Psalms 50:9 — Word Study
WLCלֹא־ אֶקַּ֣ח מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ פָ֑ר מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ עַתּוּדִֽים׃
BSAI have nolôʼ [no requirement or need] needlâqach▸ for a bullpar [young ox, male cattle] from your stallbayith [house, dwelling place] or goatsʻattûwd [he-goats, male goats] ◂from your pensmiklâʼâh [folds, enclosures for flocks]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| אֶקַּ֣ח | I will accept | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ | from household your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| פָ֑ר | a young bull | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ | from folds your | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| עַתּוּדִֽים׃ | goats | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens, |
| KJV | I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. |
| ASV | I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goats out of thy folds. |
| YLT | I take not from thy house a bullock, From thy folds he goats. |
| WEB | I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. |
| BBE | I will take no ox out of your house, or he-goats from your flocks; |
All translations agree on the meaning of לֹא as 'not' or 'no'.
The sentence has a main clause with two prepositional phrases indicating the sources of the animals, emphasizing God's lack of need for them.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbלָקַח
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 50:9
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 Discourse on Sacrificegenerated
Psalms 50:9 is part of a larger discourse where God critiques the sacrifices offered by His people, emphasizing that true worship is not merely about ritual but about the heart and obedience. The surrounding verses highlight God's ownership of all creation and His desire for sincere devotion rather than empty rituals.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 43:23–24 | You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense. |
| 2 | Micah 6:6–8 | With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? |
| 3 | Acts 17:25 | Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. |
| 4 | Hebrews 10:4–6 | because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לֹא, lo'-generated
The word לֹא (lo') is a particle used for negation, meaning 'not' or 'no'. It indicates absence or prohibition, emphasizing that God does not require the sacrifices being offered.
In this context, it serves to underline God's independence from human offerings, making it clear that He does not need what they are presenting.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the meaning of לֹא as 'not' or 'no'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is אֶקַּ֣ח ('e.Kach, I will accept), which governs the objects פָ֑ר (Far, a young bull) and עַתּוּדִֽים ('a.tu.Dim, goats). The structure emphasizes what God does not need from His people.
The negation לֹא stands at the beginning, setting the tone for the statement about God's lack of need for animal sacrifices.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates לֹא as οὐ (ou), which also conveys negation. This choice aligns with the Hebrew intent, reinforcing the idea that God does not require sacrifices.
The Greek word δέχομαι (dechomai, I will accept) corresponds to אֶקַּ֣ח, indicating a similar meaning in both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 50:9 shows that God does not require bulls or goats from His people. He owns all the animals and does not need their sacrifices. Instead, He desires true worship and obedience.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God is self-sufficient and does not require offerings from His people, as He owns everything.
Bulls and goats were common sacrificial animals in Israelite worship, representing the offerings that God is addressing.
It implies that true worship is not about rituals or sacrifices but about sincerity and obedience to God.
It connects to themes in Isaiah 43:23–24 and Micah 6:6–8, where God emphasizes the importance of the heart in worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure my worship is sincere and not just ritualistic?
- How do I understand God's sufficiency in my life?
- What sacrifices am I making that God might not need or want?
- How can I better align my actions with God's desires for my worship?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of sacrifices and the New Covenant, emphasizing that God desires obedience over ritual.
He is foretelling the New Covenant, under which all those old sacrifices have ceased. They had a part to play in prefiguring a special sacrifice that was to come, by the blood of which we would be cleansed.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 50 →
What then: Do You not accept my sacrifices? "But your holocausts are always in My sight." Certain holocausts concerning which it is said in another Psalm, "If You had desired sacrifice, I would surely have given,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 50 →
The Jews, hearing these things, did not believe, and they doubted they were able to happen. Now the word is proven. They no longer have the place of their sacrifice, since the temple has been destroyed,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 50 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 50:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will take no bullock out of thy house,.... That is, will accept of none; such sacrifices being no more agreeable to the will of God, Hebrews 10:5; the "bullock" is mentioned, that being a principal
Read John Gill on Psalms 50 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. I will take no bullock - a young ox; the stage next after that of a calf.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 50 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBut be not so vain and foolish as to imagine that thou dost lay any obligations upon me by thy sacrifices; or that I required them because I had need of them, or took any pleasure in them for themselves, or for my own satisfaction by them.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 50 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 50:9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, [nor] he goats out of thy folds.Ver. 9. I will take no bullock out of thy house, &c.] q.d. Keep them to thyself, I need them not; thou settest a high price upon them, and thinkest to ingratiate with me by them; I value them not, nay, I loathe them, Sordet in conspectu Iudicis quod fulget in conspectu operantis. "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God," Luke 16:15. Displeasing service is double dishonour.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 50 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9-18) Notice the fine tone of irony that pervades this rebuke, the best weapon against ritualistic errors.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 50 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–15. The trial begins. God is the accuser as well as the judge. Israel’s sacrifices are unexceptionable, but it is not slain beasts which the Lord of all the earth desires, but the devotion of the heart, exhibited in thanksgiving and trust. The people as a whole are addressed. The duty which is enforced is their duty towards God, corresponding to the first Table of the Decalogue.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 50 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will take no bullock out of thy house - Bullocks were offered regularly in the Hebrew service and sacrifice Exodus 29:11, Exodus 29:36; Leviticus 4:4; 1 Kings 18:23, 1 Kings 18:33; and it is with
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 50 →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
I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,
I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.
