Psalms 106:44 — Word Study
WLCוַ֭יַּרְא בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם בְּ֝שָׁמְע֗וֹ אֶת־ רִנָּתָֽם׃
BSANevertheless He heardshâmaʻ [the Provider, listened with attention and obedience] their cryrinnâh [a loud, ringing shout for help] He took noterâʼâh▸ of their distresstsar [regarded, saw, and pitied, affliction, trouble, and narrow circumstances]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַ֭יַּרְא | and he saw | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בַּצַּ֣ר | when it was distress | Preposition |
| לָהֶ֑ם | to them | Preposition, suffix |
| בְּ֝שָׁמְע֗וֹ | when heard he | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common, suffix |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| רִנָּתָֽם׃ | cry of entreaty their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress. |
| KJV | Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: |
| ASV | Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry: |
| YLT | And He looketh on their distress When He heareth their cry, |
| WEB | Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry. |
| BBE | But when their cry came to his ears, he had pity on their trouble: |
Where they part company is in the rendering of רִנָּתָם — see How Translations Differ.
The structure reveals a main clause followed by several phrases that clarify the conditions and actions described.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָאָה
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 106:44
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 Faithfulness in Israel's Historygenerated
Psalms 106:44 reflects on God's compassionate response to Israel's suffering despite their repeated disobedience. The psalmist recounts how, even in their rebellion, God heard their cries for help and took note of their distress, highlighting His mercy and faithfulness. This passage serves as a reminder of God's attentive care for His people in times of trouble, as seen in other historical accounts in Judges 2:18 and Judges 10:10-16.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 2:18 | Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them. |
| 2 | Judges 3:9 | But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them. |
| 3 | Judges 4:3 | Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. |
| 4 | Judges 6:6–10 | Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. |
| 5 | Judges 10:10–16 | Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רִנָּתָם, ri.na.Tamgenerated
The Hebrew word רִנָּה (rinnah) means a loud, ringing cry, often associated with expressions of joy or urgent pleas for help. It is a feminine noun that captures the emotional weight of a cry, whether in joy or distress. The parsing shows it as a singular construct form, indicating a specific cry belonging to the people.
This word emphasizes the intensity of the plea made by the Israelites in their time of trouble. The psalmist uses it to convey the depth of their need and the sincerity of their call for divine intervention.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יַּרְא, He saw, which governs the entire verse. It is followed by two clauses: the first describes the condition of the people, and the second details God's response to their cry. The structure highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between the people's distress and God's attentive action.
The prepositional phrases clarify the context of the verbs, indicating when God heard and saw their cries, thereby emphasizing His active involvement in their plight.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יַּרְא as εἶδεν (eiden), meaning 'He saw.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew meaning of perceiving or understanding, emphasizing God's awareness of the people's suffering.
The translation captures the essence of God's compassionate observation, aligning closely with the Hebrew text's intent to convey His attentiveness to Israel's cries.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 106:44 shows that even when the Israelites rebelled, God listened to their cries for help and saw their troubles. This verse reminds us of God's mercy and His willingness to respond to our needs.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God was attentive to the pleas of His people, acknowledging their suffering and ready to respond.
This verse highlights God's mercy and compassion, showing that He cares for His people even in their rebellion.
Examples include God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, His provision in the wilderness, and His forgiveness after their sins, as seen throughout the historical books.
It signifies that God not only sees our troubles but also actively engages with them, offering help and relief.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to cry out to God for help?
- How can I be more aware of God's presence in my times of distress?
- What does it mean for me to know that God sees my struggles?
- How can I reflect God's compassion to others who are in distress?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, like Augustine, used this verse to discuss God's mercy and attentiveness to His people's cries in times of trouble.
Nevertheless, God, full of mercy, forsook them not. "And He saw when they were in adversity, when He heard their complaint" [Psalms 106:44].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 106 →
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 106:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleNevertheless he regarded their affliction,.... Or "looked on them in distress" (d); he saw their affliction, and had compassion on them; he was so far from abhorring and despising the affliction of
Read John Gill on Psalms 106 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryNevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: -Conclusion.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 106 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:Ver. 44. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction] See for proof hereof the whole Book of Judges, and take notice of God’ s philanthropy, who heareth men’ s afflictions, as he did Hagar’ s, Genesis 16:11, and is oft found of them that seek him not, Isaiah 65:1. See 2 Kings 14:26-27. When he heard their cry] Heb. their shrill outcry; not for joy (as the word is mostly taken), but for grief.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 106 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges40–46. The alternations of chastisement, pardon, restoration, and relapse in the course of Israel’s history. As in Nehemiah 9:26 ff., the primary reference is to the period of the judges; but doubtless the verses are intended to be a summary survey of the characteristics of the whole course of Israel’s history, leading up to the prayer for restoration in Psalms 106:47.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 106 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleNevertheless, he regarded their affliction - literally, “And he looked upon the trouble that was upon them;” or, “and he saw in the distress to them.” The meaning is, that he did not turn away from
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 106 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
Yet he took notice of their distress, when he heard their cry for help.
