Psalm 74:5
New International Version
They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees.

New Living Translation
They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest.

English Standard Version
They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.

Berean Standard Bible
like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

King James Bible
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

New King James Version
They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.

New American Standard Bible
It seems like one bringing up His axe into a forest of trees.

NASB 1995
It seems as if one had lifted up His axe in a forest of trees.

NASB 1977
It seems as if one had lifted up His axe in a forest of trees.

Legacy Standard Bible
Each seems like one who lifts up An axe against the undergrowth of trees.

Amplified Bible
It seems as if one had lifted up An axe in a forest of trees [to set a record of destruction].

Christian Standard Bible
It was like men in a thicket of trees, wielding axes,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It was like men in a thicket of trees, wielding axes,

American Standard Version
They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees.

Contemporary English Version
It looks like a forest chopped to pieces.

English Revised Version
They seemed as men that lifted up axes upon a thicket of trees.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Starting from its entrance, they hacked away like a woodcutter in a forest