Psalm 122:4
New International Version
That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the LORD— to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.

New Living Translation
All the tribes of Israel—the LORD’s people— make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD, as the law requires of Israel.

English Standard Version
to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

King James Bible
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

New King James Version
Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD— An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

NASB 1995
To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD— An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

NASB 1977
To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD — An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
To which the tribes, the tribes of Yah, go up— A testimony for Israel— To give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
To which the [twelve] tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD, [As was decreed as] an ordinance for Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
where the tribes, the LORD’s tribes, go up to give thanks to the name of the LORD. (This is an ordinance for Israel. )

Holman Christian Standard Bible
where the tribes, Yahweh’s tribes, go up to give thanks to the name of Yahweh. (This is an ordinance for Israel.)

American Standard Version
Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of Jehovah, For an ordinance for Israel, To give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Every tribe of the LORD obeys him and comes to you to praise his name.

English Revised Version
Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD for a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks into the name of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All of the LORD's tribes go to that city because it is a law in Israel to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Good News Translation
This is where the tribes come, the tribes of Israel, to give thanks to the LORD according to his command.

International Standard Version
To it the tribes ascend— the tribes of the LORD— as decreed to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

NET Bible
The tribes go up there, the tribes of the LORD, where it is required that Israel give thanks to the name of the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
where the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

World English Bible
where the tribes go up, even Yah’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to Yahweh’s name.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For there tribes have gone up, "" Tribes of YAH, companies of Israel, "" To give thanks to the Name of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
For thither have tribes gone up, Tribes of Jah, companies of Israel, To give thanks to the name of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
There the tribes went up, the tribes of Jah, the testimonies to Israel, to confess to the name of Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For to that place, the tribes ascended, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to confess to the name of the Lord.

New American Bible
There the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
There went up the tribes, the tribes of LORD JEHOVAH, a testimony to Israel.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Whither the tribes went up, even the tribes of the LORD, As a testimony unto Israel, To give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
3Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, 4where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5For there the thrones of judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.

Exodus 23:17
Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD.

Deuteronomy 12:5-7
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go. / To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks. / There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.

2 Chronicles 6:6
But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

Isaiah 2:3
And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Zechariah 8:21-22
and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’ / And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”

1 Samuel 1:3
Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.

2 Chronicles 30:11-12
Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. / Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.

Nehemiah 8:15-18
and that they should proclaim this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” / And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim. / The whole assembly that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing. ...

Luke 2:41-42
Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. / And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.

John 4:20-24
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ...

Acts 2:46
With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

Acts 20:16
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.


Treasury of Scripture

Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

whither

Psalm 78:68
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

Psalm 132:13
For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

Exodus 23:17
Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

the testimony

Exodus 16:34
As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

Exodus 26:33,34
And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy…

Exodus 32:15
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

to give

Psalm 66:13-16
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, …

Psalm 107:1-3
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever…

Psalm 116:17-19
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD…

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Companies Decreed Israel Jah Ordinance Praise Statute Testimony Thanks Thither Tribes Whither Witness Yah's
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Companies Decreed Israel Jah Ordinance Praise Statute Testimony Thanks Thither Tribes Whither Witness Yah's
Psalm 122
1. David professes his joy for the church
6. And prays for the peace thereof














where the tribes go up
This phrase refers to the twelve tribes of Israel, the descendants of the sons of Jacob. The Hebrew word for "tribes" is "שֵׁבֶט" (shevet), which can also mean "staff" or "scepter," symbolizing authority and unity. Historically, the tribes would ascend to Jerusalem for the three major pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. This pilgrimage was a physical and spiritual journey, emphasizing unity and collective worship. The act of "going up" to Jerusalem, situated on a hill, symbolizes an ascent towards God, both geographically and spiritually.

the tribes of the LORD
This phrase underscores the divine selection and covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel. The use of "the LORD" (YHWH) highlights the sacred and personal name of God, indicating His sovereignty and the special status of the tribes as His chosen people. This covenant relationship is central to the identity of Israel and their worship practices. It is a reminder of their calling to be a holy nation, set apart for God's purposes.

as a testimony for Israel
The word "testimony" in Hebrew is "עֵדוּת" (edut), which can also mean "witness." This suggests that the act of pilgrimage serves as a witness to the faithfulness of God and the obedience of His people. It is a public declaration of their identity and commitment to God's laws. Historically, this testimony was not only for Israel but also for the surrounding nations, demonstrating the unique relationship between God and His people.

to give thanks to the name of the LORD
Giving thanks is a central theme in Hebrew worship, and the phrase emphasizes the purpose of the pilgrimage: to express gratitude to God. The "name of the LORD" signifies His character, reputation, and presence. In Hebrew culture, a name is more than a label; it embodies the essence of the person. Thus, giving thanks to God's name is an acknowledgment of His attributes, deeds, and the blessings He bestows upon His people. This act of thanksgiving is both a duty and a privilege, reflecting a heart of worship and reverence.

(4) Unto the testimony.--This is erroneous. The words are parenthetical: "Thither go (or, must and shall go) the tribes, the tribes of Judah (it is an ordinance for Israel) to praise the name of Jehovah." (See Exodus 23:17, Deuteronomy 16:16, to this regulation.)

Verse 4. - Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. This points to a time before the dispersion of "the tribes," which rendered such regular "going up" impossible. Unto the testimony of Israel; rather, as a testimony unto Israel - a witness to the whole nation that all Israelites had covenant privileges at Jerusalem. To give thanks unto the Name of the Lord. The three great feasts whereto Israel was bound to "go up" were all of them seasons of thanksgiving.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
where
שֶׁשָּׁ֨ם (šeš·šām)
Pronoun - relative | Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

the tribes
שְׁבָטִ֡ים (šə·ḇā·ṭîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

go up,
עָל֪וּ (‘ā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

the tribes
שִׁבְטֵי־ (šiḇ·ṭê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of the LORD,
יָ֭הּ (yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3050: LORD -- the name of the God of Israel

as a testimony
עֵד֣וּת (‘ê·ḏūṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5715: Testimony

for Israel,
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (lə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

to give thanks
לְ֝הֹד֗וֹת (lə·hō·ḏō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3034: To throw, at, away, to revere, worship, to bemoan

to the name
לְשֵׁ֣ם (lə·šêm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Poetry: Psalm 122:4 Where the tribes go up even Yah's (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 122:3
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