Psalms 114:5 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

What happened to you, sea, that made you run away? And you, Jordan River, what made you turn back and flow the other way?

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The writer is asking why the sea and Jordan River fled when God showed His power, emphasizing how all of creation responds to God's mighty presence.

📚 Historical Context

Psalms 114 is part of a collection of songs of praise sung by the Israelites during their festivals, celebrating God's deliverance of His people from Egypt. This verse specifically recalls the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, where the waters retreated to allow the Israelites to escape Pharaoh's army, and the stopping of the Jordan River when Joshua led the nation into the Promised Land. These events highlight God's power over nature as acts of faithfulness to His covenant with Israel.

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John 1:28

All of this happened in Bethabara, which is across the Jordan River, that's where John was out there baptizing people.

2 Kings 6:4

So he went with them. And when they reached the Jordan River, they started cutting down trees.

Joshua 3:15

And when the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan River and their feet touched the edge of the water (the Jordan was overflowing its banks during harvest time),

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