Tehillim / Psalms 114, ספר תהילים קיד, Do not be a People of Strange Language

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In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 114:1-8, the psalm opens saying, א   בְּצֵאת יִשְֹרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם בֵּית יַעֲקֹב מֵעַם לֹעֵז:  114:1 When Israel went forth from Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language (NASB)  Israel being taken out of Egypt is described as being taken from a people of strange language.  What does it mean that the Egyptian language is strange?  The Psalm continues saying, ב   הָיְתָה יְהוּדָה לְקָדְשׁוֹ יִשְֹרָאֵל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָיו:  114:2 Judah became His sanctuary, Israel, His dominion. (NASB)  The Aramaic Targum states, א  במיפק ישראל ממצרים בית יעקב מעמי ברבראי׃  ב  הוות כנישתא דבית יהודה אחידא לקדישיה לקודשיה ישראל לשליטוי׃ 114:1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from barbarian peoples 114:2 The company of the house of Judah became property of his Holy One, Israel of his rulers. (EMC)  The strange language is described by the rabbis as being taking from a barbarian people.  The psalm continues saying, ג   הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנֹס הַיַּרְדֵּן יִסֹּב לְאָחוֹר: ד   הֶהָרִים רָקְדוּ כְאֵילִים גְּבָעוֹת כִּבְנֵי-צֹאן:  ה   מַה-לְּךָ הַיָּם כִּי תָנוּס הַיַּרְדֵּן תִּסֹּב לְאָחוֹר: ו   הֶהָרִים תִּרְקְדוּ כְאֵילִים גְּבָעוֹת כִּבְנֵי-צֹאן:  114:3 The sea looked and fled; The Jordan turned back. 114:4 The mountains skipped like rams, The hills, like lambs. 114:5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? 114:6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? (NASB) Read more here:

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