The Meaning of Psalms 78:12 Explained

Psalms 78:12

KJV: Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

YLT: Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt -- the field of Zoan.

Darby: In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan.

ASV: Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Marvellous things  did  he in the sight  of their fathers,  in the land  of Egypt,  [in] the field  of Zoan. 

What does Psalms 78:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 78:1-12 - Learning From The Fathers
This psalm is said to have arisen, from a strong controversy between Judah and Ephraim as to the location of God's sanctuary, and its final transfer within the limits of the tribe of Judah. The psalmist enumerates the moral and spiritual considerations that led to the choice. See Psalms 78:67-68. The great message of the psalm is the inconstancy of the people, which so often manifested itself. Whose spirit was not stedfast with God, Psalms 78:8. They turned back in battle, Psalms 78:9. See also Psalms 78:17; Psalms 78:37; Psalms 78:41; Psalms 78:57. It may be that the psalmist implies that these failures were for the most part Ephraim's, and that therefore Judah was chosen. Surely, however, there was not much to choose between them, and whatever favor was shown to either of them was wholly attributable to God's unchanging mercy.
This hymn was probably intended to be learned by the children in the Hebrew home, that they might set their hearts on God and not forget His works. It is a good practice to store the fresh memories of the young with the words of Scripture, which will often return in afterlife in hours of temptation and distress. The memorizing of the Word of God is a most valuable habit. The wheels of the mind and heart must grind-let them grind wheat. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 78

1  An exhortation both to learn and to preach, the law of God
9  The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient
67  The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David

What do the individual words in Psalms 78:12 mean?

In the sight of their fathers He did Marvelous things in the land of Egypt [in] the field of Zoan
נֶ֣גֶד אֲ֭בוֹתָם עָ֣שָׂה פֶ֑לֶא בְּאֶ֖רֶץ מִצְרַ֣יִם שְׂדֵה־ צֹֽעַן

נֶ֣גֶד  In  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
אֲ֭בוֹתָם  of  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
עָ֣שָׂה  He  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
פֶ֑לֶא  Marvelous  things 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּלֶא  
Sense: wonder, marvel.
בְּאֶ֖רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרַ֣יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
שְׂדֵה־  [in]  the  field 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
צֹֽעַן  of  Zoan 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹעַן  
Sense: an ancient city of lower Egypt called Tanis by the Greeks; located on the eastern bank of the Tanitic branch of the Nile; the capital of the Shepherd dynasty, built 7 years after Hebron and existing before Abraham and the dwelling place of the Pharaoh at the time of the exodus.