Psalms 78:18

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And they tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵ֥ל בִּלְבָבָ֑ם לִֽשְׁאָל־אֹ֥כֶל לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃

Transliteration

And they wayᵉnassû-ʾēl in their bilḇāḇām to ask-lišʾāl-ʾōḵel for their lᵉnap̄šām

Grammar Details

*wayᵉnassû*: waw consecutive + piel imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - and they tested/tried
*ʾēl*: noun, masculine singular - God
*bilḇāḇām*: preposition + noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - in their heart
*lišʾāl*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - to ask/request
*ʾōḵel*: noun, masculine singular - food
*lᵉnap̄šām*: preposition + noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - for their appetite/desire

Word Meanings

*wayᵉnassû*: and they tested/tried/put to the test
*ʾēl*: God/mighty one/power
*lēḇāḇ*: heart/mind/inner person
*lišʾāl*: to ask/request/demand
*ʾōḵel*: food/nourishment/provisions
*nep̄eš*: appetite/desire/life/self/person

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Num 11:4 : 4 And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
1 Cor 10:9 : 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them {G2532} made trial, and perished by the serpents.
Jas 4:2-3 : 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot {G3756} obtain: ye fight and war; {G1161} ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend [it] in your pleasures.
Exod 16:2-3 : 2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness: 3 and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Deut 6:16 : 16 Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
Ps 95:9 : 9 When your fathers tempted me, Proved me, and saw my work.
Ps 106:14-15 : 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.
1 Cor 10:6 : 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 78:28-32
5 verses
83%
28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their habitations.
29So they did eat, and were well filled; And he gave them their own desire.
30They were not estranged from that which they desired, Their food was yet in their mouths,
31When the anger of God went up against them, And slew of the fattest of them, And smote down the young men of Israel.
32For all this they sinned still, And believed not in his wondrous works.
Ps 106:14-15
2 verses
82%
14But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.
15And he gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.
Ps 78:17
81%
17Yet went they on still to sin against him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert.
Ps 78:19-20
2 verses
81%
19Yea, they spake against God; They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, And streams overflowed; Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?
Ps 78:40-41
2 verses
78%
40How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, And grieve him in the desert!
41And they turned again and tempted God, And provoked the Holy One of Israel.
Ps 78:56
77%
56Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And kept not his testimonies;
Heb 3:8-9
2 verses
74%
8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,
9Where your fathers tried [me] by proving [me], And saw my works forty years.
Num 11:4
73%
4And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Ps 95:8-9
2 verses
73%
8Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness;
9When your fathers tempted me, Proved me, and saw my work.
Ps 105:40
72%
40They asked, and he brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
Ps 78:24-25
2 verses
72%
24And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven.
25Man did eat the bread of the mighty: He sent them food to the full.
Ps 107:18
72%
18Their soul abhorreth all manner of food; And they draw near unto the gates of death.
Deut 6:16
71%
16Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
Neh 9:15-16
2 verses
71%
15and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
16But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
Ps 107:5
71%
5Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.
Num 21:5
71%
5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Neh 9:18
71%
18Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
Ps 106:29
71%
29Thus they provoked him to anger with their doings; And the plague brake in upon them.
Exod 16:3
71%
3and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Ps 78:34
71%
34When he slew them, then they inquired after him; And they returned and sought God earnestly.
Hos 13:6
70%
6According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me.
Ps 106:24-25
2 verses
70%
24Yea, they despised the pleasant land, They believed not his word,
25But murmured in their tents, And hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah.
Exod 17:2-3
2 verses
70%
2Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah?
3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Hos 4:8
70%
8They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
1 Cor 10:9
70%
9Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them {G2532} made trial, and perished by the serpents.
Ps 78:58
70%
58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
Num 11:18
70%
18And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
Deut 8:16
70%
16who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not; that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end:
Heb 3:17
69%
17And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Num 11:33-34
2 verses
69%
33While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague.
34And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.
Deut 9:22
69%
22And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked Jehovah to wrath.
Isa 8:21
69%
21And they shall pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward:
Deut 32:16
69%
16They moved him to jealousy with strange [gods]; With abominations provoked they him to anger.
1 Cor 10:6
69%
6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Num 11:22
69%
22Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
Num 14:22
69%
22because all those men that have seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;