Psalms 78:47 — Word Study
WLCיַהֲרֹ֣ג בַּבָּרָ֣ד גַּפְנָ֑ם וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃
BSAHe killedhârag▸ [destroyed, slaughtered] their vinesgephen [grapevines] with hailstonesbârâd [hail, a sign of God's judgment] and their sycamore-figsshiqmâh [fig trees, possibly a type of wild fig tree] with sleetchănâmâl△ [frost, a type of freezing rain]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יַהֲרֹ֣ג | he killed | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בַּבָּרָ֣ד | with hail | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| גַּפְנָ֑ם | vine[s] their | Noun common both singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם | and sycamore-fig trees their | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃ | with a flood | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet. |
| KJV | He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. |
| ASV | He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycomore-trees with frost. |
| YLT | He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost, |
| WEB | He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost. |
| BBE | He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold. |
Where they part company is over the phrase בַּבָּרָ֣ד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of one main clause followed by two prepositional phrases that specify the means of destruction.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרַג
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 5 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 78:47
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 Egyptgenerated
Psalm 78:47 recounts how God executed judgment on the crops of the Egyptians, using hail and sleet as instruments of destruction. This verse is part of a larger narrative that reflects on the plagues of Egypt and serves as a reminder of God's power over nature and His authority in executing judgment. The context highlights the consequences of disobedience and the seriousness of divine retribution.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 105:32–33 | He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land. |
| 2 | Exodus 9:18–34 | Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַהֲרֹ֣ג, ya.ha.Roggenerated
The verb הָרַג (harag) means to kill or slay, often implying intent and violence. It is used in contexts where destruction is mandated, such as in battles or divine judgment. The parsing shows it is in the imperfect tense, indicating an action that is ongoing or habitual.
In this verse, God is depicted as the active agent in the destruction of the crops, emphasizing His sovereignty and power. The use of this verb highlights the severity of the judgment being enacted upon the Israelites' oppressors.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יַהֲרֹ֣ג governs the entire verse, with two noun phrases as objects: גַּפְנָ֑ם and שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם. The structure emphasizes the actions taken against both the vines and the sycamore-fig trees, highlighting the totality of the destruction.
The Hebrew word order places the verb at the beginning, which emphasizes God's decisive action in the judgment, followed by the specific crops affected.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יַהֲרֹ֣ג as ἀπέκτεινεν (apekteinen), which also means 'to kill' but carries a more definitive connotation of execution. This choice aligns with the overarching theme of divine judgment.
The term בַּבָּרָ֣ד is rendered as ξαλάζῃ (xalazēi), indicating hail as a destructive force, consistent with its biblical symbolism of judgment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:47 describes how God destroyed the crops of the Egyptians as a sign of His judgment. He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-fig trees with sleet. This serves as a reminder of God's power and the consequences of disobedience.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's judgment against the Egyptians, showing that He has power over nature and can use it to execute His will.
Hail and sleet are symbols of God's judgment in the Bible, representing destruction and chaos that can come upon those who oppose Him.
Crops represent sustenance and prosperity; their destruction indicates severe consequences for disobedience and serves as a warning.
It connects to the plagues in Exodus, where God used similar means to demonstrate His power and judgment against Egypt.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach us about God's authority over nature?
- How can we recognize signs of judgment in our own lives?
- In what ways can we ensure we are aligned with God's will to avoid His judgment?
- How does understanding God's judgment help us appreciate His mercy?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's authority and the lessons learned from Israel's history, illustrating the consequences of disobedience.
The Spirit speaks with the authority of the Lord: “The Spirit said to [Peter], ‘Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation;Early Church Fathers on Psalms 78 →
The blessed David fell into several errors, which God, who wisely orders all things, has caused to be recorded for the good of them that were to come after.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 78 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:47 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe destroyed their vines with hail,.... Or "killed" (k) them; for there is a vegetative life in plants: this was the seventh plague of Egypt, attended with thunder and lightning, and was very
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHow oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSycomore trees; or, wild fig trees, which were there in great plenty. Under these and the vines all other trees are comprehended. And this hail and frost did destroy the fruits of the trees, and sometimes the trees themselves.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.Ver. 47. He destroyed their vines with hail] Heb. He killed, Quia planta habet animam vegetativain, ut Job 14:8, saith Kimchi. And their sycamores with frost] Or, with great hailstones mingled with fire, running along and catching, Exodus 9:24. Confer Revelation 16:21.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(47) Vines.—In the history of the plagues (Exodus 9:13-25) no mention is made either of vines or sycamores or of fig-trees, as in Psalms 105:33, and some consider that the poem reflects a Palestinian rather than an Egyptian point of view. But besides Numbers 20:5 and Joseph’s dream there is abundance of evidence of the extensive cultivation of the vine in Egypt. The mural paintings contain many representations of vineyards. Wine stood prominent among the offerings to the gods, and a note on a papyrus of Rameses II. speaks of rations of wine made to workmen. Sycamore.—See 1 Kings 10:27. Frost.—The Hebrew word is peculiar to this place. The LXX. and Vulg. have “hoar-frost,” Aquila “ice,”…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 47. He destroyed their vines with hail] Though the vine was never plentiful in Egypt, yet they have some; and the wine made in that country is among the most delicious. The leaf of the vine is often used by the Egyptians of the present day for wrapping up their mince-meat, which they lay leaf upon leaf, season it after their fashion, and so cook it, making it a most exquisite sort of food, according to Mr. Maillet. And their sycamore-trees] This tree was very useful to the ancient Egyptians, as all their coffins are made of this wood; and to the modern, as their barques are made of it. Besides, it produces a kind of fig, on which the common people in general live; and Mr. Norden…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges47. He killed their vines &c. The seventh plague, Exodus 9:13 ff. Cp. Psalms 105:33. Grapes and figs are among the fruits frequently represented in paintings in Egyptian tombs. The sycomore was and is one of the common trees of Egypt, much valued for its durable wood, of which mummy cases were commonly made. with frost] This is the rendering of the LXX, Aq., Syr., Jer., but great hailstones (R.V. marg.) or lumps of ice is more probably the meaning.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe destroyed their vines with hail - Margin, killed. See Exodus 9:22-26. In the account in Exodus the hail is said to have smitten man and beast, the herb, and the tree of the field.
