The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle. – Psalm 78:9

Today's Scripture Reading (August 10, 2022): Psalms 78

The events at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, have quickly become a cautionary tale. There were so many things that seemed to go wrong. Still, the most significant of the mistakes committed at the school is that armed police officers from various departments and organizations were either content or ordered to stay outside the school. At the same time, the perpetrator of the crime continued to kill and terrorize the children and teachers inside the school. It is a decision that no one outside of the one who issued the orders seemed to understand. Unarmed parents were restrained from going into the school to try to save their kids, an action that was made even more desperate by the inaction of those who possessed the weapons. In the time since the senseless deaths of the twenty-two at Robb Elementary, just the mention of the school brings up images of exactly how the authorities should not respond in a crisis.

Asaph speaks about the inaction of the men of Ephraim. We aren't sure if the Psalmist is speaking specifically of the tribe or if there was a group of tribes who were clustered together under Ephraim's leadership. Later in the history of Israel, Ephraim would come to symbolize all of the tribes that made up the Northern Kingdom, which would include all of the tribes of Israel other than Judah and Benjamin. Regardless of the intent, we know of no historical incident that resembles the events described by the Psalmist in which Ephraim was known to be involved. Because of this, the reference to Ephraim in this passage might not recall a historical act of cowardice by the actual tribe of Ephraim.

The best way to interpret the Psalm might be to assume that it is more prophetic than poetic. Ephraim was a large, well-armed tribe. They had nothing to fear from outside forces. And yet, when the moment arrived when their strength could have been used to help the people follow God, Ephraim would stand aside.

That significant moment might have arrived at the time of the division of Israel into Northern and Southern Kingdoms. In that instant, Jeroboam, a member of the tribe of Ephraim, decided to lead Israel away from the God of the patriarchs. "After seeking advice, the king [Jeroboam] made two golden calves. He said to the people, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'" And Jeroboam set up the golden calves in Dan (in the northernmost part of the Northern Kingdom) and in Bethel (in the southern part of the Northern Kingdom). Ephraim had the strength to resist the move against God and his commands, but instead, they stood aside and let Jeroboam set up his new religion, which was a pale imitation of the one God had commanded for the nation.

Today's Scripture Reading: Psalm 80