Psalms 7:15 — Word Study
WLCבּ֣וֹר כָּ֭רָֽה וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל בְּשַׁ֣חַת יִפְעָֽל׃
BSAbeholdhinnêh to pledgechâbal evilʼâven to conceivehârâh troubleʻâmâl to begetyâlad deceptionsheqer
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בּ֣וֹר | a pit | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כָּ֭רָֽה | he digs | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ | and he has dug it | Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל | and he has fallen | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בְּשַׁ֣חַת | in [the] pit | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| יִפְעָֽל׃ | [which] he made | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. |
| KJV | He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. |
| ASV | He hath made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made. |
| YLT | A pit he hath prepared, and he diggeth it, And he falleth into a ditch he maketh. |
| WEB | He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made. |
| BBE | He has made a hole deep in the earth, and is falling into the hole which he has made |
All translations agree on the rendering of the key terms in this verse.
The sentence structure presents a clear cause-and-effect relationship, with the main action leading directly to the consequence.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָבַל
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 7:15
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 Wickednessgenerated
Psalm 7:15 describes the fate of the wicked man who plots evil against others. The psalmist observes that the very schemes he devises for others become his own downfall. This theme of retribution is echoed in the verses surrounding it, emphasizing that the wicked will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 35:7 | For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul. |
| 2 | Psalm 119:85 | The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law. |
| 3 | Job 6:27 | You would even cast lots for an orphan and barter away your friend. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 18:20 | Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them. |
| 5 | Psalm 9:15–16 | The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בּ֣וֹר, Borgenerated
The word בּ֣וֹר (bor) refers to a pit or cistern, often used to hold water or as a place of confinement. It signifies a physical hole in the ground but can also imply a grave or a trap, highlighting the destructive nature of the wicked man's actions.
In this verse, the pit symbolizes the self-destructive consequences of the wicked man's schemes. His attempt to harm others leads only to his own entrapment, illustrating a profound moral truth about justice and retribution.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses pit for בּ֣וֹר.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause with a sequence of actions: the wicked man digs a pit and then falls into it. The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between his actions and their repercussions.
The finite verbs כָּ֭רָֽה (he digs) and יִּפֹּ֗ל (he has fallen) anchor the verse, with additional phrases detailing the actions and their outcomes.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בּ֣וֹר as ἰδοὺ, indicating a present reality or attention to the situation. This choice suggests an emphasis on the immediacy of the wicked man's downfall.
The LXX captures the essence of the Hebrew text but may reflect a broader interpretation of the consequences of wickedness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 7:15 tells us that the wicked man digs a pit for others but ends up falling into it himself. This verse illustrates the principle that those who plot evil will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that the schemes and traps he sets for others ultimately lead to his own downfall.
It highlights the moral principle that evil actions lead to self-inflicted consequences, reinforcing the idea of divine justice.
The pit serves as a metaphor for the destructive nature of sin and the inevitable consequences that follow.
It illustrates premeditated evil, showing that the wicked man's actions are intentional and calculated, yet they backfire on him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen the consequences of my actions reflect back on me?
- How can I avoid the pitfalls of plotting against others?
- What does this verse teach about the nature of justice?
- How can I apply the lessons of this verse to my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers commented on this verse, discussing the moral implications of wickedness and its consequences, as seen in their writings.
Truly, he sins first against himself, then he injures another; since sin is harmful and ruinous, foremost it harms and roughly handles the one sinning.… “If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit”.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 7 →
We do not find the name of “pit” ever assigned in the divine Scriptures in the case of something good or a “well” of water in the case of something bad.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 7 →
"He has opened a ditch, and dug it" [Psalms 7:15]. To open a ditch is, in earthly matters, that is, as it were in the earth, to prepare deceit, that another fall therein,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 7 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 7:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe made a pit and digged it,.... That is, he digged a pit, and made it very large and capacious, to answer his purposes; and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made; so it is said of the Heathen,
Read John Gill on Psalms 7 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. A pit - such as is prepared with branches and foliage over it, to entrap wild beasts in.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 7 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHath brought that evil upon himself which he intended against me; which may be understood either of Saul, who whilst he plotted against David’ s life ran into apparent hazard of losing his own, 1 Samuel 24$ 1 Samuel 26$; or of some courtier or courtiers of Saul, in whom this was evidently verified, although the history and memory of it be now lost.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 7:15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made.Ver. 15. He made a pit, and digged it, &c.] This simile shows, that the wicked shall not only be frustrated, but undone by their own doing; as was Absalom, Haman, our gunpowder Papists, Pope Alexander VI, and his son Caesar Borgia (Bucholcer); who, by a mistake of the attendants at table, drank up the poisoned wine which they had prepared and set ready for some princes of Italy whom they had invited, and for whose dominions they thirsted. Hic aut Caesar ut nullus, saith Pontanus, who relateth the history.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) Pate.—A word retained from Coverdale’s translation, and common in the Elizabethan age. In Shakespeare it is frequent— “My invention Comes from my pate, As bird-lime does from frieze.” For the moral, comp. 1 Samuel 25:29. Psalms 7:15-16 are quoted by Eusebius of the overthrow of Maxentius by Constantine, with special reference to the fact that in preparing a bridge of boats he had prepared the means for his own destruction.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 7 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. He made a pit] He determined the destruction of David. He laid his plans with much artifice; he executed them with zeal and diligence; and when he had, as he supposed, the grave of David digged, he fell into it himself! The metaphor is taken from pits dug in the earth, and slightly covered over with reeds, c., so as not to be discerned from the solid ground but the animal steps on them, the surface breaks, and he falls into the pit and is taken. "All the world agrees to acknowledge the equity of that sentence, which inflicts upon the guilty the punishment intended by them for the innocent." - Horne.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. More exactly: He hath dug a pit and delved it deep, And is fallen into the ditch he was making. Another picture of the destruction of the wicked. He ‘is snared in the work of his own hands’ (Psalms 9:16). The figure is taken from the pitfalls used by hunters. See Ezekiel 19:4; and cp. Psalms 57:6; Ecclesiastes 10:8. Observe the graphic force of the tense in the last line. His schemes for the destruction of others prove his own ruin even before he has completed them.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 7 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe made a pit - The allusion here is undoubtedly to a method of hunting wild beasts which was common in ancient times.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 7 →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
He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making.
