Psalms 37:20

KJV1611 – Modern English

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke they shall vanish away.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ יֹאבֵ֗דוּ וְאֹיְבֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה כִּיקַ֣ר כָּרִ֑ים כָּל֖וּ בֶעָשָׁ֣ן כָּֽלוּ׃

Transliteration

For rəšāʿîm will yōʾbēdû, and ʾōyəbê YHWH [are] like yəqar kārîm; they kālû in ʿāšān, they kālû.

Grammar Details

• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *rəšāʿîm*: masculine plural adjective/noun - wicked ones
• *yōʾbēdû*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they will perish
• *ʾōyəbê*: Qal participle, masculine plural construct - enemies of
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *kîqar*: preposition + masculine singular construct - like the precious part of
• *kārîm*: masculine plural noun - pastures/meadows/fat lambs
• *kālû*: Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural - they are consumed/vanish
• *beʿāšān*: preposition + masculine singular noun - in smoke

Word Meanings

• *yōʾbēdû*: will perish/will be destroyed/will vanish
• *ʾōyəbê*: enemies of/adversaries of
• *kîqar kārîm*: like the precious part of pastures/like the glory of meadows/like fat of lambs
• *kālû*: are consumed/vanish/come to an end
• *beʿāšān*: in smoke/as smoke

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  For the wicked will perish, and the enemies of the LORD will vanish like the splendor of the meadows; they will disappear like smoke.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But the wicked{H7563} shall perish,{H6} And the enemies{H341} of Jehovah{H3068} shall be as the fat{H3368} of lambs:{H3733} They shall consume;{H3615} in smoke{H6227} shall they consume away.{H3615}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But the wicked{H7563} shall perish{H6}{(H8799)}, and the enemies{H341}{H8802)} of the LORD{H3068} shall be as the fat{H3368} of lambs{H3733}: they shall consume{H3615}{H8804)}; into smoke{H6227} shall they consume away{H3615}{H8804)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  As for ye vngodly, they shall perishe: & whe ye enemies of ye LORDE are in their floures, they shal cosume, yee euen as the smoke shal they cosume awaye.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fatte of lambes: euen with the smoke shall they consume away.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  As for the vngodly they shall perishe, and the enemies of God shall consume as the fat of lambes: yea, euen with the smoke they shall vanishe away.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD [shall be] as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish-- Vanish like smoke.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  But the wicked perish, and the enemies of Jehovah, As the preciousness of lambs, Have been consumed, In smoke they have been consumed.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; In smoke shall they consume away.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But the wrongdoers will come to destruction, and the haters of the Lord will be like the fat of lambs, they will be burned up; they will go up in smoke, and never again be seen.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish-- vanish like smoke.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But evil men will die; the LORD’s enemies will be incinerated– they will go up in smoke.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 102:3 : 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned like a hearth.
• Ps 68:2 : 2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
• Ps 92:9 : 9 For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
• Deut 33:14-16 : 14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, 15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, 16 And for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brothers.
• Judg 5:31 : 31 So let all your enemies perish, O LORD; but let those who love Him be as the sun when it comes out in its strength. And the land had rest for forty years.
• Luke 13:3 : 3 I tell you, No: but unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.
• Luke 13:5 : 5 I tell you, No: but unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.
• Heb 12:29 : 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
• 2 Pet 2:12 : 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption;
• Gen 19:28 : 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
• Lev 3:3-9 : 3 From the sacrifice of the peace offering, he shall offer a fire offering to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 And the two kidneys, and the fat on them, which is on the flanks, and the lobe above the liver, with the kidneys, he shall remove. 5 Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire: it is a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 6 If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, he shall present it before the LORD. 8 He shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tent of meeting. Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood around the altar. 9 From the sacrifice of the peace offering, he shall offer a fire offering to the LORD: the fat thereof, the whole tail cut close by the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10 And the two kidneys, and the fat on them, which is by the flanks, and the lobe above the liver, with the kidneys, he shall remove. 11 The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the fire offering to the LORD.
• Lev 3:16 : 16 The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the fire offering for a pleasing aroma: all the fat is the LORD's.
• Deut 29:20 : 20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.