Psalms 78:64
Psalms 78:64 in Multiple Translations
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
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 were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.
Their priests were killed by the sword; their widows were unable to mourn.
Their Priestes fell by the sworde, and their widowes lamented not.
His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Many priests were killed by their enemies’ swords, and ◄the people did not allow the priests’ widows/the priests’ widows were not allowed► to mourn.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 78:64
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 78:64 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כֹּ֭הֲנָי/ו
בַּ/חֶ֣רֶב
נָפָ֑לוּ
וְ֝/אַלְמְנֹתָ֗י/ו
לֹ֣א
תִבְכֶּֽינָה
כֹּ֭הֲנָי/ו
kôhên
H3548
priest
N-mp | Suff
בַּ/חֶ֣רֶב
chereb
H2719
sword
Prep | N-fs
נָפָ֑לוּ
nâphal
H5307
to fall
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
וְ֝/אַלְמְנֹתָ֗י/ו
ʼalmânâh
H490
widow
Conj | N-fp | Suff
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
תִבְכֶּֽינָה
bâkâh
H1058
to weep
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 78:64
כֹּ֭הֲנָי/ו
kôhên
H3548
"priest"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Definition: 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)
Usage: Occurs in 653 OT verses. KJV: chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer. See also: Genesis 14:18; Leviticus 13:33; Numbers 17:2.
בַּ/חֶ֣רֶב
chereb
H2719
"sword"
Prep | N-fs
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Definition: 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone
Usage: Occurs in 372 OT verses. KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. See also: Genesis 3:24; 2 Samuel 2:16; Psalms 7:13.
נָפָ֑לוּ
nâphal
H5307
"to fall"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Definition: : 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
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: 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 H6419 (פָּלַל)), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. See also: Genesis 2:21; 1 Samuel 17:52; Esther 9:3.
וְ֝/אַלְמְנֹתָ֗י/ו
ʼalmânâh
H490
"widow"
Conj | N-fp | Suff
A widow is a woman whose husband has died, often left alone and vulnerable. The Bible teaches care and compassion for widows, as seen in the stories of Ruth and Naomi. God commands his people to look out for them.
Definition: widow
Usage: Occurs in 54 OT verses. KJV: desolate house (palace), widow. See also: Genesis 38:11; Job 29:13; Psalms 68:6.
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 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)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
תִבְכֶּֽינָה
bâkâh
H1058
"to weep"
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp
To weep means to cry or shed tears, often in grief or sadness. In the Bible, weeping is a common expression of emotion, as seen in the stories of David and Jeremiah, who both wept bitterly in times of sorrow and repentance.
Definition: 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
Usage: Occurs in 100 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, [idiom] more, mourn, [idiom] sore, [idiom] with tears, weep. See also: Genesis 21:16; 2 Samuel 12:21; Psalms 69:11.
Study Notes — Psalms 78:64
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 78:64 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:64
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:64
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:64
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:64
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
- Sermons on Psalms 78:64
Context — I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
62He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
63Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
64His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine. 66He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 4:17 | The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” |
| 2 | Job 27:15 | His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 24:23 | Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 4:11 | The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. |
| 5 | 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. As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed. |
| 6 | 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. And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day. |
| 7 | 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. He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. |
Psalms 78:64 Summary
Psalms 78:64 tells us that God's priests were killed in battle, and their wives were so shocked and sad that they couldn't even cry. This shows us that when we disobey God, there can be serious consequences, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:63. But even in the midst of tragedy, God is still in control, as seen in Psalms 78:65, where it says the Lord awoke as from sleep. We can learn from this verse to always obey God's commands and trust in His sovereignty, even when things seem unclear or difficult, just like the prophet Isaiah encourages us to do in Isaiah 40:31.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the priests falling by the sword in Psalms 78:64?
The priests falling by the sword signifies God's judgment on His people for their disobedience, as seen in Psalms 78:62, where it says God surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage. This event is also reminiscent of the prophecy in Deuteronomy 28:63, where God warns of the consequences of disobedience.
Why could the widows of the priests not lament in Psalms 78:64?
The widows of the priests could not lament because they were likely in a state of shock, grief, and possibly even fear, given the circumstances of their husbands' deaths. This silence can also be seen as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Amos 8:3, where it says the songs of the temple will be wailing in that day.
How does this verse relate to the surrounding context of Psalms 78?
This verse is part of a larger narrative in Psalms 78, which recounts the history of God's people and their repeated disobedience, culminating in God's judgment. The following verse, Psalms 78:65, says the Lord awoke as from sleep, indicating a shift in God's actions towards His people, as seen in the book of Isaiah 40:31, where it says those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.
What can we learn from the tragic event described in Psalms 78:64?
We can learn that disobedience to God's commands has severe consequences, as seen in Psalms 78:62, and that God is a God of justice, as stated in Psalms 89:14, where it says righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can apply the lesson of obedience from Psalms 78:64 to my own life?
- How can I, like the psalmist, come to terms with the judgment of God in my own life and the lives of those around me?
- What role does faith play in the midst of tragedy and judgment, as seen in this verse?
- In what ways can I, as a believer, be a source of comfort and support to those who are grieving, like the widows in this verse?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 78:64
Their 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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 78:64
Yet 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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
Their 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 .
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
Psalms 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.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
(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.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
Verse 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."
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 78:64
64. 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).
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 78:64
Their 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.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 78:64
64. Their priests fell—Probably those who had, in great numbers, accompanied the ark into the camp with Hophni and Phinehas. 1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 4:17.
Sermons on Psalms 78:64
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Every House Divided Against Itself Shall Not Stand! by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher shares a personal experience of being worn out and upset due to the constant fighting and turmoil happening in the church. He witnesses a group of peop |
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Why Revival Leaves by Dean Taylor | Dean Taylor delves into the topic of revival, exploring the reasons why revival tarries and why it eventually leaves. Drawing from historical accounts like the Lancaster revivals, |
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Shout Unto God With the Voice of Triumph by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for obedience to God in order to win spiritual battles. He uses the story of David and Goliath as an example of someone who had fai |
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The Presence of God - Part 1 by David Ravenhill | In this sermon, David Ravenhill discusses the story of the Ark of the Covenant being captured by the Philistines and the consequences it had on the Israelites. He emphasizes the im |
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The Fear of God (01) Introduction by Don Courville | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of witnessing a man struggling to walk and falling down. Instead of laughing, the speaker realizes that this is an opportun |
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A New Priesthood Arises by George Warnock | George Warnock emphasizes the transition from the corrupt priesthood of Eli to the rise of Samuel, a faithful servant of God, who was born from Hannah's deep cries for a son. This |
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1 Samuel 4:13 by Joshua Daniel | This sermon emphasizes the importance of trembling for the presence of God, using the story of Eli and his sons as a cautionary tale. It highlights the consequences of hidden sin a |