Psalms 107:27 — Word Study
WLCיָח֣וֹגּוּ וְ֭יָנוּעוּ כַּשִּׁכּ֑וֹר וְכָל־ חָ֝כְמָתָ֗ם תִּתְבַּלָּֽע׃
BSAThey reeledchâgag▸ [to and fro, stumbling] and staggerednûwaʻ▸ [like a drunken man, at their wits’ end] like drunkardsshikkôwr [intoxicated, without control] and allkôl [everything, every aspect of] their skillchokmâh [wisdom, cunning, seamanship] was uselessbâlaʻ▸ [swallowed up, without effect, at their wit's end]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָח֣וֹגּוּ | they staggered | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְ֭יָנוּעוּ | and they may trembled | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine plural |
| כַּשִּׁכּ֑וֹר | like drunkard | Preposition |
| וְכָל־ | and all | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| חָ֝כְמָתָ֗ם | skill their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| תִּתְבַּלָּֽע׃ | it was confused | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect third person feminine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless. |
| KJV | They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. |
| ASV | They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. |
| YLT | They reel to and fro, and move as a drunkard, And all their wisdom is swallowed up. |
| WEB | They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. |
| BBE | They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing. |
The translations agree on the portrayal of the sailors' condition as staggering and helpless.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by additional phrases that elaborate on the sailors' condition and the ineffectiveness of their skills.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָגַג
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 107:27
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 — The Distress of Sailorsgenerated
Psalms 107:27 reflects on sailors caught in a violent storm. They are described as reeling and staggering, akin to drunkenness, highlighting their disorientation and helplessness. This verse is part of a larger narrative that emphasizes God's ability to deliver those in distress, as seen in the surrounding verses, including Psalms 107:26 and Psalms 107:28.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 12:25 | They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards. |
| 2 | Isaiah 19:14 | The LORD has poured into her a spirit of confusion. Egypt has been led astray in all she does, as a drunkard staggers through his own vomit. |
| 3 | Isaiah 29:9 | Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink. |
| 4 | Job 37:20 | Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up ? |
| 5 | Isaiah 19:3 | Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָח֣וֹגּוּ, ya.Cho.gugenerated
The verb יָח֣וֹגּוּ (ya.Cho.gu) is derived from the root חָגַג (chagag), which typically means to celebrate or observe a festival. However, in this context, it conveys a sense of staggering or reeling, akin to being disoriented or dizzy, much like a drunken person.
This usage illustrates the sailors' loss of control amid the storm, where their skills and expertise become ineffective. The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing action, emphasizing their continual struggle against the overwhelming forces around them.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is examined using the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which translates the key verb as staggered, a choice shared by the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of three main clauses, with the first two verbs יָח֣וֹגּוּ (they staggered) and וְיָנוּעוּ (and they trembled) establishing the sailors' state. The final clause describes the ineffectiveness of their skill, emphasizing the totality of their helplessness.
The structure highlights the progression from their physical condition to the futility of their abilities, creating a vivid picture of their desperation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָח֣וֹגּוּ as ἐταράξθησαν, which conveys a sense of being disturbed or thrown into confusion. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the Hebrew term, emphasizing the turmoil experienced by the sailors.
The Greek word ἐσαλεύθησαν for וְיָנוּעוּ also captures the instability and shaking, reinforcing the chaotic nature of the storm.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 107:27 describes sailors who are overwhelmed by a storm, staggering and reeling like drunkards. Their skills and knowledge are of no use in this dire situation, emphasizing their helplessness in the face of nature's fury.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase illustrates the sailors' disorientation and loss of control during the storm, similar to how a drunk person behaves.
Their expertise in seamanship could not save them from the overwhelming power of the storm, highlighting the limits of human ability in the face of nature.
It suggests that even the most skilled individuals can find themselves helpless in certain situations, emphasizing the need for divine assistance.
This verse is part of a larger narrative that illustrates God's deliverance of those in distress, showing that He is the ultimate source of help.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel overwhelmed, like the sailors in this verse?
- How can I recognize the limits of my own skills and abilities when facing challenges?
- What does this passage teach me about the importance of seeking help from God in times of trouble?
