Psalms 78:63

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

American King James Version (AKJV)

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

American Standard Version (ASV)

Fire devoured their young men; And their virgins had no marriage-song.

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.

Webster's Revision

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

World English Bible

Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.

English Revised Version (ERV)

Fire devoured their young men; and their maidens had no marriage-song.

Clarke's Psalms 78:63 Bible Commentary

Their maidens were not given to marriage - הוללו hullalu, were not celebrated with marriage songs. It is considered a calamity in the east if a maiden arrives at the age of twelve years without being sought or given in marriage.

Barnes's Psalms 78:63 Bible Commentary

The fire consumed their young men - Fire here may be regarded as an image of destructive war, as in Numbers 21:28 : "For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab," etc. The idea here is, that the young people had been cut off in war.

And their maidens were not given to marriage - As the young people who would have entered into this relation were cut off in war. The margin here is praised; "The maidens were not praised." This is in accordance with the Hebrew. The idea is, "Their virgins were not praised in nuptial songs;" that is, there were no marriage celebrations; no songs such as were usually composed on such occasions in praise of those who were brides. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this much less accurately, and much less beautifully, were not lamented.