Psalms 78:33 — Word Study
WLCוַיְכַל־ בַּהֶ֥בֶל יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃
BSASo He endedkâlâh▸ [consumed, brought to a close] their daysyôwm [lives, periods of time] in futilityhebel [vanity, emptiness] and their yearsshâneh [periods of time, seasons] in sudden terrorbehâlâh [hasty, chaotic, dismay, panic, destruction]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְכַל־ | and he brought to an end | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בַּהֶ֥בֶל | in futility | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יְמֵיהֶ֑ם | days their | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם | and years their | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃ | in sudden terror | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror. |
| KJV | Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. |
| ASV | Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, And their years in terror. |
| YLT | And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble. |
| WEB | Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. |
| BBE | So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, using similar terms to convey God's judgment.
The sentence has a main clause followed by two phrases that elaborate on the nature of God's judgment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּלָה
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 78:33
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 Judgment on Israelgenerated
Psalm 78:33 reflects on how God responded to the persistent unfaithfulness of Israel. Despite witnessing His mighty works, the people continued to sin, leading to God's judgment. This verse highlights the tragic end of their lives, marked by futility and sudden terror, emphasizing the consequences of their actions and the importance of faithfulness to God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 90:7–9 | For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath. |
| 2 | Numbers 14:29–35 | Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. |
| 3 | Numbers 26:64–65 | Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 2:14–16 | The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. |
| 5 | Genesis 3:16–19 | To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כָּלָה, vay.khal-generated
The word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a verb in the Piel stem, indicating an action that is completed or brought to an end. It conveys a sense of finality, whether through consumption or destruction. The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular shows that this action is attributed to God, who actively brings an end to their days.
This word carries a weighty implication in this context, as it signifies not just a cessation of life but a culmination of their choices leading to emptiness. The usage here underscores the seriousness of their disobedience and its devastating consequences.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses ended to reflect כָּלָה.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וַיְכַל (*vay.khal*) governs the entire verse, indicating the action of bringing to an end. The structure consists of two main phrases: the first describes the end of their days, and the second the end of their years, both emphasizing the nature of their demise.
The word order places emphasis on the actions of God, framing the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness as a direct result of their choices.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew כָּלָה is rendered as ἐχέλιπον, which means 'I left behind' or 'I abandoned.' This choice may suggest a nuance of abandonment in addition to the finality of the end, indicating a deeper level of judgment.
The Greek term ματαιότητι for הֶבֶל emphasizes the concept of vanity or futility, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but potentially broadening its implications in the context of God's judgment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:33 shows how God ended the lives of the Israelites in futility and their years in sudden terror. This verse serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the emptiness that can result from a life of disobedience.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that their lives were marked by emptiness and lack of purpose due to their disobedience to God.
Sudden terror reflects the chaotic and frightening consequences that can arise from turning away from God.
Futility emphasizes the transient nature of life without faithfulness to God, highlighting the emptiness of their pursuits.
This verse illustrates the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and serves as a warning about the importance of remaining true to God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced emptiness in my life, and how can I seek fulfillment through faithfulness to God?
- How can I avoid the pitfalls of disobedience that lead to sudden terror in my own life?
- What does this verse teach about the importance of remembering God's works and staying faithful?
- How can I encourage others to reflect on their lives and seek purpose in their relationship with God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Augustine of Hippo reference this verse to discuss the consequences of unfaithfulness and the nature of God's judgment.
"And in their days failed in vanity." Though they might, if they had believed, have had days in truth without failing, with Him to whom has been said, "Your years shall not fail." Therefore, "their days failed in vanity,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 78 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:33 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTherefore their days did he consume in vanity,.... They were not immediately cut off by the hand of God, though some were; but the greatest part spent their time, for about eight and thirty years
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMarvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIn vanity; in tedious and fruitless marches hither and thither, sometimes forward, and sometimes backward, which they knew would never bring them in their own persons to their promised and much-desired land. In trouble; in manifold diseases, dangers, perplexities, and horrors of their own minds and consciences.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.Ver. 33. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity] So that they never saw the promised land, for the which they came out of Egypt; but their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Who knoweth, saith a reverend man, whether God purpose not to wear out this present generation that hath been defiled with the superstition of the world, that we may not see the good that he will bring upon this Church? And their years in trouble] Or, in terror, for they were in continual fear of God’ s wrath, of their enemies round about, of wild beasts, fiery serpents, &c.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(32-33) For the allusion see Numbers 14:11-12; Numbers 14:28-35.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 33. Their days did he consume in vanity] By causing them to wander forty years in the wilderness, vainly expecting an end to their labour, and the enjoyment of the promised rest, which, by their rebellions, they had forfeited.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges33. in vanity … in trouble] Or, as a breath, unsubstantial and transitory (Psalms 39:5; Psalms 39:11; Psalms 62:9): with sudden terror (Leviticus 26:16).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTherefore their days did he consume in vanity - He suffered them to spend their days - the days of that entire generation - in vain and fruitless wanderings in the desert.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →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
So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
So he caused them to die unsatisfied and filled with terror.
