Psalms 94:6 — Word Study
WLCאַ֭לְמָנָה וְגֵ֣ר יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ וִֽיתוֹמִ֣ים יְרַצֵּֽחוּ׃
BSAThey killhârag▸ [slay, murder] the widowʼalmânâh [a woman whose husband has died, often left alone and vulnerable] and the foreignergêr [sojourner, stranger, one lacking inherited rights] they murderrâtsach▸ [kill with intent, take the life of] ◂the fatherlessyâthôwm [orphan, child without a father, one in need of care and protection]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַ֭לְמָנָה | [the] widow | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וְגֵ֣ר | and [the] sojourner | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ | they kill | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וִֽיתוֹמִ֣ים | and fatherless ones | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| יְרַצֵּֽחוּ׃ | they murder | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They kill the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. |
| KJV | They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. |
| ASV | They slay the widow and the sojourner, And murder the fatherless. |
| YLT | Widow and sojourner they slay, And fatherless ones they murder. |
| WEB | They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless. |
| BBE | They put to death the widow and the guest, they take the lives of children who have no father; |
Where they part company is יְרַצֵּֽחוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, emphasizing the actions taken against multiple vulnerable groups.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרַג
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 94:6
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 Injustice Against the Vulnerablegenerated
Psalm 94:6 highlights the grave injustices perpetrated against vulnerable members of society, specifically widows, foreigners, and orphans. The psalmist is expressing outrage over the actions of those who exploit the weak and believe they can act without consequence. This verse is part of a broader lament that calls on God to take notice of these injustices and to act against them, as seen in the surrounding verses that emphasize oppression and foolishness in ignoring God's justice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 10:2 | to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. |
| 2 | Isaiah 13:15–18 | Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 7:6 | if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm, |
| 4 | Jeremiah 22:3 | This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 22:7 | Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְרַצֵּֽחוּ, ye.ra.Tze.chugenerated
The verb רָצַח (*ratsach*) means 'to murder' and conveys a sense of intentionality in the act of killing. It is a Piel form, indicating an intensification of the action, which emphasizes the malicious intent behind the act.
This word appears in various contexts throughout the Bible, often associated with premeditated acts of violence. The psalmist's use of this term underscores the severity of the actions against the defenseless, highlighting a moral outrage at such deliberate cruelty.
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 יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ (*they kill*) governs the structure of the verse, with two noun phrases acting as the objects: אַ֭לְמָנָה (*the widow*) and וִֽיתוֹמִ֣ים (*the fatherless ones*). This construction emphasizes the direct actions against these vulnerable groups.
The Hebrew word order places the verbs at the forefront, highlighting the actions taken against the victims, which is central to the psalmist's condemnation of such injustices.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְרַצֵּֽחוּ as ἐφόνευσαν, which carries a similar meaning of murder or intentional killing. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the severity of the actions described in the Hebrew text.
The Greek term emphasizes the malicious intent behind the act of killing, aligning with the psalmist's condemnation of those who harm the vulnerable.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 94:6 states that some people kill the widow and the foreigner, and they murder the fatherless. This verse highlights the serious injustices faced by vulnerable individuals in society, emphasizing the need for protection and justice for those who are defenseless.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The widow refers to a woman whose husband has died, leaving her vulnerable and often without support.
The foreigner, or sojourner, represents those who are temporary residents without inherited rights, often facing discrimination and exploitation.
The fatherless refers to orphans, children without a father who are in need of care and protection, highlighting their vulnerability.
The verse condemns the actions of those who harm the vulnerable in society, calling for justice and accountability.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we better support widows and orphans in our communities today?
- What are some ways we might overlook the needs of vulnerable people around us?
- In what ways can we advocate for justice for those who are marginalized?
- How does this verse challenge us to reflect on our own actions towards the vulnerable?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 94:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey slay the widow and the stranger,.... Who are so both in a literal and figurative sense, such who are weak and feeble, helpless and friendless; or who are deprived of their faithful pastors, who
Read John Gill on Psalms 94 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 94 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhom common humanity obliged them to spare, and pity, and relieve.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 94 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 94:6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.Ver. 6. They slay the widow and the stranger] Those sacred persons, thy proper clients; to such a height of hard heartedness are they grown, that they pity not them whom nature and courtesy would show compassion to. Nulla fides, pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur. Let us bless ourselves out of the bloody fingers of barbarous and brutish men, skilful to destroy.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 94 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Stranger.—The mention of the stranger as one friendless and helpless (Exodus 22:21), under the tyranny of the great, seems to imply that domestic, and not foreign oppression, is the grievance.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 94 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. They slay the widow] Nebuchadnezzar carried on his wars with great cruelty. He carried fire and sword every where; spared neither age, sex, nor condition. The widow, the orphan, and the stranger, persons in the most desolate condition of life, were not distinguished from others by his ruthless sword.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 94 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. A proverbial expression for inhumanity and treachery. They do not scruple to murder the most defenceless, and those whose lives, by the traditions of Semitic hospitality, should have been inviolable. “From the earliest times of Semitic life the lawlessness of the desert … has been tempered by the principle that the guest is inviolable.… To harm a guest, or to refuse him hospitality, is an offence against honour, which covers the perpetrator with indelible shame.” Robertson Smith, Rel. of Semites, p. 76. Cp. Exodus 22:21-22; Psalms 10:14; Malachi 3:5.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 94 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless - To do this is everywhere represented as a special crime, and as especially offensive to God from the fact that these classes are naturally feeble and unprotected.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 94 →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
They kill the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless.
They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.
They kill the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless.
They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land, and they murder the fatherless.
Tyndale line
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
They slay the widow and the sojourner, And murder the fatherless.
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
They slay the widowe and the stranger, and murder the fatherlesse.
Strictly literal
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless,
Widow and sojourner they slay, And fatherless ones they murder.
They slay widow and sojourner, || And they murder fatherless ones.
The widow and the stranger they slay, and the fatherless they murder.
They kill the widow and foreigner who lives in their country, and they murder the fatherless.
From the Latin
Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us.
Simplified
They kill widows and foreigners; they murder orphans.
They put to death the widow and the guest, they take the lives of children who have no father;
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. This indicates a strong consistency in how this verse has been transmitted through different traditions.
אַ֭לְמָנָה וְגֵ֣ר יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ וִֽיתוֹמִ֣ים יְרַצֵּֽחוּ׃
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 94:6
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 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
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
wid'-o ('almanah; chera): In the Old Testament widows are considered to be under the special care of Yahweh (Ps 68:5; 146:9; Pr 15:25). Sympathetic regard for them comes to be viewed as a mark of true religion (Job 31:16; Jas 1:27). Deuteronomy is rich in counsel in their behalf (24:17, etc.).
The word is first mentioned in the New Testament in Ac 6:1: "There arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." Paul charges that they be particularly cared for, especially those that are "widows indeed," i.e. poor, without support and old (
Under the Mosaic dispensation no legal provision was made for the maintenance of widows. They were left dependent partly on the affection of relations, more especially of the eldest son, whose birthright, or extra share of the property, imposed such a duty upon him, and partly on the privileges accorded to other distressed classes, such as a participation in the triennial third tithe, (14:29; 26:12) in leasing, (24:19-21) and in religious feasts. (16:11,14) With regard to the remarriage of widows, the only restriction imposed by the Mosaic law had reference to the contingency of one being left childless in which case the brother of the deceased husband had a right to marry the widow. (25:5,6; Matthew 22:23-30) In the apostolic Church the widows were sustained at the public expense, the relief being daily administered in kind, under…
A custom was prevalent in patriarchal times, Ge 38:1-30, and was afterwards confirmed by the Mosaic law, De 25:5-10, that a widow without children, in order to preserve the family name and inheritance, should marry the brother of her deceased husband; or he failing his nearest kinsman, Ru 3:12,13 4:1-11 Mt 22:23-30. The high-priest was forbidden to marry a widow, Le 21:14. The humanity and justice of true religion are shown in the Bible, as might be expected, by numerous indications that God and the friends of God sympathize with the sorrows, supply the wants, and defend the rights of the widow,
→ Vows of, binding Nu 30:9
→ When they are daughters of priests, they are to be supported by their fathers Le 22:13
→ Priests forbidden to marry Le 21:14
→ Widows' dower
See DOWRY
→ UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO Ex 22:22-24; De 10:18; 14:28,29; 16:11-14; 24:17,19-21; 25:5-10; 27:19; Job 22:5,9; 24:3,21; 29:13; 31:16,22; Ps 68:5; 94:6; 146:9;
גֵּר (ger) refers to a sojourner or foreigner, indicating someone who temporarily resides in a place without inherited rights. It encompasses the idea of a guest or stranger, particularly in the context of foreigners living in Israel who are granted certain rights. The term is derived from the root meaning 'to dwell'.
גֵּר 92 n.m. sojourner
base
H1616 גֵּר sojourner
1616 ger gare
or (fully) geyr (gare); from 1481; properly, a guest; by
implication, a foreigner:--alien, sojourner, stranger.
see HEBREW for 01481
גֵּר (ger) — sojourner.
1) sojourner
1a) a temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights
1b) of foreigners in Israel, though conceded rights
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
soj'-er-ner, so'-jur-ner, suj'-er-ner.
See STRANGER AND SOJOURNER.
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-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
יָתוֹם (yathowm) means 'orphan' and is derived from a root that suggests loneliness or bereavement. The term specifically refers to a fatherless child or a bereaved person. All entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
יָתוֹם n.[m.] orphan
base
H3490 יָתוֹם orphan
3490 yathowm yaw-thome'
from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved
person:--fatherless (child), orphan.
יָתוֹם (ya.tom) — orphan.
an orphan, fatherless
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
רָצַח (ratsach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to murder or slay, with nuances of premeditated and accidental killing. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to murder), Niphal (to be slain), and Piel (to intensively murder or assassinate). The entries emphasize the act of killing a human being, particularly in a malicious context.
רָצַח vb. murder, slay
Qal murder, slay, with premeditation
Niph. I shall be slain
Pi. (intens.) murder, assassinate
Pu. ye murder
base
H7523 רָצַח murder, slay
7523 ratsach raw-tsakh'
a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a
human being), especially to murder:--put to death, kill,
(man-)slay(-er), murder(-er).
רָצַח (ra.tsach) — to murder.
1) to murder, slay, kill
1a)(Qal) to murder, slay
1a1) premeditated
1a2) accidental
1a3) as avenger
1a4) slayer (intentional) (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be slain
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to murder, assassinate
1c2) murderer, assassin (participle) (subst)
1d) (Pual) to be killed
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVpi3mp
1. Terms:
mur'-der (haragh, "to smite," "destroy," "kill," "slay" (Ps 10:8; Ho 9:13 AV]), ratsach, "to dash to pieces," "kill," especially with premeditation (Nu 35:16 and frequently; 3Job 24:14; Ps 94:6; Jer 7:9; Ho 6:9); phoneus, "criminal homicide," from phoneuo, "to kill," "slay"; phonos, from pheno, has the same meaning; anthropoktonos, "manslayer," "murderer," is used to designate Satan (Joh 8:44) and him that hates his brother (
Murder
Wilful murder was distinguished from accidental homicide, and was invariably visited with capital punishment (Num. 35:16, 18, 21, 31; Lev. 24:17). This law in its principle is founded on the fact of man’s having been made in the likeness of God (Gen. 9:5, 6; John 8:44; 1 John 3:12, 15). The Mosiac law prohibited any compensation for murder or the reprieve of the murderer (Ex. 21:12, 14; Deut. 19:11, 13; 2 Sam. 17:25; 20:10). Two witnesses were required…
The law of Moses, while it protected the accidental homicide, defined with additional strictness the crime of murder. It prohibited compensation or reprieve of the murderer, or his protection if he took refuge in the refuge city, or even at the altar of Jehovah. (Exodus 21:12,14; Leviticus 24:17,21; 1 Kings 2:5,6,31) The duty of executing punishment on the murderer is in the law expressly laid on the "revenger of blood;" but the question of guilt was to be previously decided by the Levitical tribunal. In regal times the duty of execution of justice on a murderer seems to have been assumed to some extent by the sovereign, as was also the privilege of pardon. (2 Samuel…
The designed and malevolent taking of human life, was by the original appointment of God, a crime to be punished by death. Cain, the first murderer, recognized it as such, Ge 4:14. The ground for the death penalty for murder is the eminent dignity and sacredness of man as a child of God, Ge 9:5-6. Like the Sabbath and marriage, it is a primeval and universal institution for mankind, and all nations have so recognized it, Ac 28:4. The Mosaic code reenacted it, Le 24:17; and while providing for the unintentional homicide a safe retreat, declares that deliberate murder must be punished by death, from which neither the city of refuge nor the altar of God could shield the…