Psalm 50:18
New International Version
When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.

New Living Translation
When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers.

English Standard Version
If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.

Berean Standard Bible
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.

King James Bible
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

New King James Version
When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.

New American Standard Bible
“When you see a thief, you become friends with him, And you associate with adulterers.

NASB 1995
“When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers.

NASB 1977
“When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers.

Legacy Standard Bible
When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers.

Amplified Bible
“When you see a thief, you are pleased with him and condone his behavior, And you associate with adulterers.

Christian Standard Bible
When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers.

American Standard Version
When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, And hast been partaker with adulterers.

Contemporary English Version
You made friends with every crook you met, and you liked people who break their wedding vows.

English Revised Version
When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When you see a thief, you want to make friends with him. You keep company with people who commit adultery.

Good News Translation
You become the friend of every thief you see, and you associate with adulterers.

International Standard Version
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and you keep company with adulterers.

Majority Standard Bible
When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.

NET Bible
When you see a thief, you join him; you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.

New Heart English Bible
When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.

Webster's Bible Translation
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

World English Bible
When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
If you have seen a thief, "" Then you are pleased with him, "" And your portion [is] with adulterers.

Young's Literal Translation
If thou hast seen a thief, Then thou art pleased with him, And with adulterers is thy portion.

Smith's Literal Translation
If thou sawest a thief, and thou wilt run with him, and thy portion with those committing adultery.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you have placed your portion with adulterers.

New American Bible
If you see a thief, you run with him; with adulterers you throw in your lot.

New Revised Standard Version
You make friends with a thief when you see one, and you keep company with adulterers.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
When you saw a thief, you joined with him, and you have been a partaker with adulterers.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If you have seen a thief, you have run with him and you have put your lot with the adulterer.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
When thou sawest a thief, thou hadst company with him, And with adulterers was thy portion.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If thou sawest a thief, thou rannest along with him, and hast cast in thy lot with adulterers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Mighty One Calls
17For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you. 18When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers. 19You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit.…

Cross References
Proverbs 1:10-19
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. / If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, / let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. ...

Romans 1:32
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

Proverbs 24:1-2
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; / for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

Isaiah 1:23
Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

Jeremiah 7:9-10
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?

Hosea 7:1-2
When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets. / But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.

Micah 7:3
Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.

Matthew 23:28
In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. / I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. / But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Proverbs 28:4
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.

Isaiah 5:23
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

Jeremiah 5:26-28
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men. / Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich. / They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.

Ezekiel 22:12
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

Amos 3:10
“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”


Treasury of Scripture

When you saw a thief, then you consented with him, and have been partaker with adulterers.

consentedst

Proverbs 1:10-19
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not…

Isaiah 5:23
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Micah 7:3
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

hast been partaker [heb.

Leviticus 7:19-23
And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof…

Jeremiah 5:8,9
They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife…

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

partaker

Matthew 23:30
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

1 Timothy 5:22
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Jump to Previous
Adulterers Agreement Associate Company Consented Friend Hadst Join Joined Lot Partaker Participated Pleased Pleasure Portion Sawest Thief Throw Wives
Jump to Next
Adulterers Agreement Associate Company Consented Friend Hadst Join Joined Lot Partaker Participated Pleased Pleasure Portion Sawest Thief Throw Wives
Psalm 50
1. The majesty of God in the church
5. His order to gather his saints
7. The pleasure of God is not in ceremonies
14. but in sincerity of obedience














When you see a thief, you befriend him
This phrase highlights the moral decline and hypocrisy among those who claim to follow God. In biblical context, theft is explicitly condemned in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:15). The act of befriending a thief suggests complicity and a departure from God's law. Historically, Israel was called to be a holy nation, set apart from the practices of surrounding pagan cultures, which often included theft and corruption. This behavior reflects a failure to uphold the covenant relationship with God. Theologically, it underscores the importance of choosing righteous associations, as seen in Proverbs 1:10-15, which warns against consenting to sinners.

and throw in your lot with adulterers
Adultery is another sin explicitly condemned in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14). In ancient Israel, adultery was not only a personal sin but also a social and covenantal violation, as marriage was a reflection of God's covenant with His people. The phrase "throw in your lot" implies active participation and agreement with sinful behavior. Culturally, this reflects a society that has strayed from its foundational values. The prophetic books often use adultery metaphorically to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to God (e.g., Hosea 3:1). In the New Testament, Jesus expands the understanding of adultery to include even lustful thoughts (Matthew 5:27-28), emphasizing the need for inner purity. This phrase challenges believers to examine their associations and the influence of their companions, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:33, which warns that bad company corrupts good character.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Thief
Represents those who engage in stealing, violating the commandment against theft. In the context of this Psalm, it symbolizes sinful behavior that is condoned or ignored by the observer.

2. Adulterers
Individuals who engage in sexual immorality, specifically violating the covenant of marriage. This term is used to highlight moral and spiritual unfaithfulness.

3. God as Judge
The overarching theme of Psalm 50 is God’s role as the righteous judge who calls His people to account for their actions and attitudes.

4. Israel
The primary audience of the Psalm, representing God’s chosen people who are being admonished for their hypocrisy and failure to live according to His laws.

5. Asaph
The author of the Psalm, a Levite and one of the leaders of David’s choir, who often wrote about themes of justice and righteousness.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Complicity
Associating with those who commit sin can lead to a gradual acceptance and participation in their actions. Believers must be vigilant about the company they keep.

Moral Integrity
Upholding God’s commandments requires not only personal adherence but also a commitment to not condone or support sinful behavior in others.

Spiritual Accountability
God sees beyond outward appearances and judges the heart. We are accountable for our associations and the influence they have on our spiritual walk.

Repentance and Restoration
God’s call to His people is not just to recognize sin but to turn away from it and seek restoration through repentance.

Witness to the World
As Christians, our lives should reflect God’s holiness, serving as a witness to those around us rather than conforming to worldly standards.(18) Thou consentedst with him--i.e., hast pleasure in. (Comp. Job 34:9.)

Verse 18. - When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst unto him. God tests his professed, but really disobedient, servants by the second table of the Decalogue, and finds them wanting. If they do not themselves actually rob, they give their consent, they become accessories before the fact, to robbery. They probably participate in the gains. And hast been partaker with adulterers; rather, and with adulterers is thy portion; i.e. thou hast thrown in thy lot with them, hast adopted their principles, hast set at nought the seventh no less than the eighth commandment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you see
רָאִ֣יתָ (rā·’î·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

a thief,
גַ֭נָּב (ḡan·nāḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1590: A stealer

you befriend
וַתִּ֣רֶץ (wat·ti·reṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7521: To be pleased with, to satisfy a, debt

him,
עִמּ֑וֹ (‘im·mōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

and throw in your lot
חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃ (ḥel·qe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2506: Portion, tract, territory

with
וְעִ֖ם (wə·‘im)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

adulterers.
מְנָאֲפִ֣ים (mə·nā·’ă·p̄îm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5003: To commit adultery, to apostatize


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OT Poetry: Psalm 50:18 When you saw a thief you consented (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 50:17
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