the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Easy-to-Read Version
Psalms 68:13
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If you men lie down among the sheepfolds,You all would be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,And its pinions with glistening gold.
When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And its pinions with glistening gold.
Though ye haue lyen among the pottes: yet shall ye be as the wynges of a doue that is couered with siluer, and hath her fethers as yelowe as golde.
Though ye have lain among the sheepfolds, [ye shall be as] wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with green gold.
Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold."
When you lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove are covered with silver, and its feathers with gleaming gold.
While you sleep among the campfires, The wings of a dove sheathed with silver, Her feathers with shining gold.
Though ye haue lien among the pots, yet shall yee bee as the wings of a doue, couered with siluer, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Yf so be yt ye lye amoge the pales, the doues fethers shalbe couered with syluer, & hir winges of the color of golde.
When you lie down [to rest] among the sheepfolds, You [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver, Its feathers glistening with gold [trophies taken from the enemy].
When ye lie among the sheepfolds, It is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.
Will you take your rest among the flocks? like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold.
When you lie among the sheepfolds, [It is as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.
Though ye have lain among the pots, [yet shall ye be as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
When you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver and with glittering gold.
And for those who stayed back to guard the sheep, there are metal doves with silver-coated wings and shiny gold feathers."
Kings and their armies are fleeing, fleeing, while the women at home divide the spoil.
Though ye haue lien among pots, yet shal ye be as the winges of a doue that is couered with siluer, and whose fethers are like yelowe golde.
Though you sleep among thorns, yet shall you be protected as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
While you sleep among the campfires, The wings of a dove sheathed with silver, Her feathers with shining gold.
Kings of armies flee, they flee; and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.
Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures— doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold.
When you lie down among the sheep, you are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the end of its wings with shining gold.
Even if ye should lie among the lots, ye shall have the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her breast with yellow gold.
Will ye lie among the sheepfolds, as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold?
Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold."
though they stay among the sheepfolds— the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with green gold.
Though ye rest between the folds, The wings of the dove, shall be covered with silver, And, her pinions, with green-shimmering gold.
(67-14) If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of gold.
Though you men lie down between the sheepfolds, you will be like the wings of a dove covered in silver and its pinions in yellow gold."
though you men lie among the sheepfolds— the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.
When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And its pinions with glistening gold.
Those who stayed by the campfires will share the riches taken in battle."
figures of doves covered with silver, whose wings glittered with fine gold. (Why did some of you stay among the sheep pens on the day of battle?)
While you lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove are covered with silver, and its feathers with glistening gold.
If ye slepen among the myddil of eritagis, the fetheris of the culuer ben of siluer; and the hyndrere thingis of the bak therof ben in the shynyng of gold.
Though ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.
though they stay among the sheepfolds--the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with green gold.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Though: That is, probably, "Though ye have laboured and lain down between the brick-kilns in Egypt - a poor, enslaved, and oppressed people, yet ye shall gradually rise to dignity, prosperity, and splendour; as a dove, which has been defiled with dirt, disordered, and dejected, by washing herself in a running stream, and trimming her plumage, gradually recovers the serenity of her disposition, the purity of colour, and the richness and varied elegance of her appearance."
