83:7 Gebal, 1 Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre. 2
83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. 3 (Selah)
83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian 4 –
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River! 5
1 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).
2 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
3 tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.
4 tn Heb “do to them like Midian.”
5 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).