Psalms 68 · Verse 17

Psalms 68:17

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
Psalms 68:17, King James Version

Psalms 68:17 in other translations

BSBThe chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
WEBThe chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
ASVThe chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands: The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary.
YLTThe chariots of God are myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord is among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary.
DARBYThe chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them: it is a Sinai in holiness.
BBEThe war-carriage of God is among Israel's thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.
WebsterThe chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

What does Psalms 68:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. and, to the assertion of God's purpose to make it His dwelling, is added evidence of His protecting care. He is described as in the midst of His heavenly armies-- thousands of angels--literally, "thousands of repetitions," or, "thousands of thousands"--that is, of chariots. The word "angels" was perhaps introduced in our version, from De 33:2, and Ga 3:19. They are, of course, implied as conductors of the chariots. as ... Sinai, in the holy place--that is, He has appeared in Zion as once in Sinai.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand - רבתים אלפי שנאן ribbothayim alpey shinan, "two myriads of thousands doubled." Does not this mean simply forty thousand? A myriad is 10,000; two myriads, 20,000; these doubled, 40,000. Or thus: 10,000 + 10,000 + 20,000 = 40,000. The Targum says, "The chariots of God are two myriads; two thousand angels draw them; the majesty of God rests upon them in holiness on Mount Sinai." But what does this mean? We must die to know.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 68:15-21

The ascension of Christ must here be meant, and thereto it is applied, Ep 4:8. He received as the purchase of his death, the gifts needful for the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of believers. These he continually bestows, even on rebellious men, that the Lord God might dwell among them, as their Friend and Father. He gave gifts to men. Having received power to give eternal life, the Lord Jesus bestows it…

Read the full comment on Psalms 68:15-21 →

Psalms 68:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רֶ֤כֶבRe.khev[the] chariotry ofH7393
אֱלֹהִ֗ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
רִבֹּתַ֣יִםri.bo.Ta.yim[is] twice ten thousandH7239
אַלְפֵ֣י'al.Feithousands ofH505
שִׁנְאָ֑ןshin.'Anrepetition[s]H8136
אֲדֹנָ֥י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
בָ֝֗םVam[is] among them
סִינַ֥יsi.NaiSinaiH5514
בַּקֹּֽדֶשׁ\׃ba.Ko.desh[is] in <the> holinessH6944

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 68:17

  • Deuteronomy 33:2

    And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

  • Daniel 7:10

    A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

  • Revelation 5:11

    And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

  • Revelation 9:16

    And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

  • Habakkuk 3:8

    Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?

  • Matthew 26:53

    Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

  • Ezekiel 1:15-28

    Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. …

  • Psalms 18:10

    And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

  • 2 Kings 6:16-17

    And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

  • Exodus 19:22-23

    And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

  • 2 Kings 2:11

    And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

  • Exodus 3:5

    And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
chariots.
18:10; De 33:2; 2Ki 2:11; 6:16,17; Eze 1:15-28; Da 7:10; Mt 26:53
Re 5:11; 9:16
thousands. or, many thousands. as in Sinai.
Ex 3:5; 19:22,23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 68:16

    Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.

  • Psalms 68:17

    The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

  • Psalms 68:18

    Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

Read all of Psalms 68

Psalms 68:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Los carros de Dios son veinte mil, y más millares de ángeles. El Señor entre ellos, como en Sinaí, así en el santuario.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Pourquoi, montagnes à plusieurs sommets, regardez-vous avec jalousie la montagne que Dieu a désirée pour y habiter? Oui, l’ Éternel y demeurera pour toujours.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Der Wagen Gottes sind zwei Zehntausende, Tausende und aber Tausende; der Herr ist unter ihnen: -ein Sinai an Heiligkeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Exaudi me, Domine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua; secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum respice in me.