Psalms 78:51

KJV1611 – Modern English

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

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

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

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
• Ps 135:8 : 8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.
• Ps 136:10 : 10 To him who struck Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endures forever:
• Ps 105:36 : 36 He struck also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
• Ps 106:22 : 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.
• Gen 49:3 : 3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.
• Exod 12:12 : 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
• Exod 12:29-30 : 29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
• Exod 13:15 : 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
• Ps 105:27 : 27 They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
• Gen 9:22-25 : 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, went backward, and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 So Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers.
• Gen 10:6 : 6 And the sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan.
• Heb 11:28 : 28 Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.