And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
Parallel translations
- WEB He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
- BSB So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
- NKJV And He was King in Jeshurun, When the leaders of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together.
- NASB “And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people gathered, The tribes of Israel together.
- NLT The Lord became king in Israel— when the leaders of the people assembled, when the tribes of Israel gathered as one.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Yahweh reigned as king over Jeshurun (Israel) when the people and their tribes gathered together. God Himself is Israel's true King.
Overview
"Jeshurun" is an affectionate poetic name for Israel, meaning "the upright one." The verse celebrates God's kingship over a united nation, established at the founding assembly of the tribes. Israel's monarchy was always meant to be under God's ultimate rule, a kingship perfectly realized in Jesus, the King of kings descended from Israel (Rev. 19:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Deut 32:15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
- Judg 17:6In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
- Num 23:21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
- Judg 8:22Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
- Exod 18:19Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
- Gen 36:31And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
- Judg 9:2Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- Num 16:13–15Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
- Exod 18:16When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 33:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.