Tehillim 78:21

21 Therefore Hashem heard this, and was in wrath; so an eish was kindled against Ya’akov, and anger also came up against Yisroel;

Tehillim 78:21 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:21

Therefore the Lord heard this
What they said in their hearts, and what they expressed with their mouths, all their murmurings against him, their distrust of his power and providence, and disbelief of his promises; see ( Numbers 11:1 ) , and was wroth; exceeding wroth; he was highly displeased; there was an overflow of his indignation, as the word ^F1 signifies; it was running upon him, upon the thick bosses of his buckler, to arraign his perfections, call in question any of his attributes, and disbelieve his word; this must greatly exasperate him, and provoke the eyes of his glory:

so a fire was kindled against Jacob;
the posterity of Jacob; or in Jacob ^F2, in the camp of Israel; which was literally true, because of the murmurings of the people against the Lord fire came down from heaven, and burnt among them, and consumed the uttermost parts of the camp; wherefore the name of the place was called Taberah, which signifies a burning, ( Numbers 11:1-3 ) , or it may be taken figuratively for the wrath of God, which is oftentimes compared to fire; see ( Nahum 1:6 ) hence it follows,

and anger also came up against Israel;
the people of Israel, the same with Jacob before; the allusion is to men when angry, in whose breasts anger burns, and from thence it rises up, and shows itself in their countenance, in their eyes, and by the words of their mouth.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (rbety) "transiit in hithpael de transitu vel exundatione bilis solet usurpari", Gejerus.
F2 (bqeyb) "in Jahacob", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus.

Tehillim 78:21 In-Context

19 And they spoke against Elohim; they said, Can G-d spread a shulchan in the midbar?

20 Behold, He struck the Tzur, that the mayim gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can He give lechem also? Can He provide meat for His people?

21 Therefore Hashem heard this, and was in wrath; so an eish was kindled against Ya’akov, and anger also came up against Yisroel;

22 Because they believed not in Elohim, and trusted not in His Yeshuah (salvation);

23 Though He had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the daletei Shomayim (doors of heaven),