Psalms 44:12 — Word Study
WLCתִּמְכֹּֽר־ עַמְּךָ֥ בְלֹא־ ה֑וֹן וְלֹ֥א־ רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם׃
BSAto givenâthan Sheep (Gate)tsôʼn foodmaʼăkâl Gentilegôwy to scatterzârâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תִּמְכֹּֽר־ | you have sold | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| עַמְּךָ֥ | people your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְלֹא־ | for not | Preposition, particle |
| ה֑וֹן | wealth | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְלֹ֥א־ | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ | you have made great | Verb, Piel, perfect second person masculine singular |
| בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם׃ | by price their | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You sell Your people for nothing; no profit do You gain from their sale. |
| KJV | Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. |
| ASV | Thou sellest thy people for nought, And hast not increased thy wealth by their price. |
| YLT | Thou sellest Thy people — without wealth, And hast not become great by their price. |
| WEB | You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale. |
| BBE | You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price. |
The translations agree on the meaning of תִּמְכֹּֽר־ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward with one main action and additional phrases clarifying the context and implications of that action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָתַן
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 44:12
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 — A Lament for God's Peoplegenerated
Psalms 44:12 expresses a deep sorrow over the situation of God’s people, who feel abandoned and sold into hardship. The psalmist reflects on the lack of profit from their suffering, highlighting the perceived injustice of their plight. This lament is part of a larger narrative in which the people of Israel confront their historical struggles and God's seeming silence in their distress, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 32:30 | How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up? |
| 2 | Isaiah 50:1 | This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away. |
| 3 | Isaiah 52:3–4 | For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.” |
| 4 | Jeremiah 15:13 | Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders. |
| 5 | Nehemiah 5:8–12 | and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִּמְכֹּֽר־, tim.kor-generated
The verb תִּמְכֹּֽר־ (tim.kor-) comes from the root נָתַן (natan), meaning 'to sell.' This form is the imperfect second person masculine singular, indicating an action directed at God’s people. It implies a transaction, suggesting that God has relinquished His people without any gain.
This word carries significant weight in the context of the verse, as it portrays a sense of betrayal and abandonment. The psalmist uses it to express a feeling that God’s actions are unjust, as they seem to sell His people for no reason or profit.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of תִּמְכֹּֽר־, rendering it as 'sell' across versions like the BSB, KJV, and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תִּמְכֹּֽר־ governs the structure of the verse, indicating the action taken by God. The phrase 'Your people' serves as the object of this action, while 'for nothing' and 'no profit' provide additional context to the nature of the transaction.
The syntax emphasizes the starkness of the situation, with the verb coming first to highlight God's action and the subsequent phrases elaborating on the lack of value in that action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִּמְכֹּֽר־ as ἔδωκας (edōkas), meaning 'you have given.' This choice shifts the focus slightly from a commercial transaction to an act of giving, which may imply a deeper sense of loss and betrayal.
This translation reflects the translators' understanding of the Hebrew text, emphasizing the emotional weight of God's actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 44:12 expresses a deep sorrow over the situation of God’s people, who feel abandoned and sold into hardship. The psalmist reflects on the lack of profit from their suffering, highlighting the perceived injustice of their plight.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It reflects a feeling of abandonment and betrayal, suggesting that God has given up His people without any benefit.
This phrase emphasizes the lack of value or worth in the transaction, highlighting the injustice of their suffering.
It encapsulates the lament over Israel's suffering and God's perceived silence in their distress.
It shows the importance of expressing grief and questioning in faith, as well as the struggle to understand God's actions in times of suffering.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I feel abandoned by God in my own life?
- How can I express my feelings of grief or loss in a healthy way?
- What does it mean to trust God when circumstances seem unjust?
- How can I support others who are feeling abandoned or hurt?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, reflecting on the themes of loss and God's relationship with His people.
It is our custom, remember, to give away even without cost things that are worthless and insignificant, whereas what we put great store by we sell at a high price, should we sell at all,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 44 →
"You have sold Your people for no price" [Psalms 44:12]. For we see whom You have made over; what You have received, we have not seen.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 44 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 44:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou sellest thy people for nought,.... So God, when he is said to deliver up his people into the hands of their enemies, is said to sell them to them; see Jude 2:14; and selling them for nought
Read John Gill on Psalms 44 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 44 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFor nought; for a thing of nought. Or, without money, and without price, as it is said, ; for a very small, or for no price; for a pair of shoes, as we read, . Dost not increase thy wealth by their price; thou hast not advanced thy honour and service thereby; for thy enemies do not serve thee more and better than thy people, nor yet so much.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 44 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 44:12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase [thy wealth] by their price.Ver. 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought] Thirty for a penny the Jews were sold by the Romans, saith Josephus, at the last devastation. And dost not increase thy wealth by their price] Thou takest thy first chapman (as the pope gave England, in Henry VIIl’ s time, Primo occupaluro, to him that could first seize it), and hast not made thy best of them; but given them away, for whom thou wast wont to give great nations, Isaiah 43:3. All the comfort in this case was, that yet they were dear to God as his sons, though sold for slaves to the enemies, as may be seen, Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 52:3.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 44 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) For nought.—Literally, for not riches (comp. Jeremiah 15:13); notice the contrast to Psalms 72:14. And dost not increase thy wealth by their price.—This rendering takes the verb as in Proverbs 22:16; but to make the two places exactly parallel, we should have “dost not increase for thee.” It is better, therefore, to make the clause synonymous with the last, and render thou didst not increase in (the matter of) their price, i.e., thou didst not set a high price on them.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 44 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought] An allusion to the mode of disposing of slaves by their proprietors or sovereigns. Instead of seeking profit, thou hast made us a present to our enemies.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 44 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. Thou sellest thy people] Handing them over to their enemies (Deuteronomy 32:30; Judges 2:14; Isaiah 50:1); and that for nought, as though they were worthless in Thy estimation (Jeremiah 15:13): and hast made no gain by their price; a bold ‘anthropopathy,’ or ascription to God of human motives and feelings, as though the surrender of His people might have seemed more justifiable if He had received some equivalent for them. Comp. the plea in Psalms 30:9.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 44 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou sellest thy people for nought - Margin, without riches. Without gain, or advantage; that is, for no price that would be an equivalent.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 44 →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
You sell Your people for nothing; no profit do You gain from their sale.