Tyndale line
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, And their years in terror.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in terror.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
Therefore their daies did hee consume in vanitie, and their yeeres hastily.
Strictly literal
And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.
And He consumes their days in vanity, || And their years in trouble.
Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.
Therefore God cut short their days; their years were filled with terror.
Simplified
So he snuffed out their futile lives, bringing them to an end in terror.
So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in 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 agree closely in their wording, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partial restoration, but the essential meaning remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.
וַיְכַל־ בַּהֶ֥בֶל יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃
5 of the 5 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.
[ויכל] [בהבל] [ימי׳הם] [ושנות׳ם] בבהלה
nothing on the leather here — 1 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 78:33
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.
The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.
כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
Qal
be complete, at an end, of a period of time
be completed, finished, of a work
be accomplished, fulfilled
be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
waste away, be exhausted, fail
come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
Pi.
complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
complete a period of time
finish doing a thing
make an end, end
accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
accomplish in thought, determine
put an end to, cause to cease
cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
destroy, sts. exterminate
base
H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time
. be completed, finished, of a work
. be accomplished, fulfilled
. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
. waste away, be exhausted, fail
. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
. complete a period of time
. finish doing a thing
. make an end, end
. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
. accomplish in thought, determine
. . put an end to, cause to cease
. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
. destroy, sts. exterminate
3615 kalah kaw-law'
a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,
consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,
destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),
expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X
have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make
clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.
: finish
1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be at an end
1a2) to be completed, be finished
1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled
1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)
1a5) to be spent, be used up
1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail
1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish
1b2) to complete (a period of time)
1b3) to finish (doing a thing)
1b4) to make an end, end
1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)
1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease
1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
1b9) to destroy, exterminate
1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.
: destroy
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
qets, 'ephec, kalah; telos, sunteleo:
The end of anything is its termination, hence, also, final object or purpose.
It is the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly in the Old Testament of qets (properly, "a cutting off") and other words from the same root (Ge 6:13, "The end of all flesh is come before me"); 'acharith, "hinder part," is also frequently translated "end" (De 11:12; Ps 37:37,38, American Revised Version: "There is a happy end to the man of peace .... The end of the wicked shall be cut off"; the English Revised Version "latter end" (Ps 37:37), margin "reward" or "future posterity"; Ps 73:17…
End
In Heb. 13:7, is the rendering of the unusual Greek word ekbasin, meaning “outcome”, i.e., death. It occurs only elsewhere in 1 Cor. 10:13, where it is rendered “escape.”
הֶ֫בֶל (hevel) refers to vapour or breath, and is often associated with concepts of emptiness or vanity, indicating something transitory and unsatisfactory. The word can function as an adverb meaning 'vainly.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to breathe' and appears in contexts discussing the fleeting nature of life.
הֶ֫בֶל 73 n.m. vapour, breath
base
H1892 הֶ֫בֶל vapour, breath
1892 hebel heh'bel
or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}; from 1891;
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and
unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb:--X altogether, vain,
vanity.
see HEBREW for 01891
הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) — vanity.
1) vapour, breath
1a) breath, vapour
1b) vanity (fig.)
adv
2) vainly
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3mp
שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.
שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])
base
H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])
8141 shaneh shaw-neh'
(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year
(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,
year(X -ly).
see HEBREW for 08138
שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.
1) year
1a) as division of time
1b) as measure of time
1c) as indication of age
1d) a lifetime (of years of life)
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
בֶּֽהָלָה (behalah) refers to a state of dismay or sudden terror, often associated with panic or destruction. The term is derived from a root meaning to cause trouble or alarm, and it captures a sense of fear or ruin. It is mentioned in contexts that evoke strong emotional responses.
בֶּֽהָלָה n.f. dismay, sudden terror or ruin
base
H928 בֶּֽהָלָה dismay, sudden terror or ruin
928 behalah beh-haw-law'
from 926; panic, destruction:--terror, trouble.
see HEBREW for 0926
בֶּֽהָלָה (be.ha.lah) — dismay.
dismay, sudden terror or ruin, alarm
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa