Psalms 14:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, That did seek after God.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֢יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָדָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

Transliteration

YHWH from šāmayim hišqîp upon bənê-ʾādām to lirʾôt if there is any maśkîl, dōrēš ʾet-ʾĕlōhîm.

Grammar Details

• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *šāmayim*: masculine plural noun - heavens
• *hišqîp*: hiphil perfect 3rd masculine singular - looked down/observed
• *bənê-ʾādām*: construct noun + noun - sons of man/humanity/mankind
• *lirʾôt*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - to see/observe
• *maśkîl*: hiphil participle masculine singular - one who understands/is wise
• *dōrēš*: qal participle masculine singular - one who seeks
• *ʾet-ʾĕlōhîm*: direct object marker + masculine plural noun - God/gods

Word Meanings

• *hišqîp*: looked down/bent down to look/observed from above
• *maśkîl*: one who has insight/acts wisely/understands
• *dōrēš*: seeker/one who inquires after/searches for

Referenced Verses

• Ps 33:13-14 : 13 Jehovah looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men; 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
• Gen 6:12 : 12 And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
• 2 Chr 19:3 : 3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast put away the Asheroth out of the land, and hast set thy heart to seek God.
• Rom 3:11 : 11 There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
• Heb 11:6 : 6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
• Dan 12:10 : 10 Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.
• Matt 13:15 : 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
• Prov 9:4 : 4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
• Prov 9:16 : 16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
• Isa 8:19 : 19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living [should they seek] unto the dead?
• Isa 27:11 : 11 When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off; the women shall come, and set them on fire; for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have compassion upon them, and he that formed them will show them no favor.
• Isa 55:6 : 6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:
• Isa 63:15 : 15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where are thy zeal and thy mighty acts? the yearning of thy heart and thy compassions are restrained toward me.
• Isa 64:1 : 1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,
• Jer 4:22 : 22 For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• Lam 3:50 : 50 Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven.
• Ps 69:32 : 32 The meek have seen it, and are glad: Ye that seek after God, let your heart live.
• Ps 82:5 : 5 They know not, neither do they understand; They walk to and fro in darkness: All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
• Ps 92:6 : 6 A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this:
• Ps 102:19-20 : 19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth; 20 To hear the sighing of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death;
• Ps 107:43 : 43 Whoso is wise will give heed to these things; And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah.
• Prov 2:9 : 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, [yea], every good path.
• Prov 8:5 : 5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
• 2 Chr 30:19 : 19 that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.
• Gen 11:5 : 5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
• Gen 18:21 : 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.