He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.
He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making.
he digs a pit and then falls into the hole he has made.
Tyndale line
He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
He hath made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made.
He hath made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
He made a pit, and digged it, and hath fallen into the ditch which he made.
Hee hath made a pitte and digged it, and is fallen into the pit that he made.
Strictly literal
He digged a pit, and hollowed it out, and is fallen into the hole that he made.
A pit he hath prepared, and he diggeth it, And he falleth into a ditch he maketh.
He has prepared a pit, and he digs it, || And he falls into a ditch he makes.
(7:16) He hath hollowed out a pit, and dug it, and is fallen into the ditch which he hath wrought.
He digs a pit and hollows it out and then falls into the hole he has made.
From the Latin
Behold he hath been in labour with injustice; he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.
Simplified
They dig a deep hole to catch people, but then fall into it themselves.
He has made a hole deep in the earth, and is falling into the hole which he has 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 is supported by the Septuagint, which matches five of the six words in this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls present a partial reading, indicating some editorial restoration but aligning closely with the MT.
בּ֣וֹר כָּ֭רָֽה וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל בְּשַׁ֣חַת יִפְעָֽל׃
5 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.
הנה יחבל און [והרה] [עמל] [וילד] שקר
4 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
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 7:15
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.
בּוֹר (bor) refers to a pit, well, or cistern, often used for water storage or as a dungeon. It can also denote a grave pit. The term appears in various contexts, including the specific location known as the cistern of Sirah, mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:26. The entries consistently emphasize its function as a hole or pit.
בּוֹר n.m. pit, cistern, well
cistern, containing water, made by digging
later appar. well
pit
dungeon
(poet. & late; never c. art.) pit of the grave
base
בּוֹר הַסִּרָה n.pr.loc. 2 S 3:26 (cistern of Sirah)
ref
H953a בּוֹר pit, cistern, well H953b בּוֹר הַסִּרָה (cistern of Sirah)
953 bowr bore
from 952 (in the sense of 877); a pit hole (especially one
used as a cistern or a prison):--cistern, dungeon, fountain,
pit, well.
see HEBREW for 0952
see HEBREW for 0877
בּוֹר (bor) — pit.
pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave
בּוֹר (bor) — Cistern.
Cistern of Sirah
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:
(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");
(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);
(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);
Pit
A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).
[HELL]
A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.
כוּר (khur) and כָּרָה (ka.rah) are Hebrew roots primarily meaning to dig or excavate. They can also imply figurative actions like plotting. The entries note that כוּר appears in Psalm 22:17, while כָּרָה can refer to digging graves or pits, with a figurative sense related to judgment.
[כוּר] vb. mng. dub., perh. bore, or dig, or hew—only Qal ψ 22:17
ref
כָּרָה vb. dig
Qal dig a grave; a well; a pit
Niph. until the pit be digged of the wicked, fig. of judgment.
base
H3738a כוּר mng. dub., perh. bore, or dig, or hew H3738b כָּרָה dig
3738 karah kaw-raw'
a primitive root; properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot;
generally, to bore or open:--dig, X make (a banquet), open.
כוּר (khur) — to dig.
1) to dig, excavate, dig through, cut
1a) (Qal) to dig
כָּרָה (ka.rah) — to pierce.
1) to pierce, excavate, dig through
1a) (Qal) to dig
1b) (Niphal) to be dug
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
חָפַר (chaphar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to dig or search for. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of prying into something, exploring, or delving deeper. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts related to digging and searching.
חָפַר vb. dig, search for
base
H2658 חָפַר dig, search for
2658 chaphar khaw-far'
a primitive root; properly, to pry into; by implication, to
delve, to explore:--dig, paw, search out, seek.
חָפַר (cha.phar) — to search.
1) to dig, search for
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to dig
1a2) to search, search out, explore
Hc/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms
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)
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.
שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit
base
H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit
7845 shachath shakh'-ath
from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,
destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.
see HEBREW for 07743
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.
Pit, of hell
Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)
This name means pit, grave
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.
1) pit, destruction, grave
1a) pit (for catching lions)
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:
(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");
(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);
(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);
Pit
A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).
[HELL]
A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.
פָּעַל (pa'al) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, often used in a systematic or habitual sense. It encompasses actions like committing, ordaining, and working, with a poetic nuance compared to the more common verb for 'to do' (עָשָׂה). The entries consistently highlight its usage in the Qal stem, emphasizing its foundational role in expressing action.
פָּעַל 67 vb. do, make (poet. for עָשָׂה)
Qal
do
make
base
H6466 פָּעַל do, make (poet. for עָשָׂה)
6466 pa`al paw-al'
a primitive root; to do or make (systematically and
habitually), especially to practise:--commit, (evil-)
do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er).
פָּעַל (pa.al) — to work.
1) to do, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do
1a2) to make
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms