Psalms 96:5

Bible in Basic English (1941)

For all the gods of the nations are false gods; but the Lord made the heavens.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י ׀ כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃

Transliteration

kî all-ʾĕlōhê hāʿammîm ʾĕlîlîm waYHWH šāmayim ʿāśāh

Grammar Details

• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *ʾĕlōhê*: noun, masculine plural construct - gods of
• *hāʿammîm*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - the peoples
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: noun, masculine plural - idols/worthless things
• *waYHWH*: conjunction + divine name - and YHWH
• *šāmayim*: noun, masculine plural - heavens/sky
• *ʿāśāh*: verb, perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - made/did

Word Meanings

• *ʾĕlōhê*: gods of/deities of
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: idols/worthless things/nothings
• *šāmayim*: heavens/sky/firmament
• *ʿāśāh*: made/created/fashioned/did

Referenced Verses

• Ps 115:15 : 15 May you have the blessing of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
• Isa 42:5 : 5 God the Lord, even he who made the heavens, measuring them out on high; stretching out the earth, and giving its produce; he who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who go about on it, says:
• Jer 10:11-12 : 11 This is what you are to say to them: The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth will be cut off from the earth and from under the heavens. 12 He has made the earth by his power, he has made the world strong in its place by his wisdom, and by his wise design the heavens have been stretched out.
• Jer 10:14-15 : 14 Then every man becomes like a beast without knowledge; every gold-worker is put to shame by the image he has made: for his metal image is deceit, and there is no breath in them. 15 They are nothing, a work of error: in the time of their punishment, destruction will overtake them.
• Acts 19:26 : 26 And you see, for it has come to your ears, that not only at Ephesus, but almost all through Asia, this Paul has been teaching numbers of people and turning them away, saying that those are not gods who are made by men's hands:
• 1 Cor 8:4 : 4 So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.
• Isa 44:8-9 : 8 Have no fear, be strong in heart; have I not made it clear to you in the past, and let you see it? and you are my witnesses. Is there any God but me, or a Rock of whom I have no knowledge? 9 Those who make a pictured image are all of them as nothing, and the things of their desire will be of no profit to them: and their servants see not, and have no knowledge; so they will be put to shame. 10 Whoever makes a god, makes nothing but a metal image in which there is no profit. 11 Truly, all those who make use of secret arts will be put to shame, and their words of power are only words of men: let them all come forward together; they will all be in fear and be put to shame. 12 The iron-worker is heating the metal in the fire, giving it form with his hammers, and working on it with his strong arm: then for need of food his strength gives way, and for need of water he becomes feeble. 13 The woodworker is measuring out the wood with his line, marking it out with his pencil: after smoothing it with his plane, and making circles on it with his instrument, he gives it the form and glory of a man, so that it may be placed in the house. 14 He has cedars cut down for himself, he takes an oak and lets it get strong among the trees of the wood; he has an ash-tree planted, and the rain gives it growth. 15 Then it will be used to make a fire, so that a man may get warm; he has the oven heated with it and makes bread: he makes a god with it, to which he gives worship: he makes a pictured image out of it, and goes down on his face before it. 16 With part of it he makes a fire, and on the fire he gets meat cooked and takes a full meal: he makes himself warm, and says, Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire: 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, even his pictured image: he goes down on his face before it, giving worship to it, and making prayer to it, saying, Be my saviour; for you are my god. 18 They have no knowledge or wisdom; for he has put a veil over their eyes, so that they may not see; and on their hearts, so that they may not give attention. 19 And no one takes note, no one has enough knowledge or wisdom to say, I have put part of it in the fire, and made bread on it; I have had a meal of the flesh cooked with it: and am I now to make the rest of it into a false god? am I to go down on my face before a bit of wood? 20 As for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false. 21 Keep these things in mind, O Jacob; and you Israel, for you are my servant: I have made you; you are my servant; O Israel, I will not let you go out of my memory. 22 I have put your evil doings out of my mind like a thick cloud, and your sins like a mist: come back to me; for I have taken up your cause. 23 Make a song, O heavens, for the Lord has done it: give a loud cry, you deep parts of the earth: let your voices be loud in song, you mountains, and you woods with all your trees: for the Lord has taken up the cause of Jacob, and will let his glory be seen in Israel. 24 The Lord, who has taken up your cause, and who gave you life in your mother's body, says, I am the Lord who makes all things; stretching out the heavens by myself, and giving the earth its limits; who was with me? 25 Who makes the signs of those who give word of the future come to nothing, so that those who have knowledge of secret arts go off their heads; turning the wise men back, and making their knowledge foolish: 26 Who makes the word of his servants certain, and gives effect to the purposes of his representatives; who says of Jerusalem, Her people will come back to her; and of the towns of Judah, I will give orders for their building, and will make her waste places fertile again: 27 Who says to the deep, Be dry, and I will make your rivers dry: 28 Who says of Cyrus, He will take care of my sheep, and will do all my pleasure: who says of Jerusalem, I will give the word for your building; and of the Temple, Your bases will be put in place.
• Isa 46:1-2 : 1 Bel is bent down, Nebo is falling; their images are on the beasts and on the cattle: the things which you took about have become a weight to the tired beast. 2 They are bent down, they are falling together: they were not able to keep their images safe, but they themselves have been taken prisoner.
• Jer 10:3-5 : 3 For that which is feared by the people is foolish: it is the work of the hands of the workman; for a tree is cut down by him out of the woods with his axe. 4 They make it beautiful with silver and gold; they make it strong with nails and hammers, so that it may not be moved. 5 It is like a pillar in a garden of plants, and has no voice: it has to be lifted, for it has no power of walking. Have no fear of it; for it has no power of doing evil and it is not able to do any good.
• Ps 135:15 : 15 The images of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
• Ps 135:18 : 18 Those who make them are like them; and so is everyone who puts his hope in them.
• Gen 1:1 : 1 At the first God made the heaven and the earth.
• Ps 115:3-8 : 3 But our God is in heaven: he has done whatever was pleasing to him. 4 Their images are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5 They have mouths, but no voice; they have eyes, but they see not; 6 They have ears, but no hearing; they have noses, but no sense of smell; 7 They have hands without feeling, and feet without power of walking; and no sound comes from their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them; and so is everyone who puts his faith in them.