King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
Complete Jewish Bible:
and never fills the reaper's hands or the arms of the one who binds sheaves,
Berean Standard Bible:
unable to fill the hands of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves.
American Standard Version:
Wherewith the reaper filleth not his hand, Nor he that bindeth sheaves, his bosom:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Wherewith the mower{H7114} filleth{H4390} not his hand{H3709}; nor he that bindeth sheaves{H6014} his bosom{H2683}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Galatians 6:8
- For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Isaiah 17:10
- Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:
Isaiah 17:11
- In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: [but] the harvest [shall be] a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
Psalms 126:6
- He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].
Hosea 8:7
- For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
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Commentary for Psalms 129:7
Psalm 129:7 is part of a community lament psalm, which reflects on the suffering and oppression that the people of Israel have endured at the hands of their enemies. This particular verse is a metaphorical expression within the broader context of the psalm, which speaks to the experiences of the Israelites during the Babylonian exile and their longing for restoration.
The verse, "Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom," uses agricultural imagery to convey the idea of unfulfilled labor and the lack of fruitfulness. The mower, who would typically gather a handful of cut grain as he worked, and the reaper, who would bind sheaves to carry home, are depicted as unable to do so. This suggests a time of hardship and unproductive toil, symbolizing the Israelites' experiences of futility and desolation under foreign rule.
Historically, this verse can be understood as a poetic reflection on the harsh realities faced by the exiled Jews. Their efforts to establish themselves in a foreign land and to maintain their cultural and religious identity were often met with adversity. The imagery of the psalm emphasizes the Israelites' feelings of desolation and their hope for divine intervention to break the cycle of oppression and to restore their fortunes.
In summary, Psalm 129:7 uses vivid agricultural metaphors to express the themes of suffering, injustice, and the yearning for deliverance and prosperity. It speaks to the historical context of the Babylonian exile, encapsulating the emotional and physical toll of displacement and the enduring hope for God's salvation and the restoration of Israel.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7114
There are 46 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָצַר
Transliteration: qâtsar
Pronunciation: kaw-tsar'
Description: a primitive root; to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest (grass or grain); [idiom] at all, cut down, much discouraged, grieve, harvestman, lothe, mourn, reap(-er), (be, wax) short(-en, -er), straiten, trouble, vex. - Strong's Number: H4390
There are 240 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָלֵא
Transliteration: mâlêʼ
Pronunciation: maw-lay'
Description: or מָלָא; (Esther 7:5), a primitive root; to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively); accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly. - Strong's Number: H3709
There are 180 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כַּף
Transliteration: kaph
Pronunciation: kaf
Description: from כָּפַף; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power; branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon. - Strong's Number: H6014
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָמַר
Transliteration: ʻâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, apparently to heap; figuratively, to chastise (as if piling blows); specifically (as denominative from עֹמֶר); to gather grain; bind sheaves, make merchandise of. - Strong's Number: H2683
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵצֶן
Transliteration: chêtsen
Pronunciation: khay'-tsen
Description: from an unused root meaning to hold firmly; the bosom (as comprised between the arms); bosom.