Psalms

Psalm 109:8–15

⁸May his days be few;

may another take his position.^a

⁹May his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow.

¹⁰May his children wander as beggars,

seeking sustenance^b far from their ruined homes.

¹¹May the creditor seize all he owns,

and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

¹²May there be no one to extend kindness to him,

and no one to favor his fatherless children.

¹³May his descendants be cut off;

may their name be blotted out from the next generation.

¹⁴May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,

and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

¹⁵May their sins always remain before the LORD,

that He may cut off their memory from the earth.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May his days	יָמָ֥יו	yā·māw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H3117 day
be	יִֽהְיֽוּ־	yih·yū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
few	מְעַטִּ֑ים	mə·‘aṭ·ṭîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H4592 a little, fewness, a few
may another	אַחֵֽר׃	’a·ḥêr	Adjective - masculine singular	H312 another
take	יִקַּ֥ח	yiq·qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his position	פְּ֝קֻדָּת֗וֹ	pə·qud·dā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6486 oversight, mustering, visitation, store

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May his children	בָנָ֥יו	ḇā·nāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
be	יִֽהְיוּ־	yih·yū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
fatherless	יְתוֹמִ֑ים	yə·ṯō·w·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3490 orphan
and his wife	וְ֝אִשְׁתּוֹ	wə·’iš·tōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
a widow	אַלְמָנָֽה׃	’al·mā·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H490 widow

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May his children	בָנָ֣יו	ḇā·nāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
wander	וְנ֤וֹעַ	wə·nō·w·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H5128 quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
as beggars	וְשִׁאֵ֑לוּ	wə·ši·’ê·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H7592 ask, inquire
seeking sustenance	וְ֝דָרְשׁ֗וּ	wə·ḏā·rə·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H1875 resort to, seek
far from their ruined homes	מֵחָרְבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃	mê·ḥā·rə·ḇō·w·ṯê·hem	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H2723 waste, desolation, ruin

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May the creditor	נ֭וֹשֶׁה	nō·wō·šeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5383 lend, borrow
seize	יְנַקֵּ֣שׁ	yə·naq·qêš	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5367 knock, strike
all	לְכָל־	lə·ḵāl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
he owns	ל֑וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
and strangers	זָרִ֣ים	zā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2114 be a stranger
plunder	וְיָבֹ֖זּוּ	wə·yā·ḇōz·zū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H962 spoil, plunder
the fruits of his labor	יְגִיעֽוֹ׃	yə·ḡî·‘ōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3018 toil, product

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May there be	יְהִ֥י	yə·hî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
no one	וְֽאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
to extend	מֹשֵׁ֣ךְ	mō·šêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4900 draw, drag
kindness	חָ֑סֶד	ḥā·seḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
to him	ל֭וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
no one	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
to favor	ח֝וֹנֵ֗ן	ḥō·w·nên	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
his fatherless children	לִיתוֹמָֽיו׃	lî·ṯō·w·māw	Preposition; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H3490 orphan

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May his descendants	אַחֲרִית֥וֹ	’a·ḥă·rî·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H319 after-part, end
be	יְהִֽי־	yə·hî-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
cut off	לְהַכְרִ֑ית	lə·haḵ·rîṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H3772 cut off, cut down
may their name	שְׁמָֽם׃	šə·mām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H8034 name
be blotted out	יִמַּ֥ח	yim·maḥ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H4229 wipe, wipe out
from the next	אַ֝חֵ֗ר	’a·ḥêr	Adjective - masculine singular	H312 another
generation	בְּד֥וֹר	bə·ḏō·wr	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H1755 period, generation, dwelling

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May the iniquity	עֲוֺ֣ן	‘ă·wōn	Noun - common singular construct	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
of his fathers	אֲ֭בֹתָיו	’ă·ḇō·ṯāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1 father
be remembered	יִזָּכֵ֤ר׀	yiz·zā·ḵêr	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2142 remember
before	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and the sin	וְחַטַּ֥את	wə·ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of his mother	אִ֝מּ֗וֹ	’im·mōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H517 mother
never	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be blotted out	תִּמָּֽח׃	tim·māḥ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H4229 wipe, wipe out

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May	תָּמִ֑יד	tā·mîḏ	Adverb	H8548 continuity
remain	יִהְי֣וּ	yih·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
before	נֶֽגֶד־	ne·ḡeḏ-	Preposition	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
that He may cut off	וְיַכְרֵ֖ת	wə·yaḵ·rêṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H3772 cut off, cut down
their memory	זִכְרָֽם׃	ziḵ·rām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2143 remembrance, memorial
from the earth	מֵאֶ֣רֶץ	mê·’e·reṣ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land