- How can I apply the lessons from this verse to support others who may be struggling?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 107:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,.... Through the agitation of the water, and motion of the ship, not being able to stand upon deck.
Read John Gill on Psalms 107 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. No JFB commentary on this vurse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 107 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleStagger like a drunken man; not so much from the giddiness of their heads, which is not usual in persons accustomed to the sea, as through the violent and various motions of the sea and the ship.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 107 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.Ver. 27. They reel to and fro, &c.] Natant nautae, et vacillant cerebro et pedibus. And are at their wit’ s end] All their skill and strength faileth them at once; they can do no more for their lives. Heb. All their wisdom is swallowed up; that is, the art of navigation is now to no use with them.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 107 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) Reel to and fro.—Or more exactly, spin round and round.Are at their wit’s end.—An admirable paraphrase of the Hebrew, “all their wisdom swalloweth itself up.” The poet, from the expressions employed, is possibly writing under the influence of Psa 22:14; but he has evidently himself been to sea and experienced the dangers and discomforts he so graphically describes. Ovid (Trist. i. 2) has been quoted in illustration: “Me miserum, quanti montes volvuntur aquarum Jamjam tacturos sidera summa putes. Quantæ diducto subsidunt æquore valles: Jamjam tacturas Tartura nigra putes Rector in incerto est, nec quid fugiatve petatve Invenit: ambiguis ars stupet ipsa malis.”See on this passage Addison…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 107 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges27. and are at their wit’s end] Lit. all their wisdom is swallowed up, or perhaps as in Psalms 55:9, is confounded. Their skill in navigation entirely fails them. Cp. Isaiah 19:3. A striking parallel to the whole passage is to be found in Ovid, Tristia, l. 2. 19 ff. Me miserum, quanti montes volvuntur aquarum! Iam iam tacturos sidera summa putes. Quantae diducto subsidunt aequore valles! Iam iam tacturas Tartara nigra putes. Rector in incerto est, nec quid fugiatve petatve Invenit. Ambiguis ars stupet ipsa malis.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 107 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey reel to and fro - The word used here - חגג châgag - means to dance as in a circle; then, to reel, or be giddy as drunkards are.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 107 →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
They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.
They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.
They swayed and staggered like a drunk, and all their skill proved ineffective.
Tyndale line
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
They are tossed to and from, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their cunning is gone.
Strictly literal
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and they are at their wits' end:
They reel to and fro, and move as a drunkard, And all their wisdom is swallowed up.
They reel to and fro, and move as a drunkard, || And all their wisdom is swallowed up.
They would reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was exhausted.
They swayed and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits' end.
Simplified
They staggered around, falling from side to side like drunks—all their seamanship skills were useless.
They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing.
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 of Psalms 107:27 reads, "יָח֣וֹגּוּ וְ֭יָנוּעוּ כַּשִּׁכּ֑וֹר וְכָל־ חָ֝כְמָתָ֗ם תִּתְבַּלָּֽע׃" which translates to "They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless." The Septuagint aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, matching all six words in a word-by-word correspondence, although its word order and articles differ. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q88) contain three words, two of which are partly restored and one fully supplied by an editor, but they also reflect the essence of the Masoretic Text with the phrase "ויחוגו וינועו [כשכור] וכל חוכמת׳ם תתבלע," indicating that they agree with the Masoretic Text in meaning, despite some textual differences in preservation and restoration.
יָח֣וֹגּוּ וְ֭יָנוּעוּ כַּשִּׁכּ֑וֹר וְכָל־ חָ֝כְמָתָ֗ם תִּתְבַּלָּֽע׃
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.
ויחוגו וינועו [כשכור] וכל חוכמת׳ם תתבלע
3 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 1 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 107:27
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.
חָגַג (chagag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to make a pilgrimage or to keep a festival. It is derived from a root meaning to move in a circle, which implies marching in a sacred procession. The word encompasses celebrating, dancing, and even reeling, indicating a joyful or festive atmosphere.
