Psalms 109:18

109:18 He made cursing a way of life, ¹ 

so curses poured into his stomach like water

and seeped into his bones like oil. ² 

Acts 1:18

1:18 (Now this man Judas ³  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ⁴  and falling headfirst ⁵  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ⁶  gushed out.

[109:18]  ¹ tn Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”

[109:18]  ² tn Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” to a conjunctive vav and interpret the prefixed verb as a jussive, “may it come!”

[1:18]  ³ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ⁵ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ⁶ tn Or “all his bowels.”