I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,
I do not need to take a bull from your household or goats from your sheepfolds.
Tyndale line
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goats out of thy folds.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds.
I will take no bullocke out of thine house, nor goates out of thy foldes.
Strictly literal
I will take no bullock out of thy house, [nor] he-goats out of thy folds:
I take not from thy house a bullock, From thy folds he goats.
I do not take a bullock from your house, || [Or] male goats from your folds.
I will not take a bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds.
I will take no bull out of your house, or male goats out of your folds.
From the Latin
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Simplified
I do not require bulls from your barns or goats from your pens,
I will take no ox out of your house, or he-goats from your flocks;
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 agree in their wording for this verse, maintaining the same essential meaning without variation.
לֹא־ אֶקַּ֣ח מִבֵּיתְךָ֣ פָ֑ר מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ עַתּוּדִֽים׃
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.
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 50:9
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.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.
לָקַח 965 vb. take
Qal
take, take in hand
take and carry along with oneself
take from, or out of
take, carry away
take away from, so as to deprive of
esp. take away life
take to or for a person
take up, upon = put upon
= fetch
take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
take = capture, seize
take = carry off
in phr. take vengeance
Niph.
be captured, of ark
be taken away, removed
be taken, brought unto
Pu.
be taken from, out of
= be stolen from
be taken captive
be taken away, removed
Hoph.
be taken, brought unto
be taken out of
be taken away from
Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
base
H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand
. take and carry along with oneself
. . take from, or out of
. take, carry away
. take away from, so as to deprive of
. esp. take away life
. take to or for a person
. take up, upon = put upon
. = fetch
. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
. take = capture, seize
. take = carry off
. in phr. take vengeance
. . be captured, of ark
. be taken away, removed
. be taken, brought unto
. . be taken from, out of
. = be stolen from
. be taken captive
. be taken away, removed
. . be taken, brought unto
. be taken out of
. be taken away from
. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
3947 laqach law-kakh'
a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of
applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,
get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,
seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.
: take
1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take, take in the hand
1a2) to take and carry along
1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away
1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept
1a5) to take up or upon, put upon
1a6) to fetch
1a7) to take, lead, conduct
1a8) to take, capture, seize
1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be captured
1b2) to be taken away, be removed
1b3) to be taken, brought unto
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be taken from or out of
1c2) to be stolen from
1c3) to be taken captive
1c4) to be taken away, be removed
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto
1d2) to be taken out of
1d3) to be taken away
1e) (Hithpael)
1e1) to take hold of oneself
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
base
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
house
place
receptacle
of house as containing a family
household, family (592 t.)
house, including household affairs
lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
מִבַּיִת
adv. on the inside
prep. within
base
H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house
1004 bayith bah'-yith
probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest
variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,
daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as
would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),
inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,
temple, web, + within(-out).
see HEBREW for 01129
בֵּית (bet) — place.
nm
place, origin, between
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.
: home/temple/building
nm
1) house
1a) house, dwelling habitation
1b) shelter or abode of animals
1c) human bodies (fig.)
1d) of Sheol
1e) of abode of light and darkness
1f) of land of Ephraim
2) place
3) receptacle
4) home, house as containing a family
5) household, family
5a) those belonging to the same household
5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body
6) household affairs
7) inwards (metaph.)
8) (TWOT) temple
adv
9) on the inside
prep
10) within
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
פַּר (par) refers to a young bull or steer. It is derived from a root that suggests strength or breaking forth. The term encompasses meanings like bullock and calf, indicating its use in contexts related to livestock.
פַּר 132 n.m. young bull, steer
base
H6499 פַּר young bull, steer
6499 par par
or par {pawr}; from 6565; a bullock (apparently as breaking
forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof):--(+
young) bull(-ock), calf, ox.
see HEBREW for 06565
פַּר (par) — bullock.
young bull, steer, bullock
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
מִכְלָה (mikla'ah) refers to an enclosure or fold, specifically for flocks. It appears in contexts related to sheep and goats, such as in Habakkuk 3:17 and Psalms 78:70. The word is derived from a root meaning to pen or enclose, indicating its function as a protective space for animals.
מִכְלָה (incorrect for מכלא) n.[m.] enclosure, fold;—גָּזַר מִמּ׳ צֹאן Hb 3:17; pl. cstr. לקח מִֽמִּכְלְאֹת צֹֽאן ψ 78:70 (obj. David); pl. sf. לקה מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ 50:9 (obj. he-goats).—II. מִכְלָה v. sub כלה.
done
H4356 מִכְלָה, מִכְלָאָה
4356 mikla'ah mik-law-aw'
or miklah {mik-law'}; from 3607; a pen (for
flocks):--((sheep-))fold. Compare 4357.
see HEBREW for 03607
see HEBREW for 04357
מִכְלָה (mikh.la.ah) — fold.
fold, enclosure
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms
עַתּוּד (attuwd) refers to a he-goat or ram, specifically indicating a full-grown animal. It can also figuratively denote leaders among people, described as 'chief ones.' The word is derived from a root meaning 'prepared' and is used only in the plural form.
H6260 עַתּוּד he-goat
6260 `attuwd at-tood'
or sattud {at-tood'}; from 6257; prepared, i.e. full grown;
spoken only (in plural) of he-goats, or (figuratively) leaders
of the people:--chief one, (he) goat, ram.
see HEBREW for 06257
עַתּוּד (at.tud) — goat.
ram, he-goat, chief one
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa