Psalms 68:31 · Bible study
Psalms 68:31 Commentary: Egypt and Ethiopia Stretch Out Hands to God
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How does this Old Testament prophecy of Egypt and Ethiopia reaching to God align with the New Testament conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch and the spread of Christianity
Research Summary
- Meaning: Egypt and Ethiopia, representing hostile and distant nations, will eagerly turn to worship the true God.
- Key words: ‘Princes’ (Hebrew chashmaniym, a hapax legomenon) likely means nobles or ambassadors; ‘stretch out her hands’ (Hebrew tarits yadiav) suggests haste and eagerness.
- Main debate: Whether the prophecy was fulfilled in Solomon’s day, in the early church (Ethiopian eunuch, Mark in Egypt), or awaits future eschatological fulfillment.
- Theological theme: The universal scope of salvation, God’s reign extends beyond Israel to all nations, even former enemies.
- Best use: To encourage prayer and hope for the conversion of peoples far from God, and to celebrate the early spread of the gospel to Africa.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
KJV King James Version 1769
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Come do fat ones out of Egypt, Cush causeth her hands to run to God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Great ones shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall quickly stretch out her hands unto God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
I will praise the name of God with a canticle: and I will magnify him with praise.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Vendrán príncipes de Egipto; Etiopía apresurará sus manos á Dios.
Embaixadores virão do Egito; Cuxe correrá para estender suas mãos a Deus.
Épouvante l’ animal des roseaux,
Die Fürsten aus Ägypten werden kommen; Mohrenland wird seine Hände ausstrecken zu Gott.
Scheld het wild gedierte des riets, de vergadering der stieren met de kalveren der volken; en dien, die zich onderwerpt met stukken zilvers; Hij heeft de volken verstrooid, die lust hebben in oorlogen.
Gran signori verranno dall’Egitto, l’Etiopia s’affretterà a tender le mani verso Dio.
Poraź poczet kopijników, zgromadzenie mocnych wodzów, i ludu bujnego, hardych, chlubiących się kęsem srebra; rozprosz narody pragnące wojny.
Я буду славить имя Бога [моего] в песни, буду превозносить Его в славословии,
埃及的 公侯 要出來朝見 神；古實人 要急忙舉 手禱告。
Kings will give you offerings, they will come out of Egypt; from Pathros will come offerings of silver; Ethiopia will be stretching out her hands to God.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 68:31 foretells the submission of foreign nations to the true God. Barnes notes the rare Hebrew word chashmaniym (חשמנים), occurring only here, meaning ‘fat ones’ or ‘nobles’; the Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac render it ‘ambassadors’. The phrase ‘stretch out her hands’ (literally ‘cause her hands to run’) denotes eagerness, whether in supplication, submission, or offering gifts (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Cambridge Bible). Egypt and Ethiopia (Cush) represent the most inveterate enemies and the most distant nations; their homage signals universal recognition of God’s reign. Clarke sees both a literal fulfillment under Solomon and a prophetic one in the spread of Christianity, pointing to Egyptians at Pentecost and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8). Gill likewise notes the early preaching of the Gospel in Egypt by Mark and in Ethiopia by Matthew or Matthias. Wesley straightforwardly assigns the verse to the Messiah’s era. The core consensus: this is a vision of Gentiles, even the most remote and hostile, turning to God in worship.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical-literal (Solomon's era): Clarke notes possible literal fulfillment under Solomon with the queen of Sheba and alliance with Egypt, though he sees it as partial.
- Early church fulfillment: The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) and Egyptian converts at Pentecost (Acts 2) directly match the imagery of Africa stretching out hands to God.
- Eschatological / future: Barnes and Gill emphasize the future conversion of all nations, with Egypt and Ethiopia representing all Gentile peoples yet to come to faith.
What is clear: Egypt and Ethiopia — whether interpreted literally or representatively — will eagerly turn to the true God in worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'princes' (chashmaniym) | The word is rare (hapax legomenon) and points to men of rank, nobles, magnates, or wealthy ones. | Some render it 'ambassadors' (Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac) emphasizing diplomacy; others keep 'princes' emphasizing ruling status. |
| Identity of Cush (Ethiopia) | Cush is a region in Africa, south of Egypt, often identified with modern Sudan/Ethiopia. | A few interpreters suggest an Arabian Cush (e.g., from Gen. 10:6, 8), but most see it as African. |
| Time of fulfillment | The verse is prophetic, looking forward to Gentiles worshipping God. | Some see partial fulfillment in Solomon's era (queen of Sheba, alliances with Egypt); others in the early church (Ethiopian eunuch, Egyptian converts at Pentecost); others in a future eschatological mass conversion of nations. |
| Gesture of stretching out hands | The action is eager and swift, denoting submission, prayer, or offering gifts. | Commentators differ on the primary nuance: surrender (Barnes), supplication (Wesley, Cambridge), or tribute (Keil & Delitzsch). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits within Psalm 68, a hymn many scholars connect to the procession of the ark to Zion after a military victory (Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch, Lange). The surrounding context describes God’s triumph over enemies (v. 30), the bringing of tribute by kings (v. 29), and a call for the kingdoms of the earth to sing to God (v. 32). Egypt and Ethiopia were familiar to Israel as ancient adversaries (Exodus 1, 2 Kings 19:9) and as symbols of worldly power and distance. In the ancient Near East, ‘stretching out the hands’ was a gesture of surrender (Latin dare manus), of prayer (1 Kings 8:22; Psalm 88:9; 143:6), or of presenting tribute (Psalm 72:10). The Hebrew phrase here, tarits yadiav (תריץ ידיו, ‘cause her hands to run’), emphasizes swiftness and eagerness. The Chaldee paraphrase (cited by Clarke) reads: ‘The sons of Cush will run, that they may spread out their hands in prayer before God.’ This fits the psalm’s movement from God’s victory in Israel to his lordship over all nations. Egypt and Ethiopia are singled out not as the only nations but as the extreme cases: if even these come, then no nation is beyond God’s reach.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 68:31. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the various English translations (KJV, ASV, BSB, WEB, YLT, Darby) reflect the same underlying reading.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Psalm 68:31 was read as a prophecy of Gentile conversion. Clarke reports that St. Hilary (4th century) noted Egyptians at Pentecost who returned home proclaiming Christ. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 was widely seen as a direct fulfillment. Later commentators like Calvin and Gill continued this tradition, applying the verse to the spread of the gospel in Africa. The rare Hebrew term chashmaniym also gave rise to the name ‘Hasmonean,’ used for the Jewish Maccabean dynasty (Barnes). In modern missions, the verse has encouraged efforts to bring the gospel to unreached peoples, especially those in Africa, a continent that has indeed ‘stretched out her hands’ to God through vibrant Christian communities.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s reign extends to the far corners of the earth. Egypt and Ethiopia represent the bitterest enemies and the most remote peoples. If they submit, no nation is excluded.
- The gesture of outstretched hands. The Hebrew suggests eager, running hands, not reluctant surrender but joyful worship. This is what conversion looks like: from hostility to haste toward God.
- Fulfillment in the early church and still to come. The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) and the spread of Christianity in Africa show the promise beginning. Yet the full gathering of nations still awaits.
Five-point outline
- Psalm 68 celebrates God’s victory and procession to Zion (vv. 24, 27).
- The prayer for the temple’s glory leads to a vision of kings bringing gifts (v. 29).
- Then come the unlikely nations: Egypt, the oppressor, and Ethiopia, the distant land of Cush (v. 31).
- Their response is not slow or forced, they hurry to stretch out their hands to God.
- This prophecy echoes in the New Testament when Africans receive the gospel and continues as a hope for all peoples.
Illustration hooks
- Think of someone you never expected to become a Christian, a former opponent, a person from a very different culture. This verse says that person’s conversion can be eager, even swift.
- In many churches, the gesture of raising hands in worship is a sign of surrender and praise. The image of Ethiopia ‘causing her hands to run’ captures the same movement, not reluctant but joyful.
