Psalms 83:5-9

83:5 Yes, they devise a unified strategy;

they form an alliance against you.

83:6 It includes the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites,

83:7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,

Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.

83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,

lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. (Selah)

83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian

as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River! 10 


tn Or “for.”

tn Heb “they consult [with] a heart together.”

tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

tn The words “it includes” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

sn The Hagrites are also mentioned in 1 Chr 5:10, 19-20.

sn Some identify Gebal with the Phoenician coastal city of Byblos (see Ezek 27:9, where the name is spelled differently), though others locate this site south of the Dead Sea (see BDB 148 s.v. גְּבַל; HALOT 174 s.v. גְּבַל).

map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.

tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.

tn Heb “do to them like Midian.”

10 sn The psalmist alludes here to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (see Judg 7-8) and to Barak’s victory over Jabin’s army, which was led by his general Sisera (Judg 4-5).