Psalms 78:64 — Word Study
WLCכֹּ֭הֲנָיו בַּחֶ֣רֶב נָפָ֑לוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃
BSAHis priestskôhên [spiritual leaders, ministers of God] fellnâphal■ by the swordchereb [a cutting instrument] but their widowsʼalmânâh [women left alone, without husbands] could notlôʼ [were not allowed to, were unable to] lamentbâkâh▸ [to weep, to mourn, to express sorrow]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֭הֲנָיו | priests its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| בַּחֶ֣רֶב | by the sword | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| נָפָ֑לוּ | they fell | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו | and widows its | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃ | they wept | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament. |
| KJV | Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation. |
| ASV | Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation. |
| YLT | His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not. |
| WEB | Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep. |
| BBE | Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of תִבְכֶּֽינָה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a contrasting clause, highlighting the impact of the priests' deaths on their widows.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָפַל
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 78:64
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 Consequences of Rebelliongenerated
Psalm 78:64 reflects on a time when God's judgment led to the death of His priests, highlighting the severe consequences of turning away from Him. The psalmist laments the loss of spiritual leaders and the resulting sorrow of their widows, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. This verse fits within a broader narrative that recounts Israel's repeated failures and God's responses, illustrating the ongoing cycle of sin and judgment.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 2:33–34 | And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 4:11–17 | The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 22:18–19 | So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 4:19–20 | Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her. |
| 5 | Job 27:15 | His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כֹּהֲנָיו, Ko.ha.navgenerated
The word כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and describes those who serve God in a religious capacity. It is a noun in the masculine plural form, indicating multiple priests. The term encompasses various types of priests, including those from the Levitical line, who had specific duties in the temple and were responsible for sacrifices and rituals.
In this verse, the priests' deaths signify a loss of spiritual leadership, which deeply affects the community. Their role as mediators between God and the people underscores the tragedy of their demise, as they were essential to maintaining the covenant relationship with God.
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 finite verb נָפָ֑לוּ (they fell) serves as the main action of the verse, with a prepositional phrase בַּחֶ֣רֶב (by the sword) providing context for the action. The second part of the verse introduces the widows and their inability to mourn, structured as a contrasting clause.
The structure emphasizes the tragic outcome of the priests' deaths, as the widows' inability to lament highlights the depth of loss experienced by the community.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew כֹּהֲנָיו is rendered as ἱερεῖς (hiereis), which also means 'priests.' This choice maintains the original meaning while aligning with the Greek understanding of priestly roles.
The translation of נָפָ֑לוּ as ἔπεσαν (epesan) signifies a direct correlation to falling in battle, reinforcing the context of loss and defeat.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:64 recounts a tragic moment when the priests of Israel fell in battle, leading to their widows being unable to mourn. This reflects the severe consequences of the people's rebellion against God and highlights the importance of spiritual leadership in the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The priests fell by the sword, indicating they died in battle, which was a significant loss for the community.
The widows could not lament due to their overwhelming grief and possibly the societal norms that restricted their mourning practices.
This verse underscores the vital role of priests as spiritual leaders and the impact their loss has on the community, especially on those dependent on their guidance.
Psalm 78 recounts Israel's history of rebellion and God's judgment, with this verse highlighting the consequences of turning away from God and the resulting sorrow.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we better appreciate the role of spiritual leaders in our communities today?
- In what ways can we support those who are grieving and unable to express their sorrow?
- What lessons can we learn from the consequences of Israel's rebellion as described in this psalm?
- How does understanding the historical context of this verse deepen our comprehension of its message?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:64 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTheir priests fell by the sword,.... Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, and other priests; which shows the cruelty of the enemy, not to spare men unarmed, as the priests were; and the justice of
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: -Israel's unfaithfulness in the time of the Judges caused God to forsake the tabernacle of Shiloh, and brought down other sore judgments. Verse 56.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTheir priests, Hophni and Phinehas, and others. No lamentation; no funeral solemnities; either because they were prevented by their own death, as the wife of Phinehas was, or disturbed by the invasion of the enemy; or so overwhelmed with the sense of the public calamity, that the resentment of their private losses was swallowed up by it. See .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.Ver. 64. Their priests fell by the sword] Hophni and Phineas did, 1 Samuel 4:11, both in one day, as had been foretold, 1 Samuel 2:34. And their widows made no lamentation] As being themselves either killed with grief, as Phineas’ s wife, or carried captive. Here were ingentia beneficia, flagitia, supplicia.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(64) And their widows . . .—Undoubtedly referring to the fact that the wife of Phinehas died in premature labour, and so could not attend the funeral of her husband with the customary lamentations, which in Oriental countries are so loud and marked. The Prayer-Book version, therefore, gives the right feeling—“there were no widows to make lamentations.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 78 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 64. Their priests fell by the sword] Hophni and Phinehas, who were slain in that unfortunate battle against the Philistines in which the ark of the Lord was taken, 1 Samuel 4:11. A Chaldee Targum on this passage says, "In the time in which the ark of the Lord was taken by the Philistines, Hophni and Phinehas, the two priests, fell by the sword at Shiloh; and when the news was brought, their wives made no lamentation, for they both died the same day."
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges64. and their widows &c.] This line recurs word for word in Job 27:15. In the universal distress the customary rites of mourning were not performed, even for a husband (2 Samuel 11:26-27).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTheir priests fell by the sword - Compare 1 Samuel 4:11. It was considered a special calamity that the ministers of religion were cut down in war.
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
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep.
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
Their priests fell by the sword, but their widows did not weep.
Tyndale line
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Their Priestes fell by the sworde, and their widowes lamented not.
Strictly literal
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.
His priests have fallen by the sword, || And their widows do not weep.
His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.
Simplified
Their priests were killed by the sword; their widows were unable to mourn.
Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.
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 states, "His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament," which is confirmed by the Septuagint, as all six words match in a word-by-word correspondence. There are no significant differences between these witnesses for this verse, indicating a strong agreement in the translation and meaning of the text.
כֹּ֭הֲנָיו בַּחֶ֣רֶב נָפָ֑לוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃
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 78:64
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.
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.
אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow
base
H490 אַלְמָנָה widow
490 'almanah al-maw-naw'
fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house
(palace), widow.
see HEBREW for 0488
אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.
widow
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp3ms
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
בָּכָה (bakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to weep or bewail. It encompasses various forms of weeping, including expressions of grief, humiliation, or joy, and can denote lamentation or crying bitterly. The entries highlight its use in both the Qal and Piel stems, indicating different nuances of weeping.
בָּכָה 114 vb. weep, bewail
Qal
weep
weep bitterly
weep upon
bewail
in sense of burden, annoy with weeping
of penitent weeping
Pi. lament; bewail
base
H1058 בָּכָה weep, bewail
1058 bakah baw-kaw'
a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan:--X at all,
bewail, complain, make lamentation, X more, mourn, X sore, X
with tears, weep.
בָּכָה (ba.khah) — to weep.
1) to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to weep (in grief, humiliation, or joy)
1a2) to weep bitterly (with cognate acc.)
1a3) to weep upon (embrace and weep)
1a4) to bewail
1b) (Piel) participle
1b1) lamenting
1b2) bewailing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine pluralHVqi3fp