Psalms 2:3 — Word Study
WLCנְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־ מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃
BSALet us breaknâthaq [tear apart, separate from] Their chainsmôwçêr [bonds, restraints] and cast awayshâlak [throw off, reject] Their cordsʻăbôth [ropes, bindings, like a halter]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה | let us tear off | Verb, Piel, infinitive construct first person common plural |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ | fetters their | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה | and let us throw | Conjunction, verb hiphil infinitive construct first person common plural |
| מִמֶּ֣נּוּ | away from us | Preposition, suffix |
| עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ | ropes their | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” |
| KJV | Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. |
| ASV | Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. |
| YLT | 'Let us draw off Their cords, And cast from us Their thick bands.' |
| WEB | “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.” |
| BBE | Let their chains be broken, and their cords taken from off us. |
Translations agree on the overall meaning of the verse, focusing on the desire to break free from divine constraints.
The sentence is structured around two main actions, each with its own object, emphasizing the kings' intent to reject divine restraints.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָתַק
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 2:3
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 Rebellion of the Nationsgenerated
Psalms 2:3 captures the defiance of earthly kings who seek to free themselves from the bonds that they perceive limit their power. This verse is part of a larger narrative where the rulers of the earth unite against the LORD and His Anointed One, as seen in the preceding verse, Psalms 2:2. Their rebellion is met with a divine response, emphasizing the futility of opposing God's authority.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 5:5 | I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains. |
| 2 | Luke 19:14–27 | But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ |
| 3 | 1 Peter 2:7–8 | To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה, Ne.na.te.kahgenerated
The verb נָתַק (nathaq) is a Piel infinitive construct, meaning 'to tear off' or 'to break away.' This form indicates an active effort to separate or remove something, suggesting a forceful action. The word can imply tearing apart or pulling away, which aligns with the rebellious intent expressed in this verse.
In this context, the kings are not merely wishing to be free; they are actively seeking to break the chains that bind them. The choice of this verb underscores their determination to reject divine authority.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase let us break to convey the intent of the kings.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb, נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה, let us tear off, governs the clause, with two phrases following: a noun phrase indicating the object of the tearing, and a conjunction leading to another verb phrase. The structure emphasizes the active rebellion of the kings against God's authority.
The phrase מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ serves as a direct object, showing what is being torn off. This construction highlights the focus on the restraints the kings wish to remove.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה with διαρρήχωμεν, meaning 'let us break apart.' This choice reflects a similar intent of separation but may imply a more violent action than the Hebrew.
The translation choice indicates a narrowing of meaning, emphasizing a complete breaking apart rather than merely tearing off.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 2:3 shows the kings of the earth declaring their intent to break free from the restraints imposed by God. They express a desire to tear off the chains and throw away the cords that bind them, highlighting their rebellion against divine authority.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To break their chains signifies a desire to reject the limitations and authority imposed by God, as the kings wish to be free from divine control.
The kings want to cast away their cords to symbolize their rebellion and desire for autonomy from God's influence.
This verse is part of a larger psalm that depicts the rebellion of nations against God and His Anointed One, emphasizing the futility of such opposition.
The kings' rebellion illustrates the human tendency to resist divine authority, reminding us of the importance of recognizing God's sovereignty.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel constrained, and how can I seek freedom within God's will?
- How can I recognize and resist the temptation to rebel against God's authority?
- What does it mean for me to throw off the cords that bind me in my spiritual journey?
- How can I encourage others to seek God's guidance rather than resist it?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse includes Augustine of Hippo, who uses it to discuss the rejection of divine authority.
"Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us" [Psalms 2:3].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 2:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet us break their bands asunder,.... These are not the words of the apostles, nor of the saints in Gospel times, encouraging one another, notwithstanding the rage and opposition of Jews and Gentiles
Read John Gill on Psalms 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. The easy yoke of Jesus seems to natural men a galling chain.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTheir, i.e. the Lord’ s and his anointed’ s, bands, which they design to put upon our necks, that they may bring us into subjection. They mean the laws of God, which the king would oblige them to observe, which though easy and pleasant in themselves and to good men, ,30 , yet are very grievous and burdensome to corrupt nature, and to men of wicked lives. Cast away their cords from us; the same thing expressed with a little more emphasis. Let us not only break off their yoke, and the cords by which it is fastened upon us; but let us cast them far away, that they may never be recovered, and we may never be brought into bondage again.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.Ver. 3. Let us break their bands asunder, &c.] Here these rebels are brought in proclaiming their treasonable decrees against Christ, and his adherents, who seek to promote his kingdom. Resolved they were to run riot, as lawless and aweless, and therefore they slander the sweet laws of Christ’ s kingdom, as bonds and thick cords (those signs of slavery, Jeremiah 27:2; Jeremiah 27:6-7), as burdens and grievances. So the Popish clergy of Collen told their good Archbishop Albert (who had made use of Bucer and Melancthon to bring things into better order), that they had rather live under the Turkish government than…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Let us break.—The whispered purpose now breaks out into loud menace, and we hear their defiance pass along the ranks of the rebels. Cords.—The LXX. and Vulg. have “yoke,” which is in keeping with the metaphor of a restive animal. (Comp. Isaiah 58:6; Isaiah 10:27.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 2 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Let us break their bands] These are the words of the confederate heathen powers; and here, as Bishop Horne well remarks, "we may see the ground of opposition; namely, the unwillingness of rebellious nature to submit to the obligations of Divine laws, which cross the interests, and lay a restraint on the desires of men. Corrupt affections are the most inveterate enemies of Christ, and their language is, We will not have this man to reign over us. Doctrines would be readily believed if they involved in them no precepts; and the Church may be tolerated in the world if she will only give up her discipline."
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. The words of the kings and rulers exhorting one another to cast off the yoke of subjection. Bands are the fastenings by which the yoke was secured upon the neck (Jeremiah 27:2; Jeremiah 30:8; Nahum 1:13; &c.): cords are perhaps merely synonymous with bands: but as the language of the previous clause is derived from the figure of an ox yoked for ploughing, cords may naturally be understood to mean the reins by which the animal was guided and kept under control. Cp. Job 39:10; Hosea 11:4.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 2 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLet us break their bands asunder - The bands of Yahweh and of his Anointed.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 2 →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
“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
“Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”
“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”
Tyndale line
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us.
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Let vs breake their bands, and cast their cordes from vs.
Strictly literal
Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us!
'Let us draw off Their cords, And cast from us Their thick bands.'
“Let us draw off Their cords, || And cast Their thick bands from us.”
“Let us break asunder their bands, and cast away from us their cords.”
“Let us tear off the shackles they put on us and throw off their chains.”
From the Latin
Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.
Simplified
“Let's break the chains and throw away the cords that bind us.”
Let their chains be broken, and their cords taken from off us.
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 reads נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־ מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃. The Septuagint matches only three of the six words, indicating a partial alignment in translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, with two words partially restored and four supplied by an editor, reflecting the text's state.
נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־ מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃
3 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.
ננתקה [את] מוסדרותי׳מו [ונשליכה] [ממ׳נו] [עבותי׳מו]
nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 4 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 2:3
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.
נָתַק (nathaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pull, draw, or tear away. It encompasses various actions such as breaking, lifting, and rooting out, with different nuances in its grammatical forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal. The entries indicate that it can refer to both active and passive forms of tearing or drawing away.
[נָתַק] vb. pull, draw, tear away, apart, off
Qal
draw away
draw or pull off
pull, tear away
Niph.
be drawn away
be torn apart, or in two, snapped
be separated
Pi.
tear apart, snap
tear out, up
Hiph.
draw away
drag them away
Hoph. they were drawn away from the city
base
H5423 נָתַק pull, draw, tear away, apart, off
5423 nathaq naw-thak'
a primitive root; to tear off:--break (off), burst, draw
(away), lift up, pluck (away, off), pull (out), root out.
נָתַק (na.taq) — to tear.
