Psalms 104:21 — Word Study
WLCהַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אָכְלָֽם׃
BSAThe young lionskᵉphîyr roarshâʼag [roaring with strength] for their preyṭereph [torn apart, food] and seekbâqash [searching diligently] their foodʼôkel [nourishment, sustenance] from Godʼêl [the Almighty, Provider]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַ֭כְּפִירִים | the young lions | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים | [are] roaring | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| לַטָּ֑רֶף | for the prey | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ | and to seek | Conjunction, preposition, verb piel infinitive construct common |
| מֵאֵ֣ל | from God | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| אָכְלָֽם׃ | food their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. |
| KJV | The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. |
| ASV | The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. |
| YLT | The young lions are roaring for prey, And to seek from God their food. |
| WEB | The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God. |
| BBE | The young lions go thundering after their food; searching for their meat from God. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of לַטָּ֑רֶף — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause with two subordinate phrases that expand on the lions' actions and their source of sustenance.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁאַג
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 104:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Care for Creationgenerated
Psalm 104:21 describes how young lions, symbols of strength and ferocity, rely on God for their sustenance. This verse is part of a larger passage that reflects on the relationship between God and His creation, emphasizing His provision for all living beings. The psalmist poetically illustrates the natural order, where even the mightiest creatures depend on the Almighty for their needs.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 34:10 | Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. |
| 2 | Job 38:39 | Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions |
| 3 | Isaiah 31:4 | For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey— and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor— so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 19:2–14 | and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She lay down among the young lions; she reared her cubs. |
| 5 | Amos 3:4 | Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כְּפִירִים, kephirimgenerated
The word כְּפִיר (*kephir*) refers specifically to young lions, emphasizing their strength and vitality. It is a noun in the masculine plural form, indicating a group of these powerful animals. The root of the word suggests a connection to covering or enclosure, which can metaphorically relate to the protective nature of a lion's mane.
In this context, the young lions are depicted as roaring for their prey, highlighting their role as hunters and their dependence on God for sustenance. This imagery evokes a sense of the wild and the natural instincts of these creatures, while also pointing to the divine source of their provision.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase the young lions roar for their prey.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main action is governed by the finite verb שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים, roaring, which is the subject of the sentence. This verb is supported by a prepositional phrase indicating for what the lions roar, and an infinitive phrase describing their action of seeking.
The structure emphasizes the lions' active pursuit of prey and their reliance on God for sustenance. The syntax reflects a poetic parallelism common in Hebrew poetry, where the roar and the search are closely linked.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כְּפִירִים as σκύμνοι, which also refers to young lions. This choice maintains the focus on the youthful aspect of the lions, while the Greek word ἁρπάσαι for 'prey' suggests a strong emphasis on the act of seizing or taking, which aligns with the predatory nature of lions.
This translation choice highlights the physicality of the lions' actions, suggesting a more aggressive pursuit of their sustenance.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 104:21 tells us that young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. This verse illustrates how even powerful animals depend on God for their sustenance, highlighting the relationship between creation and the Creator.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that all creatures, regardless of their strength, rely on God for their needs and sustenance.
Lions symbolize strength and power, making them a fitting example of how even the mightiest depend on God.
This verse emphasizes God's provision for all creation, illustrating the interconnectedness of life and the divine care that sustains it.
We can learn about the importance of seeking God for our needs, just as the lions seek their food from Him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's provision in my own life?
- How can I cultivate a deeper reliance on God for my needs?
- What does the imagery of young lions teach us about strength and dependence?
