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Green's Literal Translation

Psalms 11:2

For behold! The wicked will tread the bow; they fixed their arrow on the string, in order to shoot with it at the upright of heart in the dark.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Persecution;   The Topic Concordance - Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Arrows;   Bow, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Weapons;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Heart;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Cord, Rope;   English Versions;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Psalms;   Sin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bow;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Arrow;   Bow (rainbow);   Shoot;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cord;   Mercy;   Privy;   Psalms, Book of;   Withes, Withs;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For look, the wicked string bows;they put their arrows on bowstringsto shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
Hebrew Names Version
For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
King James Version
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
English Standard Version
for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
New Century Version
Like hunters, the wicked string their bows; they set their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from dark places at those who are honest.
New English Translation
For look, the wicked prepare their bows, they put their arrows on the strings, to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.
Amplified Bible
For look, the wicked are bending the bow; They take aim with their arrow on the string To shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.
New American Standard Bible
"For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They have set their arrow on the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
World English Bible
For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For loe, the wicked bende their bowe, and make readie their arrowes vpon the string, that they may secretly shoote at them, which are vpright in heart.
Legacy Standard Bible
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow,They make ready their arrow upon the stringTo shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
Berean Standard Bible
For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
Contemporary English Version
You tell me, "Watch out! Those evil people have put their arrows on their bows, and they are standing in the shadows, aiming at good people.
Complete Jewish Bible
See how the wicked are drawing their bows and setting their arrows on the string, to shoot from the shadows at honest men.
Darby Translation
For behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may in darkness shoot at the upright in heart.
Easy-to-Read Version
Like hunters, the wicked hide in the dark. They get their bows ready and aim their arrows. They shoot at good, honest people.
George Lamsa Translation
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
Good News Translation
because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people.
Lexham English Bible
For look: The wicked string the bow. They have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot from the darkness at the upright of heart.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For lo, the vngodly haue bet their bowe, and made redy their arowes in the quyuer: that they maye priuely shute at them, which are true of herte.
American Standard Version
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;
Bible in Basic English
See, the bows of the evil-doers are bent, they make ready their arrows on the cord, so that they may send them secretly against the upright in heart.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, they have made ready their arrow upon the string,
King James Version (1611)
For loe, the wicked bende their bow, they make ready their arrow vpon the string: that they may priuily shoote at the vpright in heart.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For lo, the vngodly haue bende their bowe: and nocked their arrowes with the string, redy to shoote priuily at them whiche are vpright in heart.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For behold the sinners have bent their bow, they have prepared their arrows for the quiver, to shoot privily at the upright in heart.
English Revised Version
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For lo! synneris han bent a bouwe; thei han maad redi her arowis in an arowe caas; `for to schete in derknesse riytful men in herte.
Update Bible Version
For, look, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;
Webster's Bible Translation
For lo, the wicked bend [their] bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
New King James Version
For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
New Living Translation
The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right.
New Life Bible
For look, the sinful raise their bow. They make their arrow ready on the string to shoot in the dark against the pure in heart.
New Revised Standard
for look, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For lo! the lawless, bend the bow They have fixed their arrow upon the string, To shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart:
Douay-Rheims Bible
(10-3) For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow: they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.
Revised Standard Version
for lo, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
Young's Literal Translation
For lo, the wicked tread a bow, They have prepared their arrow on the string, To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Contextual Overview

1 To the chief musician. A Psalm of David. I sought refuge in Jehovah; how can you say to my soul, Flee like a bird to your hill. 2 For behold! The wicked will tread the bow; they fixed their arrow on the string, in order to shoot with it at the upright of heart in the dark. 3 When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lo: Psalms 10:2, Psalms 37:14, Psalms 64:3, Psalms 64:4, Jeremiah 9:3

make: Psalms 21:12

that: Psalms 10:8, Psalms 10:9, Psalms 64:5, Psalms 142:3, 1 Samuel 18:21, 1 Samuel 23:9, Matthew 26:4, Acts 23:12-15

privily: Heb. in darkness

the upright: Psalms 7:10, Psalms 32:11, Psalms 64:10, Psalms 94:15, Psalms 97:11, Psalms 125:4

Reciprocal: Numbers 35:20 - by laying Nehemiah 4:10 - The strength Nehemiah 6:11 - Should such Psalms 7:13 - ordaineth Psalms 26:10 - In Daniel 6:10 - as he Luke 13:31 - Get Acts 24:1 - informed

Cross-References

Genesis 10:10
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Genesis 11:9
On account of this its name is called Babel, because Jehovah confused the language of all the earth there. And Jehovah scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth.
Genesis 13:11
Then Lot chose all the circuit of Jordan for himself. And Lot pulled up stakes toward the east. And they were separated, each one from his brother.
Genesis 14:1
And it happened in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal king of the nations;
Isaiah 11:11
And it shall be in that day, the Lord shall again set His hand, the second time, to recover the remnant of His people that remains, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Ethiopia, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the coasts of the sea.
Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
And he said to me, To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; and it shall be made ready and placed there on its own place.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For, lo, the wicked bend [their] bow,.... Are devising mischief, and making preparations to accomplish it;

they make ready their arrow upon the string; of the bow, and are just about to execute their wicked designs;

that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart; such as David, and those that were with him, were; they were men whose hearts were upright before God, and were of upright conversations before men, and so became the butt of the malice and resentment of wicked men; against these they formed evil purposes, delivered out bitter words, which were like sharp arrows of the mighty; threatened them with ruin and destruction, and took methods to bring about their designs and make good their words, in the most private and secret manner. Hence some of David's friends thought it most advisable for him to make his escape; adding,

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow - These are to he regarded as the words of the persons referred to in the previous verse, who had advised the persecuted psalmist to flee to the mountains. In this verse reasons are suggested for that advice. The reasons are, that the enemy was preparing for an attack, and that at an unexpected moment the attack would be made unless he should effect his escape. Apprised of the danger, he might now make good his escape, and avoid the peril which was impending. The common weapon in war, as in hunting, was the bow and arrow. The process of preparing for the use of the bow consisted in bending it, and properly adjusting the arrow. The Hebrew word used here is “tread;” “the wicked tread upon the bow;” that is, with a view to bend it. The bow was made of steel, or strong wood, or pieces of ivory framed together, and it often required great strength - beyond the strength of the arm - to bend it so as to adjust the string. Hence, the “foot” was placed upon the center, and the two ends drawn near to each other.

They make ready their arrow upon the string - Hebrew, “they fit or fix the arrow upon the string.” That is, they place the end of the arrow in the proper place upon the string of the bow.

That they may privily shoot at the upright in heart - Margin, as in the Hebrew, “in darkness.” That is, that they may do it secretly or treacherously. They do not intend to do it in open day, or (as we should say) “in a fair fight;” but they mean to do it when their victim is not aware of their design. The phrase, “the upright in heart,” may either denote their own conviction that those whom they designed so to attack were upright in heart - thus knowing that they were innocent; or it may be a statement of the advisers in the case, that those whom they counseled were thus upright - a statement on their part that the attack was made on the righteous. The latter is probably the true construction.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 11:2. For, lo, the wicked bend their bow — Perhaps these are more of the words of his advisers: Every thing is ready for thy destruction: the arrow that is to pierce thy heart is already set on the bow-string; and the person who hopes to despatch thee is concealed in ambush.


 
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