Psalms 49:12 — Word Study
WLCוְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־ יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
BSAentrailsqereb placebayith foreverʻôwlâm tabernaclemishkân generationdôwr generationdôwr to callqârâʼ nameshêm uponʻal landʼădâmâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאָדָ֣ם | and humankind | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בִּ֭יקָר | in honor | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בַּל־ | not | Particle |
| יָלִ֑ין | he remains | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| נִמְשַׁ֖ל | he is like | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת | like the animals | Preposition, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| נִדְמֽוּ׃ | [which] they are destroyed | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish. |
| KJV | Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. |
| ASV | But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. |
| YLT | And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off. |
| WEB | But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish. |
| BBE | But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts. |
The translations agree on the key themes of mortality and the futility of wealth.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a simile, illustrating the contrast between human mortality and the fate of animals.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהוּא
verbעוֹלָם
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 49:12
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 Transience of Wealthgenerated
Psalm 49:12 addresses the reality that despite human wealth and status, mortality is inevitable. The psalmist emphasizes that even the richest among us cannot escape death, likening them to beasts that perish. This reflects a broader theme found throughout the Psalms regarding the limitations of earthly achievements and the certainty of death, as seen in Psalm 49:14.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 49:20 | A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish. |
| 2 | Psalm 39:5 | You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah |
| 3 | Psalm 82:7 | But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.” |
| 4 | James 1:10–11 | But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 5 | 1 Peter 1:24 | For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אָדָם, adamgenerated
The word אָדָם (adam) is a common noun referring to 'man' or 'mankind.' It encompasses both individual humans and humanity as a whole. This term is rooted in the creation narrative, where Adam is the first human, and it carries connotations of mortality and the human condition.
In this verse, אָדָם serves to highlight the universal experience of mortality, regardless of wealth or status. The parsing as a masculine singular noun emphasizes the individual nature of the statement while also representing humanity collectively.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that a man cannot endure despite his wealth.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יָלִ֑ין (ya.Lin), meaning 'he remains,' governs the structure of the verse. The sentence begins with the subject אָדָם (adam), followed by a negation בַּל (bal), leading into the main action.
The structure emphasizes the contrast between the permanence of wealth and the fleeting nature of human life, culminating in the simile that likens man to perishing beasts.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew אָדָם is rendered as αὐτῶν (autōn), indicating a shift in focus from the individual to a collective identity. This choice may suggest a broader interpretation of humanity's fate.
The Greek term used for 'perish' reflects a similar understanding of mortality, aligning with the Hebrew sense of inevitable death.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 49:12 tells us that despite a man's wealth, he cannot endure forever; he is like the animals that perish. This verse reminds us that all people, regardless of riches, face the same fate in death.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that no matter how rich someone is, they cannot escape death; wealth does not grant eternal life.
The comparison emphasizes the shared fate of all living beings, highlighting the transient nature of life regardless of status.
The word 'perish' indicates the finality of death, suggesting that earthly achievements and possessions ultimately come to nothing.
This verse reflects themes of mortality and the futility of earthly pursuits found throughout the Psalms and other wisdom literature.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the pursuit of wealth affecting people's lives around me?
- How can I remind myself of the transient nature of life and the importance of spiritual over material wealth?
- What lessons can I learn from the comparison of humans to beasts in this verse?
- How does understanding mortality influence my daily choices and priorities?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers reflect on this verse, discussing the nature of humanity and its relationship to God and creation.