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
He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.
He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
Tyndale line
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycomore-trees with frost.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost.
He destroied their vines with haile, and their wilde figge trees with the hailestone.
Strictly literal
He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with hail-stones;
He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,
He destroys their vine with hail, || And their sycamores with frost,
He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.
He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with more hail.
Simplified
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their fig trees with freezing rain.
He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.
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 on the wording of this verse, with all five words matched in the translation. This consistency reinforces the understanding of God's judgment across different textual traditions.
יַהֲרֹ֣ג בַּבָּרָ֣ד גַּפְנָ֑ם וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃
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.
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 78:47
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.
הָרַג (harag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to kill or slay, often implying ruthless violence. It encompasses a range of meanings including murder, destruction, and being killed. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, such as wholesale slaughter in battle or divine judgment. The verb appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, indicating various nuances of killing.
הָרַג vb. kill, slay
Qal
kill, slay, implying ruthless violence
hence of wholesale slaughter after battle
of God’s slaying in judgment
rarely of judicial killing by men (at God’s command)
of killing beasts
of killing by beasts
quite general
destroy, ruin
Niph.
shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary?
pass. of Qal 1 b
Pu. be slain
base
H2026 הָרַג kill, slay
2026 harag haw-rag'
a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent:--destroy, out
of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter),
slay(-er), X surely.
הָרַג (ha.rag) — to kill.
1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to kill, slay
1a2) to destroy, ruin
1b) (Niphal) to be killed
1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
בָּרָד (barad) means hail, specifically referring to hailstones. It is derived from the root word associated with H1258. The term is noted in the context of God's judgment in a figurative sense.
בָּרָד n.m. hail
base
H1259 בָּרָד hail
1259 barad baw-rawd'
from 1258; hail -hail ((stones)).
see HEBREW for 01258
בָּרָד (ba.rad) — hail.
1) hail
1a) of God's judgment (fig.)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
Hail!
A salutation expressive of a wish for the welfare of the person addressed; the translation of the Greek Chaire, “Rejoice” (Luke 1:8). Used in mockery in Matt. 27:29.
A salutation, importing a wish for the welfare of the person addressed. It is now seldom used among us; but was customary among our Saxon ancestors, and imported "joy to you," or "health to you," including in the term health all kind of prosperity.
גֶּ֫פֶן (gephen) means 'vine' and is derived from a root suggesting bending, reflecting the twining nature of vines. It encompasses literal uses, such as the grapevine, as well as metaphorical applications related to prosperity and even the fading of stars at divine judgment.
גֶּ֫פֶן n.f. vine
base
H1612 גֶּ֫פֶן vine
1612 gephen gheh'-fen
from an unused root meaning to bend; a vine (as twining),
especially the grape:--vine, tree.
גֶּ֫פֶן (ge.phen) — vine.
1) vine, vine tree
1a) of Israel (fig.)
1b) of stars fading at Jehovah's judgment (metaph.)
1c) of prosperity
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffixHNcbsc/Sp3mp
שִׁקְמָה (shiqmah) refers to a sycamore tree, specifically one that bears figs. The entries indicate that its derivation is uncertain, but it consistently denotes the same type of tree across sources.
[שִׁקְמָה] n.f. sycomore tree
base
H8256 [שִׁקְמָה] sycomore tree
8256 shaqam shaw-kawm'
or (feminine) shiqmah {shik-maw'}; of uncertain derivation; a
sycamore (usually the tree):--sycamore (fruit, tree).
שִׁקְמָה (shiq.mah) — sycamore.
sycamore tree (bearing figs)
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
חֲנָמֵל (chanamal) refers to frost, with some uncertainty regarding its exact meaning. It is noted in Psalm 78:47 as a destructive force against sycamore trees. The word's derivation is unclear, and it may also relate to terms for aphis or plantlouse.
[חֲנָמֵל] n.[m.] only ψ 78:47 as instr. of destroying sycomores
ref
H2602 חֲנָמֵל, חֲנָמָל
2602 chanamal khan-aw-mawl'
of uncertain derivation; perhaps the aphis or
plantlouse:--frost.
חֲנָמֵל (cha.na.mal) — frost.
1) frost, flood, sleet (meaning uncertain)
1a) that which destroyed the sycamore trees
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
flud:
In the King James Version not less than 13 words are rendered "flood," though in the Revised Version (British and American) we find in some passages "river," "stream," "tempest," etc. The word is used for: the deluge of Noah, mabbul (Ge 6:17 ff); kataklusmos (Mt 24:38,39; Lu 17:27); the waters of the Red Sea, nazal (Ex 15:8); the Euphrates, nahar, "Your fathers dwelt of old time on the other side of the flood". (the Revised Version (British and American) "beyond the River" Jos 24:2): the Nile, ye'or, "the flood (the Revised Version (British and American) "River") of Egypt" (
Flood
An event recorded in Gen. 7 and 8. (See DELUGE.) In Josh. 24:2, 3, 14, 15, the word “flood” (R.V., “river”) means the river Euphrates. In Ps. 66:6, this word refers to the river Jordan.
[NOAH]
See DELUGE.