- How can I reflect God's care for creation in my own actions?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 104:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe young lions roar after their prey,.... Or, "at the prey" (f); for, according to the Scriptures, it seems as if their time of roaring was when they have got their prey, and are tearing it and
Read John Gill on Psalms 104 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. Thou makest darkness ... wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 104 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe young lions; which can no more subsist without Divine Providence than those which are most old and decrepit. Roar after their prey; they roar when they come within sight and reach of their prey, as naturalists observe; whereby this place may be reconciled with . Seek their meat from God: this is a figurative and poetical expression: their roaring is a kind of natural prayer to God for relief, as the cries of infants are a kind of prayers to their mothers for the breast. And this is justly noted as an act of God’ s special providence, because the lions are very ravenous, and need much prey, and also are dull in their scent, and so difficultly find it, and slow in their motion, and unable…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 104 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.Ver. 21. The young lions roar] Rousing themselves out of their dens by night, and then usually seizing upon what prey God sendeth them in; for they are at his, and not at their own, finding. And seek] Like as the young ravens cry to him, Psalms 147:9. by implication only. See Joe 1:18; Joe 1:20.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 104 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. The young lions roar after their prey] It is said of the lion, that his roaring is so terrible as to astonish and quite unnerve the beast which he pursues; so that, though fleeter than himself, it falls down and becomes an easy prey.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 104 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. The dreaded beasts of prey are part of God’s creation, depending on His bounty. Cp. Psalms 147:9.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 104 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe young lions roar after their prey - This is a continuation of the description in the previous verse. At night the beasts which had been hidden in the daytime crawl forth and seek their food.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 104 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible21. Young lions—The word denotes one in the vigour of life, as distinguished from the “old lion” which “perishes for lack of prey.” Job 4:11. Roar—Thus startling and bewildering their prey.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 104 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
The lions roar for prey, seeking their food from God.
Tyndale line
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God.
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
The lions roare after their praye, and seeke their meate at God.
Strictly literal
The young lions roar after the prey, and to seek their food from God.
The young lions are roaring for prey, And to seek from God their food.
The young lions are roaring for prey, || And to seek their food from God.
The young lions roar after their prey, and ask from God their food.
The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
From the Latin
He made him master of his house, and ruler of all his possession.
Simplified
The young lions roar as they seek their prey, looking for the food that God provides for them.
The young lions go thundering after their food; searching for their meat from God.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
הַ֭כְּפִירִים appears consistently in the Masoretic Text and is matched in the Septuagint, indicating agreement in the depiction of young lions. The Dead Sea Scrolls also reflect this, though some words are restored by editors, showing a close alignment with the traditional text.
הַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אָכְלָֽם׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[הכפירים] [שואגים] [לטרף] ולבקש מאל אכל׳ם
1 word on the leather — 2 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[הכפירים] שאגים [לטרף] [ולבקש] [מאל] [אוכל׳ם]
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 104:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word כְּפִיר (*kefir*) primarily means 'young lion,' while its plural form כְּפִירִים (*kefirim*) likely refers to 'villages.' The word is built from the root associated with 'covering,' suggesting a connection to both young lions and enclosed spaces. It appears in Nehemiah 6:2.
כְּפִיר n.m. young lion
base
כְּפִירִים Ne 6:2, prob. = foregoing [כְּפִירָה] (𝔊 al. n. appell. = villages).
done
H3715a כְּפִיר young lion H3715b כְּפִירִים prob. = כְּפִירָה
3715 kphiyr kef-eer'
from 3722; a village (as covered in by walls); also a young
lion (perhaps as covered with a mane):--(young) lion, village.
Compare 3723.
see HEBREW for 03722
see HEBREW for 03723
כְּפִיר (ke.phir) — lion.
young lion
כְּפִירִים (ke.phi.rim) — Hakkephirim.
village
Another name of o.no (אוֹנוֹ "Ono" H0207)
כְּפִירִים (ke.phi.rim) — villages.
village
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
Lions
The most powerful of all carnivorous animals. Although not now found in Palestine, they must have been in ancient times very numerous there. They had their lairs in the forests (Jer. 5:6; 12:8; Amos 3:4), in the caves of the mountains (Cant. 4:8; Nah. 2:12), and in the canebrakes on the banks of the Jordan (Jer. 49:19; 50:44; Zech. 11:3).
No fewer than at least six different words are used in the Old Testament for the lion. (1.) Gor (i.e., a “suckling”), the lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9;
The Hebrew word שָׁאַג (sha'ag) means 'to roar' and is derived from a primitive root. It covers the action of roaring, particularly in contexts involving a lion, a conqueror, or a cry of distress. The entries consistently emphasize the powerful nature of the sound, but do not provide specific verse references.
