Psalms 136:18 — Word Study
WLCוַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
BSAand slaughteredhârag▸ [put to death, slew] mightyʼaddîyr [great, powerful, noble] kingsmelek [royal persons, rulers] His loving devotionchêçêd [displaying, demonstrating, kindness, mercy, faithful love] endures foreverʻôwlâm [lasts, remains, for all eternity, always]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג | and he killed | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מְלָכִ֣ים | kings | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| אַדִּירִ֑ים | mighty | Adj |
| כִּ֖י | for | Particle |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | [is] for ever | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | covenant loyalty his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and slaughtered mighty kings— His loving devotion endures forever. |
| KJV | And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: |
| ASV | And slew famous kings; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: |
| YLT | Yea, He doth slay honourable kings, For to the age [is] His kindness. |
| WEB | and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever; |
| BBE | And put noble kings to death: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: |
Where they part company is אַדִּירִ֑ים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a reason clause, emphasizing the connection between God's actions and His enduring nature.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & 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 136:18
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 Enduring Lovegenerated
Psalm 136:18 describes God's actions in defeating mighty kings, illustrating His power and the nature of His loving devotion. This psalm repeatedly emphasizes God's enduring kindness and mercy, which lasts forever, serving as a reminder of His faithfulness to His people throughout history.
Cross References
The Key Word — חַסְדּוֹ, chas.Dogenerated
The word חֶסֶד (chesed) refers to kindness, mercy, or covenant loyalty. It denotes a deep and abiding love, often used to describe God's faithful love towards humanity, especially in the context of His promises and actions.
This noun appears in the construct form here, indicating possession — 'His loving devotion.' It emphasizes the enduring nature of God's kindness, which is a central theme throughout the psalm.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses loving devotion to translate חַסְדּוֹ. Other translations, such as the KJV and ASV, also reflect this meaning.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of אַדִּירִ֑ים. The BSB, ILT, MSB, and WEB use mighty, while the FBV and NETB prefer powerful, and the BBE opts for noble.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יַּהֲרֹג, he killed, governs the clause, indicating the action taken against the kings. The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions and their significance.
The noun phrase מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים serves as the object of the verb, specifying who was killed, while the prepositional phrase כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם provides the reason for the action, linking it to God's enduring nature.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew חַסְדּוֹ is rendered as αὐτοῦ (autou), meaning 'His'. This choice highlights God's personal and active involvement in demonstrating loving devotion.
The Greek word for אַדִּירִ֑ים is κραταιούς (krataious), which conveys a sense of strength and power, consistent with the portrayal of the kings in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 136:18 recounts how God killed mighty kings, emphasizing His everlasting kindness. This verse is part of a larger psalm that celebrates God's enduring love and faithfulness throughout history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's power over earthly rulers and His ability to protect His people by defeating those who oppose Him.
God's loving devotion is constant and unwavering, reflecting His character and promises that last through all time.
The mention of kings highlights the might of those who opposed God and the extent of His power in overcoming them.
We learn that God is both powerful and loving, acting decisively in history while remaining faithful to His covenant with His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's loving devotion in my own life?
- How can I trust in God's power when facing challenges or opposition?
- What does it mean for me to demonstrate loving devotion to others?
- How can I remember and celebrate God's faithfulness in my daily life?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 136:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd slew famous kings,.... Famous for their power and strength, their courage and valour who were not only smitten and discomfited, but slain in battle; for his mercy [endureth] for ever; towards his
Read John Gill on Psalms 136 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTo him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: To him which smote great kings ... Sihon ... And Og - (Psalms 135:11.) The Psalmist signifies these kings because the MERCY of the Lord is here his theme.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 136 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 136:18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy [endureth] for ever:Ver. 18. And slew famous kings] Magnificos, sumptuosos, fastuosos, et arrogantes.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 136 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16–22. Jehovah the Giver of the promised land. Cp. Psalms 135:10 ff.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 136 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17-21. On these verses see notes on Psalms 135:10-12. It is possible, as some have hinted, that Sihon and Og, with their powerful kingdoms, are here specially alluded to, because these rich
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 136 →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
and slaughtered mighty kings— His loving devotion endures forever.
and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;
and slaughtered mighty kings—His loving devotion endures forever.
and killed powerful kings, for his loyal love endures,
Tyndale line
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And slewe mightie Kings: for his mercie endureth for euer:
Strictly literal
And slew famous kings, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever;
Yea, He doth slay honourable kings, For to the age [is] His kindness.
Indeed, He slays majestic kings, || For His kindness [is] for all time.
And slew mighty kings; for to eternity endureth his kindness.
Give thanks to him who killed famous kings, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever—
Simplified
To him who killed powerful kings. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.
And put noble kings to death: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
Word by word, the decisions they made
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, "וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃" which translates to "and slaughtered mighty kings— His loving devotion endures forever." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in all six words, maintaining the same meaning and intent. There are no significant differences between these two ancient witnesses regarding this verse, indicating a strong consistency in the text across these traditions.
וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
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 136:18
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
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
base
H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king
4428 melek meh'-lek
from 4427; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04427
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
1) king
Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)
הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.
'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.
Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
of Judah and Israel. For the list see table at the end of this volume.
אַדִּיר (addiyr) means majestic and conveys a sense of greatness or power. It can describe large entities like the sea or trees, as well as kings, nations, and noble figures. The word is built from a root meaning wide or large, with a range that includes excellent, glorious, and noble.
אַדִּיר adj. majestic
base
H117 אַדִּיר majestic
117 'addiyr ad-deer'
from 142; wide or (generally) large; figuratively,
powerful:--excellent, famous, gallant, glorious, goodly,
lordly, mighty(- ier one), noble, principal, worthy.
see HEBREW for 0142
אַדִּיר (ad.dir) — great.
1) great, majestic
1a) of waters of sea
1b) of a tree
1c) of kings, nations, gods
2) great one, majestic one
2a) of nobles, chieftains, servants
Adj — AdjHAampa
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
HTc — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.
עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity
base
H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity
5769 `owlam o-lawm'
or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the
vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),
i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),
ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,
(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)
old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world
(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.
see HEBREW for 05956
see HEBREW for 05331
see HEBREW for 05703
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.
: enduring/eternal
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.
This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.
: any_time
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.
: old/ancient
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms