Psalms 118:12

American Standard Version (1901)

They compassed me about like bees; They are quenched as the fire of thorns: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם

Transliteration

Sabbûnî like-dəbôrîm dōʿăkû like-ʾēš qôṣîm in-name-of YHWH because ʾămîlam

Grammar Details

• *Sabbûnî*: perfect, 3rd person plural with 1st person suffix - they surrounded me
• *dəbôrîm*: noun, feminine plural with prefix kaf - like bees
• *dōʿăkû*: perfect, 3rd person plural - they were extinguished
• *ʾēš*: noun, feminine singular with prefix kaf - like fire
• *qôṣîm*: noun, masculine plural - thorns
• *YHWH*: divine name with prefix bet-shem - in name of Yahweh
• *ʾămîlam*: imperfect, 1st person singular with 3rd person plural suffix - I will cut them off

Word Meanings

• *Sabbûnî*: they surrounded me/they encircled me
• *dəbôrîm*: bees/swarm of bees
• *dōʿăkû*: they were extinguished/they were quenched/they died out
• *qôṣîm*: thorns/thornbushes/briars
• *ʾămîlam*: I will cut them off/I will destroy them/I will circumcise them/I will ward them off

Referenced Verses

• Deut 1:44 : 44 And the Amorites, that dwelt in that hill-country, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, even unto Hormah.
• 1 Sam 17:45 : 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
• Ps 20:5 : 5 We will triumph in thy salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners: Jehovah fulfil all thy petitions.
• Ps 58:9 : 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, He will take them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.
• Isa 27:4 : 4 Wrath is not in me: would that the briers and thorns were against me in battle! I would march upon them, I would burn them together.
• Nah 1:10 : 10 For entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly as dry stubble.
• Ps 83:14-15 : 14 As the fire that burneth the forest, And as the flame that setteth the mountains on fire, 15 So pursue them with thy tempest, And terrify them with thy storm.
• Eccl 7:6 : 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
• 2 Sam 23:6 : 6 But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with the hand;
• 1 Chr 14:10-11 : 10 And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thy hand. 11 So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and David said, God hath broken mine enemies by my hand, like the breach of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place [ Baal-perazim.
• 1 Chr 14:14-16 : 14 And David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Thou shalt not go up after them: turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God is gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. 16 And David did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.
• 2 Chr 14:11-12 : 11 And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 12 So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
• 2 Chr 16:7-9 : 7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on Jehovah thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because thou didst rely on Jehovah, he delivered them into thy hand. 9 For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
• 2 Chr 20:17-22 : 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this [battle] : set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them: for Jehovah is with you. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshipping Jehovah. 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice. 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
• 2 Chr 22:7-8 : 7 Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it came to pass, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them.
• Ps 8:9 : 9 O Jehovah, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
• Ps 20:1 : 1 [For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David]. Jehovah answer thee in the day of trouble; The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;