ye have: Psalms 81:6, Exodus 1:14, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Corinthians 12:2, Ephesians 2:1-3, Titus 3:3
the wings: Psalms 74:19, Psalms 105:37, Psalms 149:4, 1 Kings 4:20, 1 Kings 4:21, Ezekiel 16:6-14, Luke 15:16, Luke 15:22, Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 5:27, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 1:6
Reciprocal: Exodus 1:11 - burdens Leviticus 14:22 - two turtle doves Psalms 113:8 - General Song of Solomon 2:14 - my dove
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Though ye have lain among the pots,.... Kimchi takes these words to be the words of the women, or of the psalmist addressing the Israelites going out to war; that though they should lie in a low, dark, and disagreeable place, in the camp, in the open field, exposed to wind and weather; yet they should be fair and beautiful, and be loaded with gold and silver, the spoil of the enemy. But Fortunatus Scacchus z refers them, much better, to the encampment of the Israelites in their tents, and to the disposition and order of their army going to battle: the body of the army in the middle, and the two wings, right and left, on each side; whose glittering armour of gold and brass, the rays of the sun striking on them, are fitly resembled by the colours on the wings and back of a dove. Another learned writer a thinks they are an address to the wings of the dove; that is, to the dove itself, meaning the Holy Spirit, expostulating with him how long he would dwell within the limits and borders of the land of Canaan; which was not long after the ascension of Christ, for soon was the gift of the Holy Ghost poured down upon the Gentiles, But rather they are an address to the people of Israel; intimating, that though they had been in adversity, and their lives had been made bitter with hard bondage, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; and had lain among the brick kilns and furnaces when in Egypt; and in the times of the Judges had suffered much from their neighbours, by whom they were frequently carried captive; and had been in affliction in the times of Saul; yet now in prosperous circumstances in the times of David, who had conquered their enemies, and enlarged their dominions, and restored peace; and especially would be more so in the days of Solomon, when they enjoyed great plenty and prosperity, and silver was made to be as the stones of the street. Though it is best of all to apply the words to the church and people of God in Gospel times; and they may describe their state and condition by nature and by grace, in adversity and in prosperity: the former in this clause, in which there is an allusion to scullions, or such as lie among coppers and furnaces, and are black and sooty; and so it describes the Lord's people before conversion, who are black with original sin and actual transgressions; who being transgressors from the womb, and as long as they live and walk in sin, and have their conversation with the men of the world, may be said to lie among the pots: and this may also be expressive of the church of Christ being in adversity, and black with the sun of persecution smiting her; and she might be said to lie among the pots while the ten Heathen persecutions lasted, and also in the reign of antichrist; during which time the church is in the wilderness, and the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth;
[yet shall they be as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold: alluding to the white silver colour of some doves. Such were the white doves Charon of Lampsacum speaks of b, seen about Athos, which were like the white crow Ovid calls c the silver fowl with snowy wings: and also it may be to the time when they become of a golden colour, at which time they are fit for sacrifice, as the Jews d observe; or to the different appearances of them, according as the rays of light and of the sun differently fall upon them. So the philosopher e observes, that the necks of doves appear of a golden colour by the refraction of light. And this describes the saints and people of God as they are by grace. They are comparable to the dove on many accounts: like doves of the valleys, everyone of them mourn for their iniquities; like the trembling and fearful dove, tremble at the apprehensions of divine wrath, and judgment to come under first convictions; and are fearful of their enemies, and of their own state; are humble, modest, and meek; think the worst of themselves, and the best of others; flee to Christ for refuge, and to ordinances for refreshment; are chaste and affectionate to Christ, and harmless and inoffensive in their lives and conversations, Ezekiel 7:16. Being "as the wings of a dove covered with silver" may denote the purity of doctrine held by them; the words of the Lord being as silver purified seven times, Psalms 12:6; and the preciousness and sincerity of their faith, by which they mount up with wings as eagles; and the holiness of their conversation, being as becomes the Gospel of Christ: and being as the "feathers" of a dove covered "with yellow gold" may denote their being adorned with the graces of the Spirit, as faith, hope, and love; which are more precious than gold that perisheth, and are called chains of gold, Song of Solomon 1:10; see 1 Peter 1:7; or their being clothed with the righteousness of Christ, signified by gold of Ophir, and clothing of wrought gold, Psalms 45:9; or their being enriched with the unsearchable, solid, substantial, and durable riches of Christ, Revelation 3:18. And both may describe also the prosperous estates of the church, either in the first ages of Christianity, when she was clothed with the sun, and had a crown of twelve stars on her head, Revelation 12:1; or in the latter day, when her light will be come, and the glory of the Lord will rise upon her; when her stones will be laid with fair colours, and her foundations with sapphires; when she shall, have the glory of God upon her, and be as a bride adorned for her husband,
Isaiah 60:1.
z Elaeochrism. Sacr. l. 3. c. 24. a Gusset. Comment. Heb. p. 884. b Apud Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 1. c. 15. c Metamorph. l. 2. Fab. 7. d Maimon. Issure Mizbeach, c. 3. s. 2. e Aristotel. de Color. c. 3. Vid. Lucret. l. 2. v. 800.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Though ye have lien among the pots - There are few passages in the Bible more difficult of interpretation than this verse and the following. Our translators seem to have supposed that the whole refers to the ark, considered as having been neglected, or as having been suffered to remain among the common vessels of the tabernacle, until it became like those vessels in appearance - that is, until its brilliancy had become tarnished by neglect, or by want of being cleaned and furbished - yet that it would be again like the wings of a dove covered with silver, as it had been formerly, and pure like the whitest snow. But it is not certain, if it is probable, that this is the meaning. Prof. Alexander renders it, “When ye lie down between the borders (ye shall be like) the wings of a dove covered with silver;” that is, “when the land had rest,” or was restored to a state of tranquility.
