Psalm 109:13 kjv
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Psalm 109:13 nkjv
Let his posterity be cut off, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Psalm 109:13 niv
May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.
Psalm 109:13 esv
May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
Psalm 109:13 nlt
May all his offspring die.
May his family name be blotted out in the next generation.
Psalm 109 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:33 | "And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years.. to bear your whoredoms." | God curses a rebellious generation's offspring. |
| Exod 17:14 | "I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." | God promises complete eradication for Israel's enemy. |
| Deut 9:14 | "Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name..." | God threatens to erase Israel's name for disobedience. |
| Deut 25:19 | "...you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget." | A command to erase Amalek's remembrance. |
| 1 Sam 2:33 | "...all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age." | Eli's wicked house suffers judgment, their descendants cut off. |
| 1 Kings 14:10 | "...I will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off..." | God declares destruction of Jeroboam's lineage. |
| 1 Kings 16:3 | "Behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and will make your house like the house of Jeroboam..." | Baasha's house cursed similarly for wickedness. |
| Job 18:17 | "His remembrance will perish from the earth, and he will have no name in the street." | The wicked are described as losing their memory and presence. |
| Pss 9:5-6 | "You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever." | God's blotting out of the wicked's name as an act of judgment. |
| Ps 34:16 | "The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth." | God actively removes the remembrance of evildoers. |
| Ps 37:28-29 | "...but the offspring of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell in it forever." | Direct contrast: the wicked's lineage perishes, the righteous endure. |
| Prov 10:7 | "The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." | Highlights the contrasting fate of the righteous and wicked regarding memory. |
| Isa 14:20-22 | "For I will rise up against them... and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, declares the LORD." | Prophetic judgment against Babylon for complete lineage extinction. |
| Isa 56:5 | "I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters..." | God promises remembrance for those who follow Him, even without natural offspring. |
| Jer 22:30 | "Thus says the LORD: Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days, for none of his offspring shall again sit on the throne..." | Judgment upon Coniah, limiting his offspring and future reign. |
| Ezek 25:7 | "...I will cut you off from the land and make you perish..." | God's cutting off nations as judgment. |
| Obad 1:10 | "Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever." | Judgment against Edom for violence, to be utterly cut off. |
| Acts 1:20 | "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, 'May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and 'Let another take his office.'" | Cites Ps 69:25 and Ps 109:8, showing judicial application from Psalms to Judas. |
| Rom 12:19 | "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" | NT principle of entrusting vengeance to God, not personal action. |
| Rev 6:9-10 | "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" | Saints in heaven plead for God's justice and vengeance, similar to imprecatory psalms. |
| Rev 19:15 | "...from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty." | Depicts Christ's ultimate judgment against the nations. |
Psalm 109 verses
Psalm 109 13 Meaning
Psalm 109:13 is an imprecatory prayer, expressing a fervent petition for divine judgment against the psalmist's accusers and enemies. It asks for a two-fold consequence for the wicked individual: first, that their "posterity be cut off," meaning their lineage, offspring, or descendants would come to an end, preventing any future generation. Second, it requests that "in the next generation their name be blotted out," signifying the complete eradication of their remembrance, reputation, and legacy from human memory and record. This comprehensive curse seeks the utter disappearance and perpetual effacement of the individual and all that traces back to them, asserting God's absolute justice against persistent evil.
Psalm 109 13 Context
Psalm 109 is a deeply personal and fervent psalm of lament and imprecation. The psalmist, traditionally identified as King David, is facing severe slander, betrayal, and malicious opposition from wicked enemies who "return evil for good" (v. 5) and have "spoken false words" against him (v. 2). He feels oppressed and wounded (vv. 21-25).
The psalm transitions from David's heartfelt plea for God's help (vv. 1-5) and a description of his adversaries to a section where he calls for detailed divine curses upon his chief persecutor (vv. 6-19). This shift, common in imprecatory psalms, is not a call for personal revenge but a righteous plea for God to act justly against those who relentlessly oppose His anointed servant and, by extension, God's kingdom. The individual addressed in these imprecations (singular "him" or "his" throughout vv. 6-19) is seen by some as an archetype of an ungodly adversary, or even specifically prophetic of Judas Iscariot (as cited in Acts 1:20, regarding Ps 109:8). The curses, including the cutting off of posterity and the blotting out of name, were understood in the ancient Near East as the most severe forms of judgment, striking at a person's eternal legacy and continuity, not merely their immediate life.
Psalm 109 13 Word analysis
- Let his posterity be cut off:
- `his posterity` (Hebrew: zar'o - זַרְעֹו): Literally "his seed" or "his offspring." This refers to descendants, lineage, or family line. In ancient cultures, one's legacy and continuity were inextricably linked to having children and future generations to carry on the family name and heritage. The lack of offspring was a significant curse, and the cutting off of a lineage meant the utter end of a family's existence.
- `be cut off` (Hebrew: yikkaret - יִכָּרֵת): This verb signifies a decisive, complete severing or removal, often with a connotation of divine judgment or covenant exclusion. It implies eradication or extinction, ensuring that no future generation springs forth. It's used in the Torah for the severing of individuals from the covenant community due to grave sin, leading to their exclusion and demise.
- in the next generation:
- `in the next generation` (Hebrew: bas-dor aḥer - בַּדֹּור אַחֵר): This phrase means "in another generation" or "in the generation after." It emphasizes that the judgment is not confined to the wicked individual's lifetime but extends beyond, ensuring the eradication of their memory and influence into the future. It highlights the lasting, definitive nature of the requested divine punishment.
- let their name be blotted out:
- `their name` (Hebrew: shemam - שְׁמָם): The word "name" (Hebrew: shem) in biblical thought signifies far more than just a label. It embodies a person's reputation, character, honor, remembrance, identity, and entire existence, including their legacy and fame. To have one's "name" perish or be forgotten was the ultimate disgrace and the end of one's significance in history and society.
- `be blotted out` (Hebrew: yimmah - יִמַּח): This verb means "to wipe away," "erase," or "annihilate," similar to erasing writing from a tablet. It signifies a complete removal, ensuring that no trace or memory remains. It is used metaphorically in other biblical contexts for wiping away sins (Isa 43:25) or for the complete destruction of a people (Deut 25:19). Here, it applies to the remembrance and legacy of the wicked.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "Let his posterity be cut off...let their name be blotted out": These two clauses represent a comprehensive curse designed for ultimate judgment. The "posterity being cut off" targets the physical line and continuation, while the "name being blotted out" targets the intellectual, historical, and reputational line. Together, they form a petition for the complete nullification of the wicked person's presence from future human and divine reckoning. This demonstrates the profound ancient understanding that life was not just individual existence but continued in one's descendants and remembrance. The severing of both ensured absolute erasure.
Psalm 109 13 Bonus section
The severity of imprecatory psalms like Psalm 109 has been a significant point of discussion in Christian theology. They are generally understood as:
- Prophetic expressions: Many see these curses as prophetic utterances, foretelling the divine judgment that will inevitably fall upon God's enemies. The New Testament's application of parts of Psalm 109 to Judas (Acts 1:20) exemplifies this interpretation.
- Zeal for God's glory: Rather than malice, the psalmist's plea arises from a deep indignation against sin that defames God's name and opposes His purposes. The desire is for God's righteousness to be vindicated on earth, not for personal vengeance.
- Theological statements: These prayers are profound statements about God's justice. They assert that God will not let unpunished evil stand forever, even if justice is delayed. They are appeals for God to act in accordance with His holy character and covenant.
- Historical context: In ancient societies, the family and name were central to identity and survival beyond one's individual life. The ultimate judgment involved the eradication of both, reinforcing the concept of complete destruction for covenant breakers and grave offenders against God's order.
- Leaving vengeance to God: While expressing deep pain and righteous anger, the psalmist consistently appeals to God to deliver the judgment, rather than taking matters into his own hands (cf. Rom 12:19).
Psalm 109 13 Commentary
Psalm 109:13 is a powerful expression of zeal for divine justice in the face of egregious evil. It is not an outburst of personal revenge, but a fervent prayer that God, who is just and righteous, would execute a complete and lasting judgment against those who persecute His anointed. The requests for the cutting off of posterity and the blotting out of one's name highlight the comprehensive nature of God's deserved punishment for persistent wickedness and rebellion. This is not simply a wish for the person to die, but for their entire legacy and line to be extinguished, underscoring the severity of offending God and His people. It implicitly trusts that only God can right such wrongs fully, providing a stark contrast between the fleeting prosperity of the wicked and the enduring nature of divine justice.