Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the LORD. New Living Translation Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the LORD. English Standard Version Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? Berean Standard Bible Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. King James Bible Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. New King James Version Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the LORD? New American Standard Bible Do all the workers of injustice not know, Who devour my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the LORD? NASB 1995 Do all the workers of wickedness not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord? NASB 1977 Do all the workers of wickedness not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord? Legacy Standard Bible Do all the workers of iniquity not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon Yahweh? Amplified Bible Have all the workers of wickedness and injustice no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the LORD? Christian Standard Bible Will evildoers never understand? They consume my people as they consume bread; they do not call on the LORD. Holman Christian Standard Bible Will evildoers never understand? They consume My people as they consume bread; they do not call on the LORD. American Standard Version Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And call not upon Jehovah? Contemporary English Version Won't you evil people learn? You refuse to pray, and you gobble up the LORD's people. English Revised Version Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. GOD'S WORD® Translation Are all those troublemakers, those who devour my people as if they were devouring food, so ignorant that they do not call on the LORD? Good News Translation "Don't they know?" asks the LORD. "Are all these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me." International Standard Version Will those who do evil ever learn? They devour my people like they devour bread, and never call on the LORD. Majority Standard Bible Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. NET Bible All those who behave wickedly do not understand--those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to the LORD. New Heart English Bible Have all evildoers no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread? They do not call on the LORD. Webster's Bible Translation Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. World English Bible Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionHave all working iniquity not known? Those consuming my people have eaten bread, "" They have not called YHWH. Young's Literal Translation Have all working iniquity not known? Those consuming my people have eaten bread, Jehovah they have not called. Smith's Literal Translation Did not the workers of vanity know? eating my people they ate bread; they called not Jehovah. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleShall not all they know that work iniquity, who devour my people as they eat bread ? Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible Will these evildoers never learn? They devour my people as they devour bread; they do not call upon the LORD. New Revised Standard Version Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the LORD? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThey recognized not the workers of iniquity, who devour my people as one eats bread; and they called not upon the LORD. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated No workers of evil have awareness; they consume my people as eating bread, and they have not called upon LORD JEHOVAH. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Shall not all the workers of iniquity know it, Who eat up My people as they eat bread, And call not upon the LORD?' Brenton Septuagint Translation Will not all the workers of iniquity know, who eat up my people as they would eat bread? they have not called upon the Lord. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Fool Says There is No God…3All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. 5There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.… Cross References Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Isaiah 53:6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. Micah 3:2-3 You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” Jeremiah 10:25 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off; they have devastated his homeland. Isaiah 64:6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. Proverbs 30:14 there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men. Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’ 1 John 3:10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother. Isaiah 1:4 Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who act corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him. Ezekiel 22:27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain. Hosea 4:1-2 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! / Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Zephaniah 3:3-4 Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning. / Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law. Matthew 23:25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, / traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, Treasury of Scripture Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not on the LORD. Have Psalm 94:8,9 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? … Isaiah 5:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Isaiah 27:11 When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour. eat up Jeremiah 10:25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate. Amos 8:4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Micah 3:2,3 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; … and Psalm 79:6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. Job 21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? Job 27:10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? Jump to Previous Bread Consuming Devour Eat Eaten Evil Evildoers Food Iniquity Learn Prayer Wickedness Workers WorkingJump to Next Bread Consuming Devour Eat Eaten Evil Evildoers Food Iniquity Learn Prayer Wickedness Workers WorkingPsalm 14 1. David describes a natural man4. He convinces the wicked by the light of their conscience 7. He glories in the salvation of God Will the workers of iniquity never learn? This phrase questions the persistent ignorance and moral blindness of those who commit evil acts. In biblical context, "workers of iniquity" refers to individuals who actively engage in sinful behavior, often in defiance of God's laws. The rhetorical question implies a sense of frustration and disbelief at their continued rebellion. This theme is echoed in other scriptures, such as Proverbs 1:22, which speaks of fools who hate knowledge. The phrase suggests a moral and spiritual dullness, highlighting the need for divine intervention to open their eyes to truth. They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. Persons / Places / Events 1. Workers of IniquityThis term refers to those who commit evil acts and live in opposition to God's will. In the context of Psalm 14, they are characterized by their lack of understanding and their oppression of God's people. 2. My People This phrase refers to the people of God, often understood as the Israelites in the Old Testament context. They are depicted as victims of the wicked's actions. 3. The LORD The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who is the object of true worship and the one whom the wicked refuse to call upon. Teaching Points Understanding the Nature of WickednessThe "workers of iniquity" are characterized by their refusal to acknowledge God. This highlights the spiritual blindness that accompanies sin. The Consequences of Ignoring God The refusal to call upon the LORD leads to moral decay and societal harm, as seen in the devouring of God's people. The Importance of Calling on the LORD True wisdom and understanding begin with seeking God. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a life of prayer and dependence on Him. God's Care for His People Despite the oppression by the wicked, God is aware of the plight of His people and will ultimately bring justice. Living as God's People in a Fallen World Believers are called to stand firm in their faith and trust in God's deliverance, even when surrounded by those who reject Him.(4) Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?--i.e., are they so senseless as not to perceive the consequences of their wrong-doing? or if we point the verb as the LXX. and Vulg., "shall they not know?" i.e., they are sure to find out to what their wickedness is leading them. Who eat up.--Literally, eating my people, they have eaten bread; on Jehovah they have not called, which is usually explained, as in Authorised Version, "to devour God's people has been as usual and as regular as the daily meal." Another rendering is "whilst eating my people they have eaten bread, regardless of Jehovah," i.e., they have gone on in their security eating and drinking, with no thought of the vengeance preparing for them by the God of the oppressed race. Some, however, prefer to divide the two clauses, "Ah, they shall see--all the workers of iniquity who eat my people--they eat bread (i.e., live) regardless of Jehovah." This makes a better parallelism. A comparison with Micah 3:3-4, suggests that this verse of the psalm was a proverbial saying. (For the image, comp. Jeremiah 10:25; and Homer's "people-devouring kings.") Verse 4. - Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? The exclamation is put in the mouth of God. Can it be possible that none of these evil-doers is aware of the results of evil-doing? Do they think to escape Divine retribution? The "wonder expresses the magnitude of their folly" (Hengstenberg). Who eat up my people as they eat bread. Reducing men to poverty, robbing them, and devouring their substance, is called, in Scripture, devouring the men themselves (see Proverbs 30:14; Isaiah 3:14; Micah 3:3). Those who are plundered and despoiled are compared to "bread" in Numbers 14:2. The Homeric δημοβόρος βασιλεὺς, adduced by Dr. Kay, is an instance of the same metaphor. And call not upon the Lord. This might have seemed scarcely to need mention, since "how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" (Romans 10:14). But it connects them definitely with the atheists of ver. 1.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Will the workersפֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י (pō·‘ă·lê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise of iniquity אָ֥וֶן (’ā·wen) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 205: Strictly nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, an idol never הֲלֹ֥א (hă·lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no learn? יָדְעוּ֮ (yā·ḏə·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3045: To know They devour אֹכְלֵ֣י (’ō·ḵə·lê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 398: To eat my people עַ֭מִּי (‘am·mî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock [like] אָ֣כְלוּ (’ā·ḵə·lū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 398: To eat bread; לֶ֑חֶם (le·ḥem) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain they refuse לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to call upon קָרָֽאוּ׃ (qā·rā·’ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read the LORD. יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel Links Psalm 14:4 NIVPsalm 14:4 NLT Psalm 14:4 ESV Psalm 14:4 NASB Psalm 14:4 KJV Psalm 14:4 BibleApps.com Psalm 14:4 Biblia Paralela Psalm 14:4 Chinese Bible Psalm 14:4 French Bible Psalm 14:4 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 14:4 Have all the workers of iniquity no (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
    |