You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
You sell Your people for nothing; no profit do You gain from their sale.
You sold your people for a pittance; you did not ask a high price for them.
Tyndale line
Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
Thou sellest thy people for nought, And hast not increased thy wealth by their price.
Thou sellest thy people for nought, and hast not increased thy wealth by their price.
Thou sellest thy people for naught, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
Thou sellest thy people without gaine, and doest not increase their price.
Strictly literal
Thou hast sold thy people for nought, and hast not increased [thy wealth] by their price;
Thou sellest Thy people — without wealth, And hast not become great by their price.
You sell Your people—without wealth, || And have not become great by their price.
(44:13) Thou sellest thy people for no value, and acquirest no gain by their price.
You sell your people for nothing; you have not increased your wealth by doing so.
From the Latin
And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.
Simplified
You have sold your own people for next to nothing, making no profit on the sale.
You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.
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
Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, maintaining a consistent depiction of God's actions towards His people.
תִּמְכֹּֽר־ עַמְּךָ֥ בְלֹא־ ה֑וֹן וְלֹ֥א־ רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם׃
7 of the 7 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 44:12
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.
מָכַר (makar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to sell.' It encompasses various forms, including selling merchandise, giving a daughter in marriage, or even selling oneself into slavery. The word appears in different grammatical forms, such as Qal (to sell), Niphal (to be sold), and Hithpael (to sell oneself). It reflects both literal and figurative senses of selling.
מָכַר vb. sell
Qal sell
Niph. be sold
Hithp. sell oneself as slave
base
H4376 מָכַר sell
4376 makar maw-kar'
a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a
daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to
surrender):--X at all, sell (away, -er, self).
מָכַר (ma.khar) — to sell.
1) to sell
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sell
1a2) seller (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be sold
1b2) to sell oneself
1b3) to be given over to death
1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself
HVqi2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
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)
HR/Tn — Preposition · particleHR/Tn
הוֹן (hown) refers to wealth, riches, or substance, and can also imply sufficiency or enough. It is primarily found in poetic contexts, particularly in Wisdom Literature like Proverbs. The term is derived from a related root that conveys the idea of wealth and value.
הוֹן n.m. wealth, sufficiency (poet., almost wholly WisdLt, especially Pr)
base
H1952 הוֹן wealth, sufficiency (poet., almost wholly WisdLt, especially Pr)
1952 hown hone
from the same as 1951 in the sense of 202; wealth; by
implication, enough:--enough, + for nought, riches, substance,
wealth.
see HEBREW for 01951
see HEBREW for 0202
הוֹן (hon) — substance.
1) wealth, riches, substance
1a) wealth
1b) price, high value
interj
2) enough!, sufficiency
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
→ See RICHES
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)
HC/Tn — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
רָבָה (rabah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to increase or multiply, encompassing ideas of becoming great, numerous, or abundant. It has various forms, including Qal (to become many), Piel (to make large), and Hiphil (to make much). The word also appears in a context related to shooting in Genesis 21:20. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, רְבָה.
[רָבָה] 225 vb. be, or become, much, many, great
Qal 59
become many, numerous
be great
grow great (Aramaism)
Pi. 4 make large, increase
Hiph. 162
H7235a רָבָה be, or become, much, many, great .. become many, numerous
. . be great
. grow great (Aramaism)
. make large, increase
. . make much or many
. make great, obj. pers.
H7235b רָבָה shoot
7235 rabah raw-baw'
a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect):--(bring
in) abundance (X -antly), + archer (by mistake for 7232), be
in authority, bring up, X continue, enlarge, excel,
exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly,
X -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have,
make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more
(in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much
(greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), X
process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.
see HEBREW for 07232
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to multiply.
1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things)
1a2) to be or grow great
1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make much, make many, have many
1c1a) to multiply, increase
1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly
1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly
1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much
Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236)
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to shoot.
(Qal) to shoot
HVpp2ms — Verb · Piel · perfect second person masculine singularHVpp2ms
מְחִיר (mechir) refers to the concepts of price and hire, indicating payment or wages for goods or services. It is derived from a root meaning to buy, emphasizing its connection to transactions and worth. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts related to financial exchange.
מְחִיר n.m. price, hire (as that which is placed in front of one, presented, offered)
base
H4242 מְחִיר price, hire
4242 mchiyr mekk-eer'
from an unused root meaning to buy; price, payment,
wages:--gain, hire, price, sold, worth.
מְחִיר (me.chir) — price.
1) price, hire
1a) price
1b) hire, reward, gain
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp