Gilead [is] mine; Manasseh [is] mine; Ephraim also [is] the strength of mine head; Judah [is] my lawgiver;
Gilead {H1568} is mine; Manasseh {H4519} is mine; Ephraim {H669} also is the strength {H4581} of mine head {H7218}; Judah {H3063} is my lawgiver {H2710};
Gil'ad is mine and M'nasheh mine, Efrayim my helmet, Y'hudah my scepter.
Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the defence of my head; Judah is my sceptre.
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Genesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people [be]. -
Psalms 122:5
For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. -
Joshua 13:8
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, [even] as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them; -
Joshua 13:11
And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; -
2 Samuel 2:8
¶ But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; -
1 Samuel 28:4
And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. -
Deuteronomy 33:17
His glory [is like] the firstling of his bullock, and his horns [are like] the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they [are] the thousands of Manasseh.
Psalm 108:8 is part of a triumphant prayer and declaration of faith, asserting God's absolute sovereignty and ownership over the land and people of Israel. This verse, like much of Psalm 108, echoes themes and phrases found in earlier psalms, particularly Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12, combining them into a powerful petition for divine aid and a confident expectation of victory.
Context
Psalm 108 begins with a declaration of unwavering trust in God, followed by an appeal for divine intervention in battle. The psalmist, often understood to be David or a spokesperson for the nation, expresses confidence that God will fulfill His promises and grant victory over their enemies. Verse 8, along with the surrounding verses, lists various regions and tribes of Israel, emphasizing that they all belong to God and are under His control. This assertion of divine ownership serves as the foundation for the psalmist's plea for God to lead them to triumph.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
Reflection and Application
Psalm 108:8 reminds us that God's sovereignty extends over all things, not just physical territories, but also over our lives, our abilities, and our purposes. Just as God claimed ownership of the tribes of Israel, He claims ownership of His people today, calling them into unity and service.