Psalms 11:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים יִדְרְכ֬וּן קֶ֗שֶׁת כּוֹנְנ֣וּ חִצָּ֣ם עַל־יֶ֑תֶר לִיר֥וֹת בְּמוֹ־אֹ֝֗פֶל לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃

Transliteration

For hinnēh the-rəšāʿîm yidərəḵûn qešeṯ, they-kônənû ḥiṣṣām upon-yeṯer to-yərôṯ in-the-ʾōpel at-yišrê-lēḇ.

Grammar Details

*hinnēh*: demonstrative particle - behold/look
*rəšāʿîm*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the wicked ones
*yidərəḵûn*: qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural (paragogic nun) - they bend/draw
*qešeṯ*: noun, feminine singular - bow
*kônənû*: polel perfect, 3rd person common plural - they have fixed/prepared
*ḥiṣṣām*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their arrow
*yeṯer*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - upon string/cord
*yərôṯ*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - to shoot
*ʾōpel*: preposition + particle + noun, masculine singular - in darkness
*yišrê*: preposition + adjective, masculine plural construct - at upright of
*lēḇ*: noun, masculine singular - heart

Word Meanings

*rəšāʿîm*: wicked ones/evil-doers/unrighteous
*yidərəḵûn*: they bend/draw/tread/prepare
*kônənû*: they fixed/prepared/made ready
*ḥiṣṣām*: their arrow
*yeṯer*: string/cord/bowstring
*ʾōpel*: darkness/gloom/obscurity
*yišrê-lēḇ*: upright of heart/straight-hearted ones

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 7:10 : 10 My shield is with God, Who saveth the upright in heart.
Ps 21:12 : 12 For thou wilt make them turn their back; Thou wilt make ready with thy bowstrings against their face.
Ps 37:14 : 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
Jer 9:3 : 3 And they bend their tongue, [as it were] their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
Matt 26:4 : 4 and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.
Acts 23:12-15 : 12 And when it was day, {G5100} the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy. 14 And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.
Ps 64:3-5 : 3 Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words, 4 That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5 They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?
Ps 64:10 : 10 The righteous shall be glad in Jehovah, and shall take refuge in him; And all the upright in heart shall glory.
Ps 94:15 : 15 For judgment shall return unto righteousness; And all the upright in heart shall follow it.
Ps 97:11 : 11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.
Ps 125:4 : 4 Do good, O Jehovah, unto those that are good, And to them that are upright in their hearts.
Ps 142:3 : 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me.
Ps 32:11 : 11 Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, ye righteous; And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
1 Sam 18:21 : 21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time.
1 Sam 23:9 : 9 And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
Ps 7:12 : 12 If a man turn not, he will whet his sword; He hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
Ps 10:2 : 2 In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; Let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.
Ps 10:8-9 : 8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; In the secret places doth he murder the innocent; His eyes are privily set against the helpless. 9 He lurketh in secret as a lion in his covert; He lieth in wait to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 37:14-15
2 verses
84%
14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
Ps 64:2-7
6 verses
82%
2Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, From the tumult of the workers of iniquity;
3Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
4That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
5They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?
6They search out iniquities; We have accomplished, [say they], a diligent search: And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.
7But God will shoot at them; With an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded.
Ps 21:11-12
2 verses
78%
11For they intended evil against thee; They conceived a device which they are not able to perform.
12For thou wilt make them turn their back; Thou wilt make ready with thy bowstrings against their face.
Lam 3:12-13
2 verses
78%
12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Ps 7:12-13
2 verses
77%
12If a man turn not, he will whet his sword; He hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; He maketh his arrows fiery [shafts].
Ps 37:32
77%
32The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him.
Ps 140:2
76%
2Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war.
Ps 10:8-9
2 verses
75%
8He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; In the secret places doth he murder the innocent; His eyes are privily set against the helpless.
9He lurketh in secret as a lion in his covert; He lieth in wait to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.
Jer 9:8
75%
8Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.
Prov 1:17-18
2 verses
74%
17For in vain is the net spread In the sight of any bird:
18And these lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives.
Ps 11:3
74%
3If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?
Ps 17:11
74%
11They have now compassed us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast [us] down to the earth.
Jer 9:3
74%
3And they bend their tongue, [as it were] their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
Prov 1:11
74%
11If they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
Ps 59:3
74%
3For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
Ps 10:2
74%
2In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; Let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.
Ps 140:5
74%
5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. {H5542}
Ps 58:7
73%
7Let them melt away as water that runneth apace: When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.
Ps 56:6
73%
6They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, They mark my steps, Even as they have waited for my soul.
Jer 5:26
73%
26For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
Ps 57:6
73%
6They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down: They have digged a pit before me; They are fallen into the midst thereof themselves. {H5542}
Ps 37:12
73%
12The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Prov 24:15
73%
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
Prov 14:19
72%
19The evil bow down before the good; And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
Prov 24:2
72%
2For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
Ps 45:5
72%
5Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; [They are] in the heart of the king's enemies.
Ps 35:7
72%
7For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit; Without cause have they digged [a pit] for my soul.
Rom 11:10
72%
10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.
Ps 11:1
72%
1For the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David. In Jehovah do I take refuge: How say ye to my soul, Flee [as] a bird to your mountain;
Mic 2:1
72%
1Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Ps 28:3
72%
3Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts.
Ps 62:3
72%
3How long will ye set upon a man, That ye may slay [him], all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
Jer 18:22
72%
22Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Ps 94:21
72%
21They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn the innocent blood.
Hos 7:6
72%
6For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
Mic 7:3
72%
3Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge [is ready] for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.
Lam 2:4
72%
4He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, And hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his wrath like fire.
Prov 2:14
72%
14Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil;
Ps 141:9
72%
9Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.