And he brought their craving to them. BSB BSB: So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.
30 ULT They were not separated from their craving, their food was still in their mouth, BSB BSB: Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,
31 ULT and the nose of God went up in them and he killed some of their stoutest people, and he caused the young men of Israel to bow down. BSB BSB: God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.
32 ULT In all this they sinned again, and did not believe in his wonders. BSB BSB: In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.
33 ULT So he consumed their days in a vapor, and their years in terror. BSB BSB: So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
34 ULT When he killed them, then they would seek him, and they would return and look earnestly for God. BSB BSB: When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
35 ULT And they would remember that God was their rock and{ that} God Most High was their redeemer. BSB BSB: And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
36 ULT And they would deceive him with their mouth and lie to him with their tongues. BSB BSB: But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
37 ULT And their hearts were not steadfast with him, and they were not faithful in his covenant. BSB BSB: Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.
38 ULT Yet he,{ being} merciful, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them. And many times he held back his nose and did not stir up all his wrath. BSB BSB: And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
39 ULT And he remembered that they were flesh, a wind going and it does not return. BSB BSB: He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
40 ULT How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness! They grieved him in the desert! BSB BSB: How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
41 ULT And they returned and they tested God and grieved the Holy{ One} of Israel. BSB BSB: Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 ULT They did not remember his hand, the day when he redeemed them from the adversary, BSB BSB: They did not remember His power—the day He redeemed them from the adversary,
43 ULT when he set his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan. BSB BSB: when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
44 ULT And he turned their rivers to blood and their streams they could not drink. BSB BSB: He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
45 ULT He sent a swarm among them, and it devoured them, and the frog and it destroyed them. BSB BSB: He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
46 ULT And he gave their produce to the locust and their labor to the swarming locust. BSB BSB: He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 ULT He slew their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost. BSB BSB: He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 ULT And he gave over their cattle to the hail and their livestock to the bolts of lightning. BSB BSB: He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 ULT He sent among them the burning of his nose, fury and indignation and distress, a group of messengers of calamity. BSB BSB: He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity—a band of destroying angels.
50 ULT He made level a path for his anger; he did not spare their soul from death, and their life he gave over to the plague. BSB BSB: He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
51 ULT And he struck every firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of strength in the tents of Ham. BSB BSB: He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
52 ULT And he made his people journey like sheep, and he led them like a flock in the wilderness. BSB BSB: He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53 ULT And he guided them in security, and they did not fear, and the sea covered their enemies. BSB BSB: He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
54 ULT And he brought them to the border of his holiness, this mountain that his right hand acquired. BSB BSB: He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
55 ULT And he drove out nations from before them and caused them to fall in a portion of inheritance, and he caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. BSB BSB: He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 ULT But they tested and rebelled against God Most High, and they did not keep his testimonies. BSB BSB: But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
57 ULT And they turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; they turned themselves like a bow of deceit. BSB BSB: They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
58 ULT And they provoked him to anger with their high places, and with their carved images they moved him to jealousy. BSB BSB: They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.
59 ULT God heard and was furious, and he rejected Israel greatly. BSB BSB: On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.
60 ULT And he abandoned the dwelling of Shiloh, the tent{ in which} he had dwelt among mankind. BSB BSB: He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.
61 ULT And he gave his strength to captivity and his splendor into the hand of the enemy. BSB BSB: He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.
62 ULT And he delivered his people over to the sword, and he was furious with his inheritance. BSB BSB: He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
63 ULT Fire consumed his young men, and his virgins were not praised{ in} wedding songs. BSB BSB: Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
64 ULT His priests fell by the sword, and his widows did not weep. BSB BSB: His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
65 ULT Then the Lord awoke as one sleeping, as a mighty man shouting from wine. BSB BSB: Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.
66 ULT And he struck his adversaries backward; he gave to them a reproach of perpetuity. BSB BSB: He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.
67 ULT And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. BSB BSB: He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.
68 ULT But he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. BSB BSB: But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
69 ULT And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth he founded it forever. BSB BSB: He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.
70 ULT And he chose David his servant and took him from the folds of the flock. BSB BSB: He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 ULT From behind the nursing ewes he brought him, to shepherd Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance. BSB BSB: from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
72 ULT And he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and with the skillfulness of his hands he guided them. BSB BSB: So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.
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