78:64 Their 1 priests fell by the sword,
but their 2 widows did not weep. 3
94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land,
and they murder the fatherless. 4
109:9 May his children 5 be fatherless,
and his wife a widow!
1 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
2 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
3 sn Because of the invading army and the ensuing panic, the priests’ widows had no time to carry out the normal mourning rites.
4 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
7 tn Or “sons.”