The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai— at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Parallel Translations
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The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai— at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
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The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
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(68-9) The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
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Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Psalms 68:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Exodus 19:18 All of Mount Sinai smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
- Exodus 19:16 On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
- Deuteronomy 5:23-25 When you heard the voice out of the middle of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; and you said, “Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the middle of the fire. We have seen today that God does speak with man, and he lives. Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear Yahweh our God’s voice any more, then we shall die.
- Judges 5:4-5 “Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
- Hebrews 12:26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”
- Psalms 41:13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen.
- Psalms 68:35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!
- Psalms 77:18 The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.
- Isaiah 45:3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who call you by your name, even the God of Israel.
- Psalms 114:7 Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
- Isaiah 64:3 When you did awesome things which we didn’t look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.
- Isaiah 64:1 Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.
- Habakkuk 3:13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot.
- Revelation 11:19 God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped…
Psa 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: [even] Sinai itself [was moved] at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Ver. 8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped] Velut in sudorem soluti, as if they had been put into a sweat; in so terrible a manner was the law given, that God’s fear might fall upon us, Exo 20:18-21 As for the gospel, it is that rain of liberalities, Psa 68:9, confiming God’s inheritance when it is weary.
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Even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God] Some render it, a facie Dei huius Sinaici, a facie Dei, Die Israel. These two verses are taken out of Deborah’s song, Jdg 5:4-5.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The earth; either,
The earth; either,
1. Metonymically, the inhabitants of those parts of the earth, by comparing Exo 15:14. Or,
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2. Properly, by comparing Psa 114:5-7. There was a great earthquake, as a token of God’s dreadful presence.
Dropped, i.e. poured down great showers, which accompanied those mighty thunders, as usually it doth. Was moved; or, dropped; which may be repeated out, of the former clause; was even melted or dissolved with fear. It is a poetical representation of the terribleness of God’s appearance.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The earth shook,.... Not only about Sinai, but in…
The earth shook,.... Not only about Sinai, but in other places; see Psa 114:1. It may also design the dread and trembling of the inhabitants of the earth, when they heard of the wonderful things God did for his people, Exo 15:14;
the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; the Targum supplies, dew; to which may be added, quails and manna: though it rather seems to design a large shower of rain, which followed the lightning and thunder, when the law was given;
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even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel: it is said to quake greatly, Exo 19:18. The words of this verse and Psa 68:7 seem to be borrowed out of the song of Deborah, Jdg 5:4. Like effects followed the promulgation of the Gospel, even a shaking of the heavens and of the earth as an emblem of the removing of the ceremonial rites and Mosaic ordinances. Let it be observed, that Christ, who went before the Israelites in the wilderness, and whom they tempted and rebelled against, is called the God of Israel.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Dropped - Poured down great showers, which accompanied those…
Dropped - Poured down great showers, which accompanied those mighty thunders.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The earth shook - See Exo 19:16-18.
The earth shook - See Exo 19:16-18.
The heavens also dropped at the presence of God - That is, dropped down rain and food. The idea is that the very heavens seemed to be shaken or convulsed, so that rain and food were shaken down - as ripe fruit falls from a tree that is shaken. Compare the notes at Isa 34:4. So also, Isa 64:1-3. The meaning is not that the heavens themselves dropped down, but that they dropped or distilled rain and food.
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Even Sinai itself was moved - This was true; but this does not seem to be the idea intended here, for the words “even” and “was moved” are not in the original. The Hebrew is, literally, “This Sinai;” meaning probably” this was at Sinai,” or, “this took place at Sinai.” The correct translation perhaps would be, “The heavens distilled rain at the presence of God, this at Sinai, at the presence of God.”
At the presence of God, the God of Israel - The whole region seemed to be moved and awed at the presence of God, or when he came down to visit his people. The earth and the heavens, all seemed to be in commotion.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain even Sinai itself--literally, "that Sinai," as in Jdg 5:5.
even Sinai itself--literally, "that Sinai," as in Jdg 5:5.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. The heavens… dropped—That is, distilled. The accusative of…
8. The heavens… dropped—That is, distilled. The accusative of the thing “dropped,” namely, water, must be here understood. In the parallel place, Jdg_5:4, the same word is used, and supplemented by “the clouds also dropped water.” In Psa_68:9 it is explained by plentiful rain, where the word rendered plentiful, (Hebrews plural, plentifulnesses,) not only denotes copiousness, but regularity, as if both a liberal and stated supply were given. Furst’s rendering of גשׁם נדבות, (geshom nedaboth,) by “rain of libations, that is, of plentiful gifts of manna,” is totally inadmissible. In Psa_77:17-18, the same is described as a copious rain, “the clouds poured out water,” accompanied with thunder and lightning. Much of the region about Sinai is fertile in its numerous wadies, and formerly more so than now. Plentiful moisture, with care, would even now restore it. The text indicates that by providential and abundant rains—one of the marked blessings of their desert life—the fertile valleys and gorges were made to yield much more than common for the wants of the people and their flocks, besides cooling and rendering more refreshing the atmosphere.
At the presence of God—Literally, From the face of God, as signifying its direct and miraculous impartation.
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God of Israel—The covenant title of God. It first occurs Exo_24:10, and dates at Sinai because there, by the delivery of the law, God entered more closely into covenant with his people.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. shook] R.V. trembled.
8. shook] R.V. trembled.
dropped] Torrents of rain accompanied the thunders and lightnings. Cp. Psa_77:17 f.
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at the presence of God] Cp. Psa_68:1-4.
even Sinai itself was moved] R.V., Even yon Sinai (trembled). The words yon Sinai come in somewhat abruptly here, while in Judges they follow quite naturally upon the clause “the mountains quaked.” A verb however can be supplied from the first line, and there is no need to alter the text.
the God of Israel] The use of this title here is significant. It was from Sinai that the covenant-relation between Jehovah and His people dated. Cp. Exo_24:8; Exo_24:10.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The earth shook, the heavens also dropped, at the…
The earth shook, the heavens also dropped, at the presence of God. (see Exo_19:16-18 Deu_5:22, Deu_5:23) The "dropping" of the heavens was the descent of a thick thundercloud upon the mount, which rested upon it, and spread around a dense and weird darkness. Even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God; literally, yonder Sinai, as if it were in sight, and could be pointed at. The God of Israel. Our God, who did all these great things for us.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 8. The earth shook. Beneath the sublime tread…
Ver. 8. The earth shook. Beneath the sublime tread the solid ground trembled.
The heavens also dropped at the presence of God, as if they bowed before their God, the clouds descended, and "a few dark shower drops stole abroad."
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Even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God. Moses tell us, in Exodus 19, that "the whole mountain quaked greatly." That hill, so lone and high, bowed before the manifested God.
The God of Israel. The one only living and true God, whom Israel worshipped, and who had chosen that nation to be his own above all the nations of the earth. The passage is so sublime, that it would be difficult to find its equal. May the reader's heart adore the God before whom the unconscious earth and sky act as if they recognised their Maker and were moved with a tremor of reverence.
Ver. 8. The God of Israel. Sinai was the seat not only of God, but of the covenant God of the people of Israel; from which the law was proclaimed, and the covenant struck between God and his people. Hermann Venema.
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 68:8-10 The earth trembled as in an earthquake (see…
68:8-10 The earth trembled as in an earthquake (see Exod 19:18). • the heavens poured down rain: Wells in the desert and rain showers in Canaan supplied an abundance of water.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.