Psalm 78:61
New International Version
He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy.

New Living Translation
He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured; he surrendered his glory into enemy hands.

English Standard Version
and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.

Berean Standard Bible
He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.

King James Bible
And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

New King James Version
And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy’s hand.

New American Standard Bible
And He gave up His strength to captivity And His glory into the hand of the enemy.

NASB 1995
And gave up His strength to captivity And His glory into the hand of the adversary.

NASB 1977
And gave up His strength to captivity, And His glory into the hand of the adversary.

Legacy Standard Bible
And gave up His strength to captivity And His beauty into the hand of the adversary.

Amplified Bible
And gave up His strength and power (the ark of the covenant) into captivity, And His glory into the hand of the enemy (the Philistines).

Christian Standard Bible
He gave up his strength to captivity and his splendor to the hand of a foe.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He gave up His strength to captivity and His splendor to the hand of a foe.

American Standard Version
And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the adversary's hand.

Contemporary English Version
He let enemies capture the sacred chest and let them dishonor him.

English Revised Version
And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He allowed his power to be taken captive and handed his glory over to an oppressor.

Good News Translation
He allowed our enemies to capture the Covenant Box, the symbol of his power and glory.

International Standard Version
Then he sent his might into captivity and his glory into the control of the adversary.

Majority Standard Bible
He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.

NET Bible
He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; he gave the symbol of his splendor into the hand of the enemy.

New Heart English Bible
and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary's hand.

Webster's Bible Translation
And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

World English Bible
and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He gives His strength to captivity, "" And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,

Young's Literal Translation
And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will give his strength to captivity, and his beauty into the hand of the enemy.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he delivered their strength into captivity: and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he delivered their virtue into captivity, and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.

New American Bible
He gave up his might into captivity, his glorious ark into the hands of the foe.

New Revised Standard Version
and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he delivered his people into captivity, and his glory into the oppressor's hand.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He gave his people to captivity and his glory into the hand of the oppressor.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the adversary's hand.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he gave their strength into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hand.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
60He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men. 61He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary. 62He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 4:11
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Jeremiah 7:12-14
But go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for My Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. / And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but you would not answer, / therefore what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears My Name, the house in which you trust, the place that I gave to you and your fathers.

1 Samuel 4:17-22
The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” / As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years. / Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her. ...

Lamentations 2:7
The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.

1 Samuel 5:1-2
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, / carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

Judges 18:30-31
The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. / So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.

2 Chronicles 36:17-19
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, / who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. / Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.

1 Samuel 6:1-2
When the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines seven months, / the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”

Jeremiah 52:13
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.

Ezekiel 7:20-22
His beautiful ornaments they transformed into pride and used them to fashion their vile images and detestable idols. Therefore I will make these into something unclean for them. / And I will hand these things over as plunder to foreigners and loot to the wicked of the earth, who will defile them. / I will turn My face away from them, and they will defile My treasured place. Violent men will enter it, and they will defile it.

1 Samuel 7:1-2
Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD. / And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mournfully sought the LORD.

Revelation 11:2
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

2 Kings 25:9
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.

Matthew 24:15
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),

Luke 21:20-24
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. / Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. / For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

his strength.

Psalm 132:8
Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

Judges 18:30
And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

1 Samuel 5:1,2
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod…

glory

Psalm 24:7
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Exodus 40:34
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

1 Samuel 4:21,22
And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband…

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Adversary Adversary's Ark Beauty Captivity Delivered Enemy Enemy's Foe Glory Hand Hands Hater Oppressor Power Prisoner Splendor Strength
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Adversary Adversary's Ark Beauty Captivity Delivered Enemy Enemy's Foe Glory Hand Hands Hater Oppressor Power Prisoner Splendor Strength
Psalm 78
1. An exhortation both to learn and to preach, the law of God
9. The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient
67. The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David.














He delivered
The phrase "He delivered" indicates an action taken by God, suggesting a deliberate decision. In the Hebrew text, the word used is "וַיִּתֵּן" (vayitten), which means "and He gave" or "and He delivered." This implies a sovereign act of God, emphasizing His control over the situation. It is a reminder that nothing happens outside of God's will, and even in times of judgment, His purposes are being fulfilled. This can be seen as a call to trust in God's ultimate plan, even when circumstances seem dire.

His strength
refers to the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolized God's presence and power among the Israelites. The Hebrew word "עֻזּוֹ" (uzzo) is used here, meaning "His strength" or "His might." The Ark was central to Israel's worship and identity, representing God's covenant with His people. Its capture by the Philistines, as described in 1 Samuel 4, was a devastating event for Israel, symbolizing a loss of divine favor and protection. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of maintaining a faithful relationship with God.

into captivity
signifies the physical and spiritual consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. The Hebrew word "לַשֶּׁבִי" (lashevi) means "to captivity" or "to exile." The capture of the Ark by the Philistines was not just a military defeat but also a spiritual crisis, as it represented the departure of God's presence from Israel. This event foreshadows the later Babylonian exile, where the Israelites would again experience the consequences of turning away from God. It underscores the theme of divine discipline and the need for repentance and restoration.

His glory into the hand of the adversary
The phrase "His glory" refers to the honor and majesty of God, which was embodied in the Ark of the Covenant. The Hebrew word "תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ" (tifarto) means "His glory" or "His splendor." The Ark was not just a religious artifact but a tangible representation of God's glory dwelling among His people. Its capture signified a profound loss, as the glory of God was seemingly handed over to the enemies of Israel. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring God's presence and the consequences of taking His glory for granted.

into the hand of the adversary
highlights the role of the Philistines as instruments of God's judgment. The Hebrew word "צָר" (tsar) means "adversary" or "enemy." The Philistines were long-standing enemies of Israel, and their victory in capturing the Ark was a moment of triumph for them. However, it also demonstrates that God can use even His people's enemies to accomplish His purposes. This phrase encourages believers to recognize that God is sovereign over all nations and that He can use any situation to bring about His divine will.

Verse 61. - And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. God's "strength" and "glory" is the ark of the covenant (compare the expression in 1 Samuel 4:21, 22, "The glory is departed from Israel"). (For the capture and "captivity" of the ark, see 1 Samuel 4:17, and 5, 6.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He delivered
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן (way·yit·tên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

His strength
עֻזּ֑וֹ (‘uz·zōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5797: Strength, might

to captivity,
לַשְּׁבִ֣י (laš·šə·ḇî)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7628: Exiled, captured, exile, booty

and His splendor
וְֽתִפְאַרְתּ֥וֹ (wə·ṯip̄·’ar·tōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8597: Beauty, glory

to the hand
בְיַד־ (ḇə·yaḏ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the adversary.
צָֽר׃ (ṣār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent


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OT Poetry: Psalm 78:61 And delivered his strength into captivity his (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 78:60
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