Psalms 78:43

KJV

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

KJV (with Strong's)

How he had wrought {H7760}{H8804)} his signs {H226} in Egypt {H4714}, and his wonders {H4159} in the field {H7704} of Zoan {H6814}:

Complete Jewish Bible

how he displayed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Tzo'an.

Berean Standard Bible

when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.

American Standard Version

How he set his signs in Egypt, And his wonders in the field of Zoan,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 78:43 serves as a powerful historical reminder within a didactic psalm, recalling God's decisive and miraculous interventions in Egypt. It specifically highlights how God displayed His overwhelming power and authority through "signs" (the plagues) and "wonders" in the prominent "field of Zoan," thereby compelling Pharaoh to release the Israelites and demonstrating His unique sovereignty over all earthly powers and false deities. This verse underscores the foundational acts of deliverance that established Israel as God's covenant people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 78 is a lengthy *maskil*, an instructional or didactic psalm, designed to teach future generations about God's faithfulness and Israel's repeated rebellion. It recounts the history of Israel from the Exodus through the wilderness wanderings, the conquest, and up to the reign of David. Verse 43 is situated within the psalm's initial recounting of the Exodus events, serving as a foundational reference point for God's mighty acts of deliverance. It establishes the divine pattern of intervention and covenant keeping, which then contrasts sharply with Israel's subsequent forgetfulness and disobedience, a central theme throughout the psalm. The psalmist uses this historical review to warn against the failures of the past and to encourage present and future generations to remember and obey God's law, as exhorted in [Psalms 78:4](/psalms/78-4 "Psalms 78:4 - Teaching Future Generations").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events recalled in Psalms 78:43 refer to the Exodus from Egypt, a pivotal moment in Israelite history. At this time, Egypt was a dominant world power, and its Pharaoh was considered a divine figure, a living god. The "signs" and "wonders" (the ten plagues) were not random acts but direct confrontations with Pharaoh and the pantheon of Egyptian gods, demonstrating Yahweh's absolute supremacy over all creation and all other deities, as stated in [Exodus 12:12](/exodus/12-12 "Exodus 12:12 - Judgment on Egyptian Gods"). Zoan (ancient Tanis) was a significant city in the Nile Delta, often serving as a royal residence or major administrative center during various periods, including potentially the Ramesside era, which is a common dating for the Exodus. Performing these miracles in the "field of Zoan" implies a public, undeniable display of God's power directly within the heart of Egyptian authority, making the divine intervention impossible for Pharaoh or the Egyptian people to ignore.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes to several key themes within Psalm 78 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights **Divine Sovereignty and Power**, showcasing God's absolute control over nature, nations, and human rulers, even the mighty Pharaoh. Secondly, it emphasizes **Covenant Faithfulness and Deliverance**, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His people, rescuing them from severe oppression. Thirdly, it underscores the theme of **Remembrance and Instruction**, as the psalm's overarching purpose is to ensure that future generations learn from God's mighty works and Israel's past failures, thereby fostering obedience and trust. Finally, it touches upon **Judgment on Idolatry**, as the plagues were a direct assault on the gods of Egypt, proving Yahweh's unique and unrivaled power, a theme echoed in [Exodus 7:5](/exodus/7-5 "Exodus 7:5 - Egyptians Knowing God's Power").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Signs (Hebrew, _'ôt_):** This term refers to a miraculous event, a token, or a demonstration of divine power and authority. In the context of the Exodus, these were the ten plagues, each a purposeful, supernatural intervention designed to prove God's existence and power, compel Pharaoh to release Israel, and reveal Yahweh's unique deity to both Egyptians and Israelites. They served as undeniable evidence of God's presence and purpose.
* **Wonders (Hebrew, _môfet_):** Often paired with "signs," this word denotes extraordinary, awe-inspiring acts that evoke amazement and often carry a prophetic or warning message. The "wonders" of the Exodus were not mere magic tricks but divinely orchestrated events that defied natural explanation, intended to inspire awe, fear, and conviction regarding God's power and justice. They were designed to reveal God's character and enforce His will.
* **Zoan (Hebrew, _Ṣō‘an_):** Known as Tanis in Greek, this was an ancient Egyptian city located in the eastern Nile Delta. It served as a royal residence and administrative center for various dynasties, particularly during the New Kingdom. Its specific mention highlights the public and undeniable nature of God's acts, performed directly in the seat of Egyptian power, not in some obscure or remote location. This emphasizes the direct confrontation between Yahweh and the might of Pharaoh's empire.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"How he had wrought his signs in Egypt":** This clause emphasizes the manner and magnitude of God's actions. The phrase "wrought his signs" conveys deliberate, powerful, and effective divine agency. "Signs" refers specifically to the ten plagues, each a targeted demonstration of God's power over nature, life, and the gods of Egypt, designed to compel Pharaoh to release Israel and to reveal Yahweh's supremacy to both nations.
* **"and his wonders in the field of Zoan":** This parallel clause reiterates the miraculous nature of God's deeds ("wonders") and specifies the prominent location where they occurred. "The field of Zoan" signifies the royal court or its immediate vicinity, highlighting that God's confrontation with Pharaoh was direct, public, and undeniable, unfolding in the very seat of Egyptian power. This underscores the comprehensive and inescapable nature of God's judgment and deliverance.

