Psalm 78/Notes/Lexical.V. 48.50141

v. 48 – The word רֶשֶׁף appears seven times in the Bible and has received numerous interpretations. The two major positions seem to be those of a generic plague, and flames of light, i.e., lightning. • The "plague" reading is probably due to the parallel appearance of קֶטֶב in Deut 32:24 and דֶּבֶר in Hab 3:5. In the latter case there is evidence for the tradition of the "plague god" Rašap (see HALOT) in the Vulgate's diabolus. Deut 32:24, on the other hand, reads "birds" in the LXX, Vulgate and Targum Onkelos. • "Birds" are also attested in our present verse​ in Aquila and Symmachus, while Shemot Rabbah (12) makes the explicit connection to the בְנֵי־רֶ֝֗שֶׁף in Job 5:7, which it interprets as birds, stating, "What is 'and their livestock lareshafim? These are birds, as it is stated: 'As the sparks [uvnei reshef] fly upward' (Job 5:7). • "Flame/flashes" seem to be the most likely reading: – The other instances of the word are in construct with קֶשֶׁת and אֵשׁ (see Ps 76:4, רִשְׁפֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת and Song 8:6, רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ). – RADAK's Sefer HaShorashim offers a semantic map neatly organised around the idea of "coals" (ענין הכל גחלים), though Job 5:7 probably refers to "sparks" (הניצוצות), Deut 34:24 as a plague which results in heat, i.e., fever (חולי החמימות שהוא ברשף) as the connection to "fire." Unfortunately he mentions every other instance except our verse. – Once again, we must draw upon context and the parallel line, which speaks of hail. Something coming from the sky which resembles fire most likely refers to lightning.