Psalms 82:7
| תפלו | ה שרים | ו כ אחד | תמותו ן | כ אדם | אכן |
| you all are falling | the Captains | and as one | your inner selves are dying | as man (adam) | truly |
9016 | None Definition: verseEnd Root: None Exhaustive: None 5307 נפל nâphal Definition: to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative) Root: a primitive root; Exhaustive: a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for פלל), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. | 8269 | שר sar Definition: a head person (of any rank or class) Root: from H8323 (שרר); Exhaustive: from שרר; a head person (of any rank or class); captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord,(-task-)master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward. 9009 ה None Definition: the Root: None Exhaustive: definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or. | 259 | אחד ʼechâd Definition: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first Root: a numeral from H258 (אחד); Exhaustive: a numeral from אחד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together, 9004 | כ None Definition: like, as Root: Derived terms כאשר (ka'ashér) כמו (k'mó) כמות (k'mót) כש־ (k'she-) Exhaustive: prefix, particle of comparison, similarity or proportion; before Sheva, with article - as, like, as if; at, about [a time], according to, after; before an infinitive - as, when, if, after. 9002 ו None Definition: and Root: None Exhaustive: Conjunctive vav - i.e. followed by prefix, suffix or non-verb (conjunctive) (‘and/but’) | 9013 | נ None Definition: paragogic Root: None Exhaustive: None 4191 מות mûwth Definition: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill Root: a primitive root; Exhaustive: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise. | 120 | אדם ʼâdâm Definition: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) Root: from H119 (אדם); Exhaustive: from אדם; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.); [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person. 9004 כ None Definition: like, as Root: Derived terms כאשר (ka'ashér) כמו (k'mó) כמות (k'mót) כש־ (k'she-) Exhaustive: prefix, particle of comparison, similarity or proportion; before Sheva, with article - as, like, as if; at, about [a time], according to, after; before an infinitive - as, when, if, after. | 403 אכן ʼâkên Definition: firmly; figuratively, surely; also (advers.) but Root: from H3559 (כון) (compare H3651 (כן)); Exhaustive: from כון (compare כן); firmly; figuratively, surely; also (advers.) but; but, certainly, nevertheless, surely, truly, verily. |
The Prudent Serpent says
Truly, like man ("adam"), your inner selves are dying, and you are falling as one of the Captains!3But as man shall ye die, and as one of the chiefs shall ye fall.
But you shall die as men, and fall like one of the rulers.
nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
Even the tents of the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
Footnotes
| Psa. 82:7 | Commentary: כאחד השרים תפּלו in Psalm 82:71. Lexical and Functional Range of שריםThe term שר (śar)—plural שָׂרִים—denotes a captain, chief, or officer, often depending on context:
Thus, “princes” in Psalm 82:7 may intentionally evoke the entire governing class — not just generals, but also envoys, governors, and judges, all of whom are liable to fall through divine or historical judgment. 2. Historical-Political Precedents of "Fallen Princes"The statement "like one of the princes you shall fall" would resonate with numerous biblical narratives of downfall, including:
These suggest that Psalm 82:7 is not a vague threat but invokes a robust precedent: elohim falls—militarily, politically, and morally—when they betray justice, regardless of national origin. 3. Implication for Psalm 82’s StructurePsalm 82 presents a cosmic tribunal where divine beings of supremacy are rebuked for injustice. Verse 7 breaks their illusion of untouchability:
This fall draws from an entire biblical history of princely collapse — from Egypt to Babylon, from captains of 50 to royal judges — suggesting that no status, military or diplomatic, can shield from divine judgment. |