#### Literary Devices
The psalmist skillfully employs several literary devices to enhance the impact of Psalms 78:43. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, a foundational element of Hebrew poetry. Here, we see **Synonymous Parallelism**, where "his signs in Egypt" is echoed and reinforced by "his wonders in the field of Zoan." This repetition emphasizes the extraordinary nature and widespread impact of God's interventions. The pairing of "signs" and "wonders" itself functions as a **Merism**, encompassing the full spectrum of God's miraculous deeds during the Exodus. Furthermore, the specific mention of "Zoan" operates as a **Synecdoche**, where a part (a major city and royal center) stands for the whole (the entire nation of Egypt and its ruling power), thereby underscoring the public and undeniable nature of God's confrontation with Pharaoh. The entire verse serves as a **Recapitulation**, a concise summary of foundational past events, designed to remind the audience of God's mighty acts of deliverance.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 78:43 powerfully encapsulates the foundational narrative of God's redemptive history with Israel: His sovereign power demonstrated in deliverance from oppression. This verse is not merely a historical recounting but a profound theological statement about God's character as a deliverer and a judge. It establishes a pattern of divine intervention against human rebellion and idolatry, setting the stage for understanding God's consistent faithfulness despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness. The "signs and wonders" in Egypt were not just displays of power but acts of revelation, demonstrating Yahweh's unique deity and His covenant commitment to His people, serving as a perpetual reminder for future generations to trust and obey Him. This historical act of deliverance became the bedrock of Israel's identity and a model for God's future interventions.
* [Deuteronomy 6:22](/deuteronomy/6-22 "Deuteronomy 6:22 - God's Signs and Wonders in Egypt")
* [Nehemiah 9:10](/nehemiah/9-10 "Nehemiah 9:10 - God's Wonders Against Pharaoh")
* [Acts 7:36](/acts/7-36 "Acts 7:36 - Stephen's Sermon on Moses and Wonders")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 78:43 calls us to remember God's mighty acts of deliverance, both in biblical history and in our personal lives. Just as God intervened decisively in Egypt, breaking the chains of slavery and demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all powers, so too does He continue to work in the world and in the lives of believers. This verse encourages us to cultivate a posture of remembrance, reflecting on past instances of God's faithfulness to build our faith for present and future challenges. It reminds us that no oppressor, no circumstance, and no human power is too great for the God who "wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan." Our trust is not in our strength or wisdom, but in the omnipotent God who consistently delivers His people. This historical memory serves as a wellspring of hope and a call to faithful living, knowing that the same God who delivered Israel is active and powerful today.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does remembering God's past acts of deliverance, both in Scripture and in your personal life, strengthen your faith in current difficulties?**
* **In what "fields of Zoan"—areas of significant challenge, oppression, or spiritual battle—have you witnessed God's "signs and wonders" in your own life or in the life of your community?**
* **What idols or oppressive forces in our world today need to be confronted by God's sovereign power, and how might this verse inspire us to pray or act?**

### FAQ
**Why does the psalmist specifically mention "the field of Zoan" instead of just "Egypt"?**

Answer: Mentioning "the field of Zoan" (ancient Tanis) serves to underscore the public, prominent, and undeniable nature of God's "signs and wonders." Zoan was a significant royal capital or administrative center in the Nile Delta during various periods, likely a seat of Pharaoh's power. By specifying this location, the psalmist emphasizes that God's powerful acts were not hidden or obscure but performed directly before the highest authorities of Egypt and the world at that time. It highlights the direct confrontation between Yahweh and Pharaoh, demonstrating God's supremacy in the very heart of the enemy's domain, making the divine intervention impossible to ignore or deny (cf. [Exodus 9:16](/exodus/9-16 "Exodus 9:16 - God's Name Proclaimed Through Pharaoh")).

**What is the significance of the terms "signs" and "wonders" in this context?**

Answer: The Hebrew terms *'ôt* ("signs") and *môfet* ("wonders") are often paired in the Old Testament to describe God's miraculous interventions, particularly those related to the Exodus. "Signs" refer to acts that serve as divine proofs, tokens, or demonstrations of God's power and authority, often with a revelatory purpose. "Wonders" denote extraordinary, awe-inspiring deeds that evoke amazement and often carry a prophetic or warning message. Together, they emphasize that the plagues were not mere natural occurrences but purposeful, supernatural demonstrations of God's presence, power, and justice, designed to reveal His character, enforce His will, and compel Pharaoh to release Israel (cf. [Deuteronomy 4:34](/deuteronomy/4-34 "Deuteronomy 4:34 - God's Mighty Hand and Outstretched Arm")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 78:43, recounting God's mighty "signs and wonders" in Egypt, foreshadows the ultimate and most profound act of divine deliverance found in Jesus Christ. Just as God broke the chains of physical slavery in Egypt, Christ came to set humanity free from the spiritual bondage of sin and death. The plagues were a demonstration of God's power over earthly rulers and false gods; similarly, Christ's miracles, crucifixion, and resurrection demonstrate His absolute authority over sickness, demons, sin, and death itself. The Exodus deliverance, achieved through the shedding of the Passover lamb's blood, finds its perfect fulfillment in the [Lamb of God, Jesus Christ](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), whose sacrificial blood secures eternal redemption for all who believe. The "field of Zoan" witnessed God's public display of power against an oppressive empire; the cross, though seemingly a defeat, was the ultimate public display of God's victory over the powers of darkness, leading to a new exodus for all humanity (cf. [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers")). Through Christ, God has "wrought his signs and wonders" of salvation, offering a deliverance far greater and more enduring than that experienced by Israel in Egypt, culminating in the promise of a new heaven and a new earth where sin and death are no more (cf. [Revelation 21:4](/rev/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - No More Death or Mourning")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 4:34

Or hath God assayed to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Deuteronomy 6:22

And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

Psalms 135:9

[Who] sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

Exodus 4:21

And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

Psalms 105:27

They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

Psalms 105:38

Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

Exodus 3:19

And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.