Psalms 37:14

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent{H8804)} their bow, to cast down{H8687)} the poor and needy, and to slay{H8800)} such as be of upright conversation.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

חֶ֤רֶב ׀ פָּֽתְח֣וּ רְשָׁעִים֮ וְדָרְכ֢וּ קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥ם לְ֭הַפִּיל עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן לִ֝טְב֗וֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי־דָֽרֶךְ׃

Transliteration

Ḥereb pātəḥû rəšāʿîm and they have bent their qaštām to cause to fall ʿānî wəʾebyôn, to liṭbôaḥ yišrê-dārek.

Grammar Details

• *ḥereb*: feminine singular noun - sword
• *pātəḥû*: Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural - they have drawn
• *rəšāʿîm*: masculine plural adjective/noun - wicked ones
• *wədārəkû*: conjunction + Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural - and they have bent/drawn
• *qaštām*: feminine singular noun + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their bow
• *ləhappîl*: preposition + Hiphil infinitive construct - to cause to fall/to bring down
• *ʿānî*: masculine singular adjective/noun - poor/afflicted
• *wəʾebyôn*: conjunction + masculine singular adjective/noun - and needy
• *liṭbôaḥ*: preposition + Qal infinitive construct - to slaughter/kill
• *yišrê*: masculine plural construct adjective - upright ones of
• *dārek*: masculine singular noun - way/path

Word Meanings

• *pātəḥû ḥereb*: have drawn the sword/have unsheathed the sword
• *dārəkû qaštām*: have bent their bow/have strung their bow
• *ʿānî wəʾebyôn*: poor and needy/afflicted and destitute
• *liṭbôaḥ yišrê-dārek*: to slaughter the upright of way/to kill those who are upright in conduct

Referenced Verses

• Ps 11:2 : 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
• Prov 29:27 : 27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.
• Hab 1:13 : 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
• Matt 23:30-34 : 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
• Acts 7:52 : 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
• Acts 12:2-3 : 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.(Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
• Acts 12:11 : 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
• Ps 35:10 : 10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest{H8688)} the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth{H8802)} him?
• Ps 64:2-6 : 2 Hide{H8686)} me from the secret counsel of the wicked{H8688)}; from the insurrection of the workers{H8802)} of iniquity: 3 Who whet{H8804)} their tongue like a sword, and bend{H8804)} their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: 4 That they may shoot{H8800)} in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot{H8686)} at him, and fear{H8799)} not. 5 They encourage{H8762)} themselves in an evil matter: they commune{H8762)} of laying snares privily{H8800)}; they say{H8804)}, Who shall see{H8799)} them? 6 They search out{H8799)} iniquities; they accomplish{H8804)} a diligent{H8794)} search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
• Prov 29:10 : 10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
• 1 Sam 24:11 : 11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
• 1 Sam 24:17 : 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
• 1 John 3:12 : 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
• Acts 12:23 : 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.