David wept for Adam, at how he fell from that royal abode to the abode of wild animals. Because he went astray through a beast he became like the beasts.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 49 →
Humankind, then, having been advanced above other created things in honor, did not understand and neglected to follow God and to become like the Creator.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 49 →
Despite having so much enjoyment in the present life, possessing many natural advantages by comparison with other living creatures and enjoying a great number of gifts,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 49 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 49:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleNevertheless man [being] in honour abideth not,.... Or Adam: and some understand this of the first man Adam, who was created and crowned with glory and honour; but it did not abide with him, nor he
Read John Gill on Psalms 49 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. -The universality of death might show the ungodly rich man that God may call him away at any moment.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 49 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleNotwithstanding all these fine fancies and devices man being in honour, living in all the splendour and glory above mentioned, abideth not. The Hebrew word properly signifies to lodge for a night, as ; and thence to abide for a long or considerable time, as 55:7 . All his dreams of perpetuating his name and estate shall vanish and be confuted by experience. That perish, i.e. that are utterly lost and extinct. So he is in reference to all his wealth and honour, of which he here speaks.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 49 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 49:12 Nevertheless man [being] in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts [that] perish.Ver. 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not] Howsoever he think to eternalize himself, and be grown never so great, die he must, whether lord or lowly; and die like a beast, a carrion beast (unless he be the better man), but only for this pillow and bolster. At one end of the library at Dublin was a globe, at the other a skeleton; to show, that though a man was lord of all the world, yet he must die, his honour must be laid in the dust. The mortal scythe (saith one) is master of the royal sceptre, and it moweth down the lilies of the crown as well as the grass of the field. Perperam…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 49 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) Abideth not.—This verse gives the kernel and the thought of, as it also serves as a refrain to, the poem, thus vindicating the claim of a lyric tone for this didactic psalm. The reading of the LXX. and Vulg. (“without understanding” instead of “abideth not”), which brings Psalms 49:12 into exact correspondence with Psalms 49:20, is unquestionably to be adopted. The present text could not really express permanence, the Hebrew verb meaning to lodge temporarily.The next verse, too, is hardly intelligible, unless we read here— “Man, though in honour, without understanding, Is like the beasts; they perish.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 49 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 12. Man being in honour abideth not] However rich, wise, or honourable, they must die; and if they die not with a sure hope of eternal life, they die like beasts. See on Psalms 49:20.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 49 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. If we retain the reading of the Massoretic Text in Psalms 49:11, we may render with R.V., But man abideth not in honour. If the reading graves is adopted, Psalms 49:12 sums up the picture: So man in splendour hath no continuance. However imposing may be man’s magnificence, it must come to an end. The LXX and Syr. read here, as in Psalms 49:20, Man being in honour understandeth not. But refrains are not always identical in form, and the difference in the Heb. text is significant. that perish] Or, are cut off, a different word from that in Psalms 49:10.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 49 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleNevertheless, man being in honor abideth not - No matter to what rank he may rise, no matter how much wealth he may accumulate, no matter how fixed and secure he may seem to make his possessions, he
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 49 →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
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
but, despite their wealth, people do not last, they are like animals that perish.
Tyndale line
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.
But man abideth not in honour: he is like the beasts that perish.
Nevertheless man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
But man shall not continue in honour: he is like the beastes that die.
Strictly literal
Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
And man does not remain in honor, || He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
(49:13) Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth not: he is like the beasts [that] perish.
But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; he is like the beasts that perish.
From the Latin
If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Simplified
But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
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 presents the verse as it stands, while the Septuagint aligns closely with the Hebrew but has its own structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, indicating some loss of text but maintaining the essential message of mortality and the futility of wealth.
וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־ יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
6 of the 7 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.
[קרב׳ם] בתי׳מו לעולם משכנות׳ם לדר ודר [קראו] [בשמות׳ם] עלי אדמות
6 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[קרב׳ם] בתי׳מו לעולם משכנות׳ם [לדור] [ודור] [קראו] [בשמות׳ם] [עלי] [אדמות]
nothing on the leather here — 3 partly restored, 7 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 49:12
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.
אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind
a man = human being
coll. man, mankind
n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)
n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)
base
H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being
. coll. man, mankind
120 'adam aw-dawm'
from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the
species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common
sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
see HEBREW for 0119
אָדָם (a.dam) — man.
1) man, mankind
1a) man, human being
1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)
1c) Adam, first man
1d) city in Jordan valley
אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).
The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;
married to Eve (H2332);
father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;
Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)
man, human being
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
יְקָר (yqar) refers to concepts of value and preciousness, encompassing meanings such as wealth, costliness, honour, and dignity. It is derived from a root associated with value and is used in various contexts to denote things that are esteemed or costly. The Aramaic equivalent is also noted, which shares similar meanings.
יְקָר n.m. preciousness, price, honour
base
H3366 יְקָר
3366 yqar yek-awr'
from 3365; value, i.e. (concretely) wealth; abstractly,
costliness, dignity:--honour, precious (things), price.
see HEBREW for 03365
יְקָר (ye.qar) — preciousness.
1) price, value, preciousness, honour, splendour, pomp
1a) preciousness
1b) price
1c) honour, esteem
Aramaic equivalent: ye.qar (יְקָר "honor" H3367)
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.
