Psalms 78:62 — Word Study
WLCוַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר לַחֶ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְנַחֲלָת֗וֹ הִתְעַבָּֽר׃
BSAHe surrenderedçâgar▸ [gave over, handed over to be slaughtered] His peopleʻam [nation, Amaw] to the swordchereb [cutting instrument, knife] because He was enragedʻâbar■ [angry, wroth] by His heritagenachălâh [inheritance, something passed down, uvenachalato]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר | and he delivered up | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לַחֶ֣רֶב | to the sword | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| עַמּ֑וֹ | people his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּ֝בְנַחֲלָת֗וֹ | and with inheritance his | Conjunction, preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| הִתְעַבָּֽר׃ | he was furious | Verb, Hithpael, perfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage. |
| KJV | He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. |
| ASV | He gave his people over also unto the sword, And was wroth with his inheritance. |
| YLT | And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry. |
| WEB | He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance. |
| BBE | He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage. |
Where they part company is וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with a prepositional phrase and a reason clause, showing the cause and effect of God's anger.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbסָגַר
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 78:62
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 Disobediencegenerated
Psalm 78:62 reflects on a time when God allowed His people to suffer due to their actions. The psalmist recounts how God, in His anger, handed over His nation to the sword, highlighting the consequences of their disobedience. This passage serves as a reminder of the seriousness of straying from God's ways, as seen in the broader context of Psalm 78:61 and Psalm 78:63.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 4:2–10 | The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield. |
| 2 | Psalm 89:38 | Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one. |
| 3 | Isaiah 64:9 | Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר, vai.yas.Gergenerated
The verb סָגַר (sagar) means to shut or close, but in this context, it conveys the idea of delivering up or surrendering. It is a Hiphil form, indicating a causative action, where God actively gives His people over to destruction.
This word emphasizes the severity of God's judgment. The choice to use this verb reflects a decisive action, showing that God is not merely passive but is involved in the fate of His people, which aligns with the narrative of their repeated disobedience.
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 וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר governs the entire verse, with a prepositional phrase specifying the object of the action — לַחֶ֣רֶב (to the sword) — and a clause explaining the reason for this action, which is introduced by כִּי (because).
The structure emphasizes God's decisive action followed by the reason for His anger, illustrating a clear cause-and-effect relationship in the narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר as συνέκλεισεν, which carries the sense of enclosing or confining. This choice indicates a slightly different nuance, suggesting a more passive confinement rather than an active surrender.
This translation choice may reflect an interpretation of God's judgment as a form of confinement rather than outright abandonment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 78:62 describes how God allowed His people to be defeated by their enemies because He was angry with them. This reflects the consequences of their actions and serves as a warning about the seriousness of disobedience.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God allowed His people to face destruction due to their disobedience and rebellion against Him.
God's anger was directed at His people because they had turned away from Him and failed to uphold their covenant relationship.
This verse connects with themes of judgment and consequences found throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Samuel 4:2-10.
We learn about the seriousness of disobedience to God and the potential consequences that can arise from straying from His ways.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen the consequences of disobedience in my own life?
- How can I ensure that I remain faithful to God's commands?
- What does it mean to me that God cares about His heritage?
- How can I help others understand the importance of following God's ways?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 78:62 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe gave his people over also to the sword,.... To those that kill with the sword, as the Targum; that is, to the Philistines, when there fell of them thirty thousand men at once, 1 Samuel 4:10 and
Read John Gill on Psalms 78 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYet 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.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 78 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 78:62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.Ver. 62. He gave his people also unto the sword] sc. Of the Philistines, who slew thirty thousand of them in one battle, 1 Samuel 4:10, they lost him and themselves too; the ark having been a far better defence to them than the Palladium to the Trojans.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 78 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges62. See 1 Samuel 4:2; 1 Samuel 4:10; 1 Samuel 4:17.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 78 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe gave his people over also unto the sword - When the ark was taken, 1 Samuel 4:10. Thirty thousand of the children of Israel fell on that occasion.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 78 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible62. He gave his people… unto the sword—Thirty thousand fell in the battle. 1 Samuel 4:10
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 78 →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
He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.
He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
He delivered his people over to the sword, and was angry with his chosen nation.
Tyndale line
He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
He gave his people over also unto the sword, And was wroth with his inheritance.
He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
He gave over his people also to the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
And hee gaue vp his people to the sworde, and was angrie with his inheritance.
Strictly literal
And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance:
And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.
And delivers His people up to the sword, || And showed Himself angry with His inheritance.
And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.
He handed his people over to the sword, and he was angry with his heritage.