[חָגַג] vb. make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast
base
H2287 [חָגַג] make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast
2287 chagag khaw-gag'
a primitive root (compare 2283, 2328); properly, to move in a
circle, i.e. (specifically) to march in a sacred procession,
to observe a festival; by implication, to be
giddy:--celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast
(holiday), reel to and fro.
see HEBREW for 02283
see HEBREW for 02328
חָגַג (cha.gag) — to celebrate.
1) to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep a pilgrim-feast
1a2) to reel
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
נוּעַ (nuwa`) is a primitive root meaning to shake or waver, encompassing a wide range of actions such as quivering, trembling, and moving. It can describe both literal and figurative movements, including being tossed about or causing someone to wander. The entries highlight its various applications, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
נוּעַ vb. quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
Qal
wave
totter, go tottering
Niph. be tossed about
Hiph.
toss about
shake, cause to totter
(shake), disturb
cause to wander
base
H5128 נוּעַ quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
5128 nuwa` noo'-ah
a primitive root; to waver, in a great variety of
applications, literally and figuratively (as
subjoined):--continually, fugitive, X make, to (go) up and
down, be gone away, (be) move(-able, -d), be promoted, reel,
remove, scatter, set, shake, sift, stagger, to and fro, be
vagabond, wag, (make) wander (up and down).
נוּעַ (nu.a) — to shake.
1) to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to wave, quiver, vibrate, swing, stagger, tremble, be unstable
1a2) to totter, go tottering
1a2a) vagabond (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be tossed about or around
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to toss about
1c2) to shake, cause to totter
1c3) to shake, disturb
1c4) to cause to wander
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine pluralHC/Vqu3mp
שִׁכֹּר (shikkor) means 'drunken' and refers to a state of intoxication or a habitual drunkard. The word is built from the root associated with drunkenness and is used in various contexts to describe someone who is intoxicated.
שִׁכֹּר, שִׁכּוֹר adj. drunken
base
H7910 שִׁכֹּר, שִׁכּוֹר drunken
7910 shikkowr shik-kore'
or shikkor {shik-kore'}; from 7937; intoxicated, as a state
or a habit:--drunk(-ard, -en, -en man).
see HEBREW for 07937
שִׁכֹּר (shik.kor) — drunken.
1) drunken
1a) drunken
1b) drunkard, drunken one (subst)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHRd/Aamsa
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
חָכְמָה (chokmah) means wisdom and encompasses various forms of skill, including in war and administration, as well as shrewdness and ethical prudence. It is built from the root word for wisdom, חָכַם (chakam). The term appears in contexts related to both practical and religious matters.
חָכְמָה n.f. wisdom
skill in war
wisdom, in administration
shrewdness, wisdom
wisdom, prudence in religious affairs
wisdom, ethical and religious
base
H2451 חָכְמָה wisdom . skill in war
. wisdom, in administration
. shrewdness, wisdom
. wisdom, prudence in religious affairs
. wisdom, ethical and religious
2451 chokmah khok-maw'
from 2449; wisdom (in a good sense):--skilful, wisdom,
wisely, wit.
see HEBREW for 02449
חׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) — wisdom.
1) wisdom
1a) skill (in war)
1b) wisdom (in administration)
1c) shrewdness, wisdom
1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
1e) wisdom (ethical and religious)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp
בָּלַע (bala) is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow down or engulf. It encompasses various forms, including actions of devouring and being consumed, as well as figurative uses like squandering. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances.
בָּלַע vb. swallow down, swallow up, engulf
Qal
swallow down
swallow up, engulf
Niph. swallowed up, i.e. devastated
Pi.
swallow
swallow up, engulf
Pu. be swallowed up
Hithp. their wisdom is all gone, ‘they are at their wit’s end’
base
H1104 בָּלַע swallow down, swallow up, engulf
1104 bala` baw-lah'
a primitive root; to make away with (specifically by
swallowing); generally, to destroy:--cover, destroy, devour,
eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).
בָּלַע (ba.la) — to swallow up.
1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to swallow down
1a2) to swallow up, engulf
1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to swallow
1c2) to swallow up, engulf
1c3) squandering (fig.)
1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up
1e) (Hithpael) to be ended
V-Hithpael-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person feminine singularHVti3fs