בַּל 69 adv. not
base
H1077 בַּל not
1077 bal bal
from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;
usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,
none (that...), not (any), nothing.
see HEBREW for 01086
בַּל (bal) — not.
not, hardly, else
HTn — ParticleHTn
לוּן (luwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lodge or pass the night, and it can also imply abiding or remaining. It has a negative connotation when referring to murmuring or complaining. The word can be used in various forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hithpalpel, indicating different nuances of lodging and grumbling.
לוּן, לִין vb. lodge, pass the night, fig. abide
Qal
lodge, pass the night
fig. abide, remain
Hiph. cause to rest, lodge
Hithpalp. dwell, abide, of eagle
base
[לוּן] vb. murmur
Niph. murmur against
Hiph. murmur; cause to murmur
base
H3885a לוּן, לִין lodge, pass the night, fig. abide H3885b לוּן murmur
3885 luwn loon
or liyn {leen}; a primitive root; to stop (usually over
night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad
sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to
complain):--abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure,
grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night,
in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all
night, that night).
לוּן (lun) — to lodge.
1) to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lodge, pass the night
1a2) to abide, remain (fig.)
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to rest, lodge
1c) (Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide
לוּן (lun) — to grumble.
1) to grumble, complain, murmur
1a) (Niphal) to grumble, murmur
1b) (Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
מָשַׁל (mashal) means to liken or represent, and can refer to using figurative language such as proverbs or poetry. It encompasses various forms, including comparing and becoming like something. The word appears notably in the context of speaking in parables, particularly in the book of Ezekiel.
[מָשַׁל] vb. represent, be like
Niph. be like, similar
Hiph. compare
Hithp. and I have become like dust
base
מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
Qal use a proverb
Pi. is he not a maker of parables?
base
H4911a מָשַׁל represent, be like . be like, similar
. compare
. and I have become like dust
H4911b מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
4911 mashal maw-shal'
denominative from 4912; to liken, i.e. (transitively) to use
figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like);
intransitively, to resemble:--be(-come) like, compare, use
(as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.
see HEBREW for 04912
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to liken.
1) to represent, liken, be like
1a) (Niphal) to liken, be like, be similar
1b) (Hiphil) to compare
1c) (Hithpael) to become like
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to use a proverb.
1) to speak in a proverb, use a proverb, speak in parables, speak in sentences of poetry
1a) (Qal) to use a proverb, speak a parable or proverb
1b) (Piel) to make a parable
1b1) maker of parables (participle)
HVNp3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singularHVNp3ms
בְּהֵמָה (bhemah) refers to a beast or animal, typically denoting domesticated livestock or cattle, and occasionally wild beasts. It is derived from a root that suggests being mute, implying a 'dumb beast.' The term encompasses all living creatures other than humans, with a specific mention of large quadrupeds.
בְּהֵמָה 187 n.f. beast, animal, cattle
of living creatures other than man
opp. also to wild beasts
rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
base
H929 בְּהֵמָה beast, animal, cattle . of living creatures other than man
. opp. also to wild beasts
. rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
929 bhemah be-hay-maw'
from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly,
a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often
collective):--beast, cattle.
בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) — animal.
1) beast, cattle, animal
1a) beasts (coll of all animals)
1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
1c) wild beasts
HRd/Ncfpa — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absoluteHRd/Ncfpa
דָּמָה (damah) is a Hebrew verb that means to cease or cause to cease, and it encompasses ideas of cutting off, destroying, or perishing. It can be used in different forms, such as the Qal (active) and Niphal (passive), indicating actions like ceasing or being cut off. The entries consistently highlight its association with destruction and silence.
[דָּמָה] vb. cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy
Qal
intr. cease
cause to cease, cut off, destroy
Niph. be cut off, destroyed, ruined
base
H1820 [דָּמָה] cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy
1820 damah daw-mam'
a primitive root; to be dumb or silent; hence, to fail or
perish; trans. to destroy:--cease, be cut down (off), destroy,
be brought to silence, be undone, X utterly.
דָּמָה (da.mah) — to cease.
1) to cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy, perish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cease
1a2) to cause to cease, destroy
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cut off
1b2) to be undone, be cut off at sight of the theophany
HVNp3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common pluralHVNp3cp