- Consider the Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah on his chariot. He was already searching; when Philip explained the good news, he couldn’t wait to be baptized. That is the haste of this verse.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is this verse about the past or the future? Did it happen in the early church, or is it still to come?
- What does it mean that God’s enemies become worshippers? Does that change how we pray for difficult people and nations?
- Why Ethiopia and Egypt? Are other nations also included, or are these special cases?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 68:31 is a small window into a vast promise: all nations will worship the one true God. It challenges us to consider how wide God’s mercy reaches, even to former enemies and distant peoples. As you discuss, hold together the historical setting (a victory procession in Jerusalem) and the lasting hope it carries.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 68:31 aloud in two or three translations. Which phrase stands out to you most? Why?
- The Hebrew word for ‘princes’ (chashmaniym) means ‘fat ones’ or ‘nobles’. Some versions say ‘ambassadors’. How does the translation affect the meaning?
- Commentators see a link to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. What similarities do you see between the prophecy and that story?
- Does this verse give you a different perspective on Africa’s place in the Bible? How?
- The phrase ‘stretch out her hands’ can mean surrender, prayer, or offering gifts. Which meaning fits best with the context of the psalm?
- Some interpreters see this as fulfilled in the early church; others expect a future mass conversion of nations. Which view do you find more compelling, and why?
- If God’s enemies can become eager worshippers, how might that shape your prayers for people or groups you find difficult?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 8:22 | Solomon stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; |
| Psalms 44:20 | If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god, |
| Psalms 72:8 | He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. |
| Psalms 72:11 | Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. |
| Psalms 88:9 | My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you. |
| Psalms 143:6 | I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah. |
| Isaiah 19:18 | In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called “The city of destruction.” |
| Isaiah 19:25 | because Yahweh of Armies has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the Hebrew verb "run" in the phrase, showing that Ethiopia eagerly and delightfully surrenders her power to God. He notes a dual fulfillment: an initial literal alliance under Solomon, and later when Egyptians and the Ethiopian eunuch eagerly received the gospel after Pentecost.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees this verse as a prophecy that rulers from foreign nations, starting with Egypt and Ethiopia, will one day acknowledge the true God and join his people. He highlights the rare Hebrew word for princes and stresses that even oppressed Africa will eagerly stretch out its hands in prayer and be accepted by God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees this psalm as celebrating a specific military victory, not the general translation of the ark to Mount Zion. He connects it to David's triumph over the Ammonites and Syrians, when the ark returned in procession. This reading grounds the psalm in a concrete historical moment of deliverance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The restoration of Israel aims at the conversion of the whole world. Egypt and Ethiopia, one a long-standing enemy and the other a remote, noble nation, serve as examples: their submission shows that even the most hostile and distant peoples will acknowledge God's supremacy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes interpret this verse as a prophecy of Gentile conversion: Egypt's rulers and distant Ethiopia will eagerly stretch out their hands to God in prayer. The point is that even the most powerful and far-off nations will one day humbly seek the Lord, submitting to his authority.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill applies the verse to every sinner's conversion, which
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the word translated "princes" literally means "fat ones," referring to the most eminent and wealthy from the most distant nations, representing universal submission. The phrase "stretch out her hands" can be read as "make to run her hands," suggesting eager haste.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch interpret this passage as a prophetic vision of Gentile nations bowing to Israel's God. Egypt, pictured as the "beast of the reed," represents proud worldly power. The prayer asks God to establish His work, then shifts to a prediction: once warlike peoples are scattered, Egypt's dignitaries and Ethiopia will bring tribute to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that God makes these promises of redemption and victory out of His own gracious purpose, not because of any merit in His people. The point is that those who by faith take God as their own will never be disappointed, for He will surely act as the God of their salvation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees Ethiopia not as a single nation but as a representative of all peoples who have been enemies of God and His people. These former foes will come begging mercy from God. He explicitly identifies this prophecy, along with the next verse, as belonging to the Messianic age.