Simplified
He handed over his people to be slaughtered by the sword; he was furious with his chosen people.
He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.
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 in the main elements of the verse, with all five words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the text's meaning across these traditions.
וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר לַחֶ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְנַחֲלָת֗וֹ הִתְעַבָּֽר׃
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 78:62
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.
סָגַר (sagar) means to shut or close, with various applications including shutting doors, closing up breaches, and imprisoning. It can also imply delivering someone up or surrendering. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal (to shut), Niphal (to be shut up), and Piel (to deliver up). The term is associated with the concept of being tightly sealed or enclosed.
סָגַר vb. shut, close
Qal
shut door
close in upon
close up breach
Pt. pass., closed up = closely joined with tight seal
elsewhwere only Pt. pass. (gold shut up, and so prized, rare, fine?)
Niph.
subj. pers. be shut up
be shut, closed, of city gates
Pi. deliver up to (leave no other opening for one, shut one up to)
Pu.
of cities
of prisoners
of doors
Hiph.
deliver up to
shut up
base
H5462 סָגַר shut, close .. shut door
. . close in upon
. close up breach
. Pt. pass., closed up = closely joined with tight seal
. elsewhwere only Pt. pass. (gold shut up, and so prized, rare, fine?)
. . subj. pers. be shut up
. be shut, closed, of city gates
. deliver up to (leave no other opening for one, shut one up to)
. . of cities
. of prisoners
. of doors
. . deliver up to
. shut up
5462 cagar saw-gar'
a primitive root; to shut up; figuratively, to
surrender:--close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose,
X pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, X
straitly.
סָגַר (sa.gar) — to shut.
1) to shut, close
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to shut
1a2) to close, close up
1a3) closed up, closely joined, shut up
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be shut up
1b2) to be shut or closed
1c) (Piel) to shut up, deliver up
1d) (Pual) to be shut up
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to deliver up
1e2) to shut up, imprison
2) pure gold
Aramaic equivalent: se.gar (סְגַר "to shut" H5463)
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
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
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
נַחֲלָה (nachalah) refers to concepts of possession and inheritance, encompassing property, shares, and heritage. It is derived from a root meaning to inherit and is used in the context of estates and heirlooms. The entries consistently highlight its relation to ownership and inheritance without significant disagreement among lexicons.
נַחֲלָה 224 n.f. possession, property, inheritance
property
portion, share
inheritance
base
H5159 נַחֲלָה possession, property, inheritance . property
. portion, share
. inheritance
5159 nachalah nakh-al-aw'
from 5157 (in its usual sense); properly, something
inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an
heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or
portion:--heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession.
Compare 5158.
see HEBREW for 05157
see HEBREW for 05158
נַחֲלָה (na.cha.lah) — inheritance.
1) possession, property, inheritance, heritage
1a) property
1b) portion, share
1c) inheritance, portion
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.
עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on
Qal
pass over
Pass beyond
Pass through, traverse
pass along by
pass by
sweep by, of scourge
be past, over, of time
pass along (from hand to hand)
Pass on, go on
Pass away
Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
Pi.
his bull impregnateth
cause one to cross river
cause something to pass over
make over to
devote children to (לְ) heathen god
pass along (from hand to hand)
cause to pass through
let pass through
cause to pass by
let pass by
cause arrow to pass beyond
cause to pass under rod, for counting
cause to pass away, take away
Hiph.
cause to pass over, bring over
he made to pass across with chains of gold
base
[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
base
H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over
. Pass beyond
. Pass through, traverse
. . pass along by
. pass by
. sweep by, of scourge
. be past, over, of time
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. Pass on, go on
. Pass away
. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river
. cause something to pass over
. make over to
. devote children to (לְ) heathen god
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. . cause to pass through
. let pass through
. . cause to pass by
. let pass by
. cause arrow to pass beyond
. cause to pass under rod, for counting
. cause to pass away, take away
. . cause to pass over, bring over
. he made to pass across with chains of gold
H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
5674 `abar aw-bar'
a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any
transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,
intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,
through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),
convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,
gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,
in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,
overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)
pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,
through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,
provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,
send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X
speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)
transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be
wrath.
עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.
1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over
1a2) to pass beyond
1a3) to pass through, traverse
1a3a) passers-through (participle)
1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)
1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by
1a4a) passer-by (participle)
1a4b) to be past, be over
1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance
1a6) to pass away
1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)
1a6b) to vanish
1a6c) to perish, cease to exist
1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)
1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands
1b) (Niphal) to be crossed
1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross
1d) (Hiphil)
V-Hithpael-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hithpael · perfect third person masculine singularHVtp3ms