H7580 שָׁאַג roar
7580 sha'ag shaw-ag'
a primitive root; to rumble or moan:--X mightily, roar.
שָׁאַג (sha.ag) — to roar.
1) (Qal) to roar
1a) of lion, conqueror, Jehovah, cry of distress
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVqrmpa
טֶ֫רֶף (teref) refers to something that is torn, such as prey or food, and can also mean a leaf. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of fragments. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to prey and food, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
טֶ֫רֶף n.m. prey, food; leaf
base
H2964 טֶ֫רֶף prey, food; leaf
2964 tereph teh'-ref
from 2963; something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh
leaf, prey, food:--leaf, meat, prey, spoil.
see HEBREW for 02963
טֶ֫רֶף (te.reph) — prey.
1) prey, food, leaf
1a) prey
1b) food
1c) leaf
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
pra (baz, Tereph, shalal): "Prey" is frequent in the Old Testament, chiefly as the translation of baz, "spoil," "plunder" (Nu 14:3,11; De 1:39; Isa 10:6, etc.); of Tereph, "prey of wild beasts," "torn thing" (Ge 49:9; Nu 23:24; Job 4:11, etc.); of malqoah, "a taking" (Nu 31:11, etc.; Isa 49:24,25); of shalal, "spoil" or "booty" (Jud 5:30 twice; Jud…
בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.
[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek
Pi.
seek to find
seek to secure
seek the face
desire, demand
require, exact
exact equivalent or penalty for
(late) ask, request
Pu. be sought
base
H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek
1245 baqash baw-kash'
a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically
in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,
beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,
(make) request, require, seek (for).
בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.
1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to seek to find
1a2) to seek to secure
1a3) to seek the face
1a4) to desire, demand
1a5) to require, exact
1a6) to ask, request
1b) (Pual) to be sought
Conj | Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a — Conjunction · preposition · verb piel infinitive construct commonHC/R/Vpcc
The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might
applied to men of might and rank
angels
gods of the nations
Ēl
as characterizing mighty things in nature
God, the one only and true God of Israel
אֵל strength, power
base
H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank
. angels
. gods of the nations
. Ēl
. as characterizing mighty things in nature
. God, the one only and true God of Israel
. אֵל strength, power
410 'el ale
shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;
especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God
(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.
Compare names in "-el."
see HEBREW for 0352
אֵל (el) — God.
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֵל (el) — El (Berith).
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)
אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)
אֵל (el) — El (Most High).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)
אֵל (el) — god.
: god
1) god, god-like one, mighty one
1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes
1b) angels
1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)
1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah
2) mighty things in nature
3) strength, power
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA
1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought
2. Definition of the Idea
3. The Knowledge of God
4. Ethnic Ideas of God
(1) Animism
(2) Fetishism
(3) Idolatry
(4) Polytheism
(5) Henotheism
(6) Pantheism
(7) Deism
(8) Semitic Monolatry
(9) Monotheism
II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The Course of Its Development
2. Forms of Its Manifestation
(1) The Face or Countenance of God
(2) The Voice and Word of God
(3) The Glory of God
(4) The Angel of God
(5) The Spirit of God
(6) The Name of God
(7) Occasional Forms
3. The Names of God
(1) Generic
(2) Attributive
(3) Yahweh
4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God
(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel
(a) His Early Worship
(b) Popular Religion
(c) Polytheistic Tendencies
(i) Coordination
(ii) Assimilation
(iii) Disintegration
(d) No Hebrew Goddesses
(e) Human Sacrifices
God
(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).
The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:
(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.
(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…
This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…
אֹ֫כֶל (okel) means food and encompasses a range of meanings including meal, meat, and food supply. It is derived from the root word for eating. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as meals and victuals, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
אֹ֫כֶל 40 n.m. food
base
H400 אֹ֫כֶל food
400 'okel o'-kel
from 398; food:--eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey,
victuals.
see HEBREW for 0398
אֹ֫כֶל (o.khel) — food.
1) food
1a) cereal
1b) meat
2) food supply
3) meal, dinner
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp