Psalms 78:51

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיַּ֣ךְ כָּל־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רֵאשִׁ֥ית א֝וֹנִ֗ים בְּאָהֳלֵי־חָֽם׃

Transliteration

wə-yak all-bəkōr in-miṣrayim rēʾšît ʾônîm in-ʾohŏlê-ḥām

Grammar Details

• *wə-yak*: Hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular with waw consecutive - and he smote/struck
• *bəkōr*: masculine singular noun - firstborn
• *miṣrayim*: proper name - Egypt
• *rēʾšît*: feminine singular construct - beginning/first of
• *ʾônîm*: masculine plural noun - strength/vigor/manly vigor
• *ʾohŏlê*: masculine plural construct - tents of
• *ḥām*: proper name - Ham

Word Meanings

• *wə-yak*: smote/struck/hit
• *bəkōr*: firstborn
• *rēʾšît*: beginning/first/firstfruits
• *ʾônîm*: strength/vigor/manly vigor/reproductive power
• *ʾohŏlê*: tents/dwelling places
• *ḥām*: Ham (progenitor of Egypt)

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And struck all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the dwellings of Ham:

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And smote all the first-born in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And smote{H8686)} all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  When he made a waye to his fearfull indignacio, and spared not their soules from death, yee and gaue their catell ouer to the pestilence.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And smote al the firstborne in Egypt, euen the beginning of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he smote all the first borne of Egypt: the first fruites of concupiscence in the pauilions of Cham.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  And struck all the firstborn in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And smote all the first-born in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And smote all the first-born in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;

• World English Bible (2000)

  and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 105:23 : 23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
• Ps 135:8 : 8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both human and animal.
• Ps 136:10 : 10 To Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for His steadfast love endures forever.
• Ps 105:36 : 36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength.
• Ps 106:22 : 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds at the Red Sea.
• Gen 49:3 : 3 'Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the first of my vigor, excelling in dignity and excelling in power.'
• Exod 12:12 : 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
• Exod 12:29-30 : 29 At midnight, the LORD struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock. 30 Pharaoh got up during the night, along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was no house without someone dead.
• Exod 13:15 : 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both human and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD every male that first opens the womb and redeem every firstborn of my sons.'
• Ps 105:27 : 27 They performed his signs among them and his wonders in the land of Ham.
• Gen 9:22-25 : 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it across their shoulders, and walked backward to cover their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so they would not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, 'Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.'
• Gen 10:6 : 6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.
• Heb 11:28 : 28 By faith he observed the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.