Psalms 74 · Verse 14

Psalms 74:14

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
Psalms 74:14, King James Version

Psalms 74:14 in other translations

BSBYou crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.
WEBYou broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.
ASVThou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces; Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
YLTThou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places.
DARBYThou didst break in pieces the heads of leviathan, thou gavest him to be meat to those that people the desert.
BBEThe heads of the great snake were crushed by you; you gave them as food to the fishes of the sea.
WebsterThou didst break the head of leviathan in pieces, and didst give him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

What does Psalms 74:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 74:13-15

13-15. Examples of the "salvation wrought" are cited. divide the sea--that is, Red Sea. brakest ... waters--Pharaoh and his host (compare Is 51:9, 10; Eze 29:3, 4).

Read the full comment on Psalms 74:13-15 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 The heads of leviathan - Leviathan might be intended here as a personification of the Egypttan government; and its heads, Pharaoh and his chief captains. To the people inhabiting the wilderness - Probably meaning the birds and beasts of prey. These were the people of the wilderness, which fed on the dead bodies of the Egyptians, which the tides had cast ashore. The Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Arabic read, "Thou hast given him for meat to the Ethiopians," or Abyssinians.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 74:12-17

The church silences her own complaints. What God had done for his people, as their King of old, encouraged them to depend on him. It was the Lord's doing, none besides could do it. This providence was food to faith and hope, to support and encourage in difficulties. The God of Israel is the God of nature. He that is faithful to his covenant about the day and the night, will never cast off those whom he has chosen…

Read the full comment on Psalms 74:12-17 →

Psalms 74:14 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.

אַתָּ֣ה'a.TahyouH859
רִ֭צַּצְתָּRi.tzatz.tayou crushedH7533
רָאשֵׁ֣יra.Shei[the] heads ofH7218
לִוְיָתָ֑ןliv.ya.TanLeviathanH3882
תִּתְּנֶ֥נּוּti.te.Ne.nuyou gave itH5414
מַ֝אֲכָ֗לma.'a.KhalfoodH3978
לְעָ֣םle.'Amto a peopleH5971
לְצִיִּֽים\׃le.tzi.Yimto desert-dwellersH6728

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

Cross references for Psalms 74:14

  • Isaiah 27:1

    In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

  • Job 41:1-34

    Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? …

  • Psalms 72:9

    They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

  • Psalms 104:25-26

    So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

  • Job 3:8

    Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

  • Numbers 14:9

    Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

  • Exodus 14:30

    Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

  • Revelation 20:2

    And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

  • Exodus 12:35-36

    And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
leviathan.
104:25,26; Job 3:8; *marg:
Job 41:1-34; Isa 27:1; Re 20:2
meat.
72:9; Ex 12:35,36; 14:30; Nu 14:9

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

Context

  • Psalms 74:13

    Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

  • Psalms 74:14

    Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

  • Psalms 74:15

    Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

Read all of Psalms 74

Psalms 74:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tú magullaste las cabezas del leviathán; dístelo por comida al pueblo de los desiertos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu as écrasé les têtes du léviathan, tu l’as donné pour pâture au peuple, – aux bêtes du désert.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du zerschmettertest die Häupter des Leviathans, gabst ihn zur Speise dem Volke, den Bewohnern der Wüste.