DeWette renders it, “When ye rest between the cattle-stalls:” expressing the same idea, that of quiet repose as among the herds of cattle lying calmly down to rest. The Septuagint renders it, “Though you may have slept in kitchens.” The words rendered” Though ye have lien” mean literally, “If you have lain,” alluding to some act or state of lying down quietly or calmly. The verb is in the plural number, but it is not quite clear what it refers to. There is apparently much confusion of number in the passage. The word rendered “pots” - שׁפתים shephathayim - in the dual form, occurs only in this place and in Ezekiel 40:43, where it is translated hooks (margin, end-irons, or the two hearth-stones). Gesenius renders it here “stalls,” that is, folds for cattle, and supposes that in Ezekiel it denotes places in the temple-court, where the victims for sacrifice were fastened. Tholuck renders it, “When you shall again rest within your stone-borders (that is, within the limits of your own country, or within your own borders), ye shall be like the wings of a dove.” For other interpretations of the passage, see Rosenmuller in loc. I confess that none of these explanations of the passage seem to me to be satisfactory, and that I cannot understand it. The wonder is not, however, that, in a book so large as the Bible, and written in a remote age, and in a language which has long ceased to be a spoken language, there should be here and there a passage which cannot now be made clear, but that there should be so few of that description. There is no ancient book that has not more difficulties of this kind than the Hebrew Scriptures:
Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver ... - The phrase “yet shall ye be” is not in the original. The image here is simply one of beauty. The allusion is to the changeable colors of the plumage of a dove, now seeming to be bright silver, and then, as the rays of light fall on it in another direction, to be yellow as gold. If the allusion is to the ark, considered as having been laid aside among the ordinary vessels of the tabernacle, and having become dark and dingy by neglect, then the meaning would be, that, when restored to its proper place, and with the proper degree of attention and care bestowed upon it, it would become a most beautiful object. If the allusion is to the people of the land considered either as lying down in dishonor, as if among filth, or as lying down calmly and quietly as the beasts do in their stalls, or as peacefully reposing within their natural limits or borders, then the meaning would be, that the spectacle would be most beautiful. The varied tints of loveliness in the land - the gardens, the farms, the flowers, the fruits, the vineyards, the orchards, the villages, the towns, the cheerful homes - would be like the dove - the emblem of calmness - so beautiful in the variety and the changeableness of its plumage. The comparison of a beautiful and variegated country with a dove is not a very obvious one, and yet, in this view, it would not be wholly unnatural. It is not easy always to vindicate philosophically the images used in poetry; nor is it always easy for a Western mind to see the reasons of the images employed by an Oriental poet. It seems probable that the comparison of the land (considered as thus variegated in its beauty) with the changing beauties of the plumage of the dove is the idea intended to be conveyed by this verse; but it is not easy to make it out on strictly exegetical or philological principles.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 68:13. Though ye have lien among the pots — The prophet is supposed here to address the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who remained in their inheritances, occupied with agricultural, maritime, and domestic affairs, when the other tribes were obliged to go against Jabin, and the other Canaanitish kings. Ye have been thus occupied, while your brethren sustained a desperate campaign; but while you are inglorious, they obtained the most splendid victory, and dwell under those rich tents which they have taken from the enemy; coverings of the most beautiful colours, adorned with gold and silver. The words בירקרק חרוץ birakrak charuts, native gold, so exceedingly and splendidly yellow as to approach to greenness - from ירק yarak, to be green; and the doubling of the last syllable denotes an excess in the denomination - excessively green - blistering green. The Targum gives us a curious paraphrase of this and the following verse: "If ye, O ye kings, slept among your halls, the congregation of Israel, which is like a dove covered with the clouds of glory, divided the prey of the Egyptians, purified silver, and coffers full of the finest gold. And when it stretched out its hands in prayer over the sea, the Almighty cast down kingdoms; and for its sake cooled hell like snow, and snatched it from the shadow of death." Perhaps the Romanists got some idea of purgatory here. For the sake of the righteous, the flames of hell are extinguished!