Tyndale line
Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry:
Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry:
Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
Yet hee sawe when they were in affliction, and he heard their crie.
Strictly literal
But he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry;
And He looketh on their distress When He heareth their cry,
And He looks on their distress || When He hears their cry,
Nevertheless he looked on when they were in distress, when he heard their entreaty.
Nevertheless, he paid attention to their distress when he heard their cry for help.
Simplified
Despite all this, the Lord was moved by their suffering; he heard their sad cries.
But when their cry came to his ears, he had pity on their trouble:
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
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in the overall message of God's response to Israel's distress. However, the Septuagint's word order differs from the Hebrew, reflecting its own interpretative style while maintaining the core meaning.
וַ֭יַּרְא בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם בְּ֝שָׁמְע֗וֹ אֶת־ רִנָּתָֽם׃
4 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.
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 106:44
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.
רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.
רָאָה 1315 vb. see
Qal 1141
see, subj.
see, c. acc. rei
see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design
see, so as to learn to know
abs. see, have (power of) vision
see = perceive
look at, see, by direct volition
of mental observation
c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
see, c. acc. rei
Niph.
appear
be seen
be visible
Pu. appar. his bones are not detected
Hithp. recipr. look at each other
Hiph.
cause one to see something, shew
cause to experience something
cause to look intently at, to behold
Hoph.
be caused to see, be shewn
be exhibited to
base
H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.
. see, c. acc. rei
. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design
. see, so as to learn to know
. abs. see, have (power of) vision
. see = perceive
. look at, see, by direct volition
. of mental observation
. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
. see, c. acc. rei
. . appear
. be seen
. be visible
. appar. his bones are not detected
. recipr. look at each other
. . . cause one to see something, shew
. cause to experience something
. cause to look intently at, to behold
. . be caused to see, be shewn
. be exhibited to
H7200b רְאוּת look
7200 ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in
numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,
intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,
behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have
experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look
(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,
upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,
regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one
another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X
surely, X think, view, visions.
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.
: see/show
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish
1a6) to look at, gaze at
1a7) to provide, choose
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to appear, present oneself
1b2) to be seen
1b3) to be visible
1c) (Pual) to be seen
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to see, show
1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be caused to see, be shown
1e2) to be exhibited to
1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.
: examine/consider
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
so.
See TOOLS.
Egyptian saws, so far as has yet been discovered, are single-handed. As is the case in modern Oriental saws, the teeth usually incline toward the handle, instead of away from it like ours. They have, in most cases, bronze blades, apparently attached to the handles by leathern thongs. No evidence exists of the use of the saw applied to stone in Egypt, but we read of sawn stones used in the temple. (1 Kings 7:9) The saws "under" or "in" which David is said to have placed his captives were of iron. The expression in (2 Samuel 12:31) does not necessarily imply torture, but the word "cut" in (1 Chronicles 20:3) can hardly be understood otherwise.
The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.
צַר adj. narrow, tight
base
צַר n.[m.] straits, distress
base
צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe
base
צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28
ref
H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint
6862 tsar tsar
or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place
(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in
6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,
afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,
narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
see HEBREW for 06887
see HEBREW for 06864
צַר (tsar) — narrow.
narrow, tight
צַר (tsar) — distress.
straits, distress
צַר (tsar) — enemy.
adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor
צַר (tsar) — hard.
hard pebble, flint
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHRd/Aamsa
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffixHR/Vqcc/Sp3ms
ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
רִנָּה (rinnah) refers to a ringing cry, often associated with joy, grief, or proclamation. It is derived from the root meaning to creak or make a shrill sound. The term encompasses various expressions of emotion, including gladness and triumph, and can denote both joyful singing and cries of supplication.
רִנָּה n.f. ringing cry
base
H7440 רִנָּה ringing cry
7440 rinnah rin-naw'
from 7442; properly, a creaking (or shrill sound), i.e. shout
(of joy or grief):--cry, gladness, joy, proclamation,
rejoicing, shouting, sing(-ing), triumph.
see HEBREW for 07442
רִנָּה (rin.nah) — cry.
1) ringing cry
1a) of entreaty, supplication
1b) in proclamation, joy, praise
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp