Psalms 109:13

109:13 May his descendants be cut off!

May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives!

Proverbs 10:7

10:7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the reputation of the wicked will rot.

Isaiah 14:20-22

14:20 You will not be buried with them,

because you destroyed your land

and killed your people.

The offspring of the wicked

will never be mentioned again.

14:21 Prepare to execute his sons

for the sins their ancestors have committed.

They must not rise up and take possession of the earth,

or fill the surface of the world with cities.” 10 

14:22 “I will rise up against them,”

says the Lord who commands armies.

“I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, 11 

including the offspring she produces,” 12 

says the Lord.


tn Or “offspring.”

sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.

tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”

sn “Memory” (זֵכֶר, zekher) and “name” are often paired as synonyms. “Memory” in this sense has to do with reputation, fame. One’s reputation will be good or bad by righteousness or wickedness respectively.

tn Heb “name.” The term “name” often functions as a metonymy of association for reputation (BDB 1028 s.v. שֵׁם 2.b).

tn The editors of BHS suggest a reading “will be cursed” to make a better parallelism, but the reading of the MT is more striking as a metaphor.

tn Heb “you will not be united with them in burial” (so NASB).

tn Or “the place of slaughter for.”

tn Heb “for the sin of their fathers.”

10 sn J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:320, n. 10) suggests that the garrison cities of the mighty empire are in view here.

11 tn Heb “I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant” (ASV, NAB, and NRSV all similar).

12 tn Heb “descendant and child.”