Psalms 78:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The children of Ephraim, &c.— The sons of Ephraim, who were armed with the bow, were put to flight in the day of battle; Psalms 78:10 because he kept not, &c. Green: who renders the 12th and following verses in the pluperfect, like the 11th. He had wrought marvellous things; he had divided the sea, &c. The history here referred to seems to be that of the Israelites going up, contrary to God's command, to take possession of the land of Canaan, when they were smitten before their enemies. Deuteronomy 1:42. The Ephraimites are here specified, probably, as being the most warlike tribe, and as having led on, perhaps, the rest of the tribes to the engagement. See Bishop Hare. Others think that the passage refers to a defeat of the Ephraimites, mentioned 1 Chronicles 7:21. Upon which Dr. Hammond observes from Kimchi thus: "This defeat of the Ephraimites was in the desart, and although the history be not mentioned in the Law, or Books of Moses, yet it is written in the Books of Chronicles; where, on occasion of Zabad the Ephraimite, and Shutela, &c. it is, added, whom the men of Gath, who were born in that land, slew; and Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. From the circumstance of Ephraim's mourning it appears, that this happened before the Israelites entered into Canaan; and the manner of the relation shews that it was a considerable slaughter. Kimchi collects the greatness of it, by comparing the sum of the Ephraimites when they came out of Egypt, and were 40,500, with their number in the plains of Moab, which was no more than 32,500; 8000 short: whereas in that time (about 38 years) most of the other tribes were greatly increased. To this defeat and great slaughter of the Ephraimites by the men of Gath, an effect of their cowardice and unbelief, the Psalmist here," says the learned Doctor, most probably refers."