Discovery BoxPsalms 106:14-21 
Context106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving 1 for meat; 2
they challenged God 3 in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request,
then struck them with a disease. 4
106:16 In the camp they resented 5 Moses,
and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 6
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it engulfed 7 the group led by Abiram. 8
106:18 Fire burned their group;
the flames scorched the wicked. 9
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God 10
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected 11 the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
Psalms 106:34-40
Context106:34 They did not destroy the nations, 12
as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways. 13
106:36 They worshiped 14 their idols,
which became a snare to them. 15
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 16
106:38 They shed innocent blood –
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted by bloodshed. 17
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,
and unfaithful in their actions. 18
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people 19
and despised the people who belong to him. 20
1 sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.
2 tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
3 tn Heb “they tested God.”
4 tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”
sn Disease. See Num 11:33-34, where this plague is described.
5 tn Or “envied.”
6 tn Heb “the holy one of the
7 tn Or “covered.”
8 tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
9 sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.
10 tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the
11 tn Heb “forgot.”
12 tn That is, the nations of Canaan.
13 tn Heb “their deeds.”
14 tn Or “served.”
15 sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
16 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
17 sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
18 tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the
19 tn Heb “the anger of the
20 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
