Psalms 109:10

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek [their bread] also out of their desolate places.

Complete Jewish Bible:

May his children be wandering beggars, foraging for food from their ruined homes.

Berean Standard Bible:

May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.

American Standard Version:

Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Let his children^{H1121} be continually^{H5128} vagabonds^{H5128}, and beg^{H7592}: let them seek^{H1875} their bread also out of their desolate places^{H2723}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Psalms 109:10

109:10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

Psalm 109 is an imprecatory psalm, which means it is a prayer for God's judgment and punishment on the psalmist's enemies. In the context of the ancient Near East, such prayers were a way of seeking justice in a world where legal systems were often inadequate or unjust. The specific verse, Psalm 109:10, vividly portrays the severity of the curses invoked upon the enemies of the psalmist. It wishes that the children of these foes would become wanderers and beggars, forced to scrounge for bread in desolate places—essentially, a life of destitution and misery.

The historical context of this verse reflects the harsh realities of life in ancient times, where social welfare was virtually non-existent and the well-being of one's family was closely tied to one's honor and social standing. To be reduced to begging and wandering was to experience a profound social dislocation and personal tragedy. The psalmist's words are a plea for divine retribution that mirrors the severity of the perceived injustices committed by his adversaries.

The themes of Psalm 109:10 include the desire for justice, the gravity of punishment, and the intergenerational consequences of wrongdoing. It speaks to the depth of animosity felt by the psalmist and the intensity of the plea for God to redress wrongs. It also reflects the belief that children could suffer for the sins of their parents, a concept that was more prevalent in the ancient world than it is today. In the broader scope of the Psalms, this verse is part of the spiritual struggle depicted between righteousness and wickedness, and the trust in God as the ultimate judge and vindicator.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5128
   There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נוּעַ
   Transliteration: nûwaʻ
   Pronunciation: noo'-ah
   Description: a primitive root; to waver, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (as subjoined); continually, fugitive, [idiom] make, to (go) up and down, be gone away, (be) move(-able, -d), be promoted, reel, remove, scatter, set, shake, sift, stagger, to and fro, be vagabond, wag, (make) wander (up and down).
   
3. Strong's Number: H7592
   There are 157 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁאַל
   Transliteration: shâʼal
   Pronunciation: shaw-al'
   Description: or שָׁאֵל; a primitive root; to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand; ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1875
   There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּרַשׁ
   Transliteration: dârash
   Pronunciation: daw-rash'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship; ask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.
   
5. Strong's Number: H2723
   There are 42 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חׇרְבָּה
   Transliteration: chorbâh
   Pronunciation: khor-baw'
   Description: feminine of חֹרֶב; properly, drought, i.e. (by implication) a desolation; decayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place).