1) to pull or tear or draw off or away or apart, draw out, pluck up, break, lift, root out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw away
1a2) to draw or pull off
1a3) to pull or tear away
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be drawn away, be drawn out
1b2) to be torn apart or in two, be snapped
1b3) to be separated
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to tear apart, snap
1c2) to tear out, tear up, tear away
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to draw away
1d2) to drag away
1e) (Hophal) to be drawn away
V-Piel-1cp — Verb · Piel · infinitive construct first person common pluralHVpc1cp
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
מוֹסֵר (mowcer) refers to a 'band' or 'bond' and is associated with the concept of restraint or chastisement. It is derived from a root meaning to bind or restrain. The term appears in various contexts, including poetic usage, but the entries do not provide specific Old Testament references.
[מוֹסֵר] n.m. band, bond, poet. & late
base
H4147 מוֹסֵר band, bond, poet. & late
4147 mowcer mo-sare'
also (in plural) feminine mowcerah {mo-say-raw'}; or mocrah
{mo-ser-aw'}; from 3256; properly, chastisement, i.e. (by
implication) a halter; figuratively, restraint:--band, bond.
see HEBREW for 03256
מוֹסֵר (mo.ser) — bond.
band, bond
N-cp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp3mp
שָׁלַךְ (shalak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw, cast, or fling. It can be used literally or figuratively, covering actions like throwing away or casting lots. The Hiphil form indicates an active throwing, while the Hophal form suggests being thrown or cast. The entries collectively emphasize various nuances of throwing and casting.
[שָׁלַךְ] 125 vb. Hiph. 112 throw, fling, cast
Hoph.
be thrown, cast
be cast forth, out
be cast down
metaph., be cast
base
H7993 שָׁלַךְ Hiph. throw, fling, cast
7993 shalak shaw-lak
a primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or
figuratively):--adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off,
out), hurl, pluck, throw.
שָׁלַךְ (sha.lakh) — to throw.
1) to throw, cast, hurl, fling
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to throw, cast, throw away, cast off, shed, cast down
1a2) to cast (lots) (fig)
1b) (Hophal)
1b1) to be thrown, be cast
1b2) to be cast forth or out
1b3) to be cast down
1b4) to be cast (metaph)
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cp — Conjunction · verb hiphil infinitive construct first person common pluralHC/Vhc1cp
The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.
מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal
from, against
מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from
of position, off, on the side of, on
Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex
Partitively
Of time—
as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since
as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after
towards, to
(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to
In comparisons, beyond, above
מן is prefixed to an infin.:
with causal force, from, on account of, through
after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.
with a temporal force, since, after
Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that
In compounds:
base
H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against
. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from
. of position, off, on the side of, on
. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex
. Partitively
. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since
. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after
. towards, to
. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to
. In comparisons, beyond, above
. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through
. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.
. with a temporal force, since, after
. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that
4480 min min
or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)
{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;
hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as
follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason
of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,
since, X then, through, X whether, with.
see HEBREW for 04482
מִן־ (min) — from.
prep
1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than
1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of
1b) out of
1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)
1b2) (of material from which something is made)
1b3) (of source or origin)
1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)
1d) from, since, after (of time)
1e) than, more than (in comparison)
1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or
1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)
1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)
conj
2) that
Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
מֵן (men) — portion.
n.m.
portion
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we
עֲבֹת (aboth) refers to a twisted cord or rope, and can also denote cordage or interwoven foliage. The word is derived from a root meaning something intertwined, and it encompasses various forms such as bands, chains, and thick branches. There is a suggestion of uncertainty regarding the meaning of 'interwoven foliage' in some entries.
עֲבֹת n.m. et f. (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
base
H5688 עֲבֹת (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
5688 `aboth ab-oth'
or rabowth {ab-oth'}; or (feminine) tabothah {ab- oth-aw'};
the same as 5687; something intwined, i.e. a string, wreath or
foliage:--band, cord, rope, thick bough (branch), wreathen
(chain).
see HEBREW for 05687
עֲבֹת (a.vot) — cord.
1) cord, rope, cordage, foliage, interwoven foliage
1a) cord, rope, cordage, chain
1b) interwoven foliage
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3mp