Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
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Amplified Bible

Psalms 74:5

It seems as if one had lifted up An axe in a forest of trees [to set a record of destruction].

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ax;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Temple;   War;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Axe;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ax, Ax Head;   Tools;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Asaph;   Leviathan;   Priests and Levites;   Psalms;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Axe;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Trees;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ax (Axe);   Forest;   Hammoth-Dor;   Lift;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Axe;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Metals;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
It was like men in a thicket of trees,wielding axes,
Hebrew Names Version
They behaved like men wielding axes, Cutting through a thicket of trees.
King James Version
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
English Standard Version
They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.
New Century Version
They came with axes raised as if to cut down a forest of trees.
New English Translation
They invade like lumberjacks swinging their axes in a thick forest.
New American Standard Bible
It seems like one bringing up His axe into a forest of trees.
World English Bible
They behaved like men wielding axes, Cutting through a thicket of trees.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
Legacy Standard Bible
Each seems like one who lifts upAn axe against the undergrowth of trees.
Berean Standard Bible
like men wielding axes, in a thicket of trees,
Contemporary English Version
It looks like a forest chopped to pieces.
Complete Jewish Bible
The place seemed like a thicket of trees when lumbermen hack away with their axes.
Darby Translation
[A man] was known as he could lift up axes in the thicket of trees;
Easy-to-Read Version
Their soldiers attacked the doors, like workmen chopping down trees.
George Lamsa Translation
Thou knowest this as the exalted one who sits on high: they have hewn down the doors with axes as they would cut the trees of the forest.
Good News Translation
They looked like woodsmen cutting down trees with their axes.
Lexham English Bible
They are known to be like those who wield axes in a thicket of trees.
Literal Translation
He is known as one bringing axes in on high, against the thick trees.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thy aduersaries roare in thy houses, & set vp their banners for tokens.
American Standard Version
They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees.
Bible in Basic English
They are cutting down, like a man whose blade is lifted up against the thick trees.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees.
King James Version (1611)
A man was famous according as he had lifted vp axes vpon the thicke trees.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that hewed tymber afore out of thicke woddes [for to builde the temple:] was esteemed as one offeryng a present [to God] aboue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
ignorantly as it were in the entrance above;
English Revised Version
They seemed as men that lifted up axes upon a thicket of trees.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei settiden her signes, `ethir baneris, signes on the hiyeste, as in the outgoing; and thei knewen not.
Update Bible Version
They seemed as men that lifted up axes on a thicket of trees.
Webster's Bible Translation
[A man] was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
New King James Version
They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.
New Living Translation
They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest.
New Life Bible
They acted like men taking up axes against a group of trees.
New Revised Standard
At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
One used to be known according as he carried up high - into the thicket of trees - the axes;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(73-5) And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,
Revised Standard Version
At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
Young's Literal Translation
He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood -- axes.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It seems as if one had lifted up His axe in a forest of trees.

Contextual Overview

1O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? 2Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance; Remember Mount Zion, where You have dwelt. 3Turn your footsteps [quickly] toward the perpetual ruins; The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary. 4In the midst of Your meeting place Your enemies have roared [with their battle cry]; They have set up their own emblems for signs [of victory]. 5It seems as if one had lifted up An axe in a forest of trees [to set a record of destruction].6And now all the carved work [of the meeting place] They smash with hatchets and hammers. 7They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; They have profaned the dwelling place of Your name. 8They said in their heart, "Let us completely subdue them." They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9We do not see our symbols; There is no longer any prophet [to guide us], Nor does any among us know for how long. 10O God, how long will the adversary scoff? Is the enemy to revile Your name forever?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Kings 5:6, 2 Chronicles 2:14, Jeremiah 46:22, Jeremiah 46:23

Reciprocal: Isaiah 64:11 - holy

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A man was famous,.... Or, "it was", or "is known" m; the desolations the enemy made, the wickedness they committed, the terror they spread, and the signs they set in the sanctuary of the Lord:

according as he had lifted up, or "as one that lifts up"

axes upon the thick trees n; that is, the above things were as visible, and as well known, being as easy to be seen as such an action is, a man being obliged to lift his axe above his head, to cut down a thick tree: or rather the sense is, formerly a man was famous for, and it gave him some credit and esteem, to be an hewer of wood in the forest of Lebanon, where he lifted up his axe, and cut down the thick trees for the building of the temple, as the servants of Hiram king of Tyre did; and such an action was esteemed as if a man brought an offering to God; agreeably to which is Kimchi's note,

"when the temple was built, he who lifted up his axe upon a thick tree, to cut it down for the building, was known, as if he lifted it up above in heaven before the throne of glory; all so rejoiced and gloried in the building:''

and Aben Ezra interprets it of acclamations made above on that account. The words, according to the accents, should be rendered thus, "he" or "it was known, as he that lifteth up on high; even as he that lifteth up on high, axes upon the thick tree".

m יודע "cognitus erat", Munster; "noscitur", Cocceius; "cognoscitur, innotescit", Gejerus. n כמביא "velut adducens", Montanus, Gejerus; "tanquam sursum tollens et desuper inducens", Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A man was famous - literally, “He is known;” or, shall be known. That is, he was or shall be celebrated.

According as he had lifted up axes - literally, “As one raising on high axes;” that is, as one lifts up his axe high in the air in order to strike an effectual stroke.

Upon the thick trees - The clumps of trees; the trees standing thick together. That is, As he showed skill and ability in cutting these down, and laying them low. His celebrity was founded on the rapidity with which the strokes of the axe fell on the trees, and his success in laying low the pride of the forest. According to our common translation the meaning is, that “formerly” a man derived his fame from his skill and success in wielding his axe so as to lay the forest low, but that “now” his fame was to be derived from another source, namely, the skill and power with which he cut down the elaborately-carved work of the sanctuary, despoiled the columns of their ornaments, and demolished the columns themselves. But another interpretation may be given to this, as has been suggested by Prof. Alexander. It is, that “the ruthless enemy is known or recognized as dealing with the sanctuary no more tenderly than a woodman with the forest which he fells.” The former, however, is the more natural, as well as the more common interpretation. Luther renders it, “One sees the axe glitter on high, as one cuts wood in the forest.” The Vulgate, and the Septuagint, “The signs pointing to the entrance above that they did not know.” What idea was attached to this rendering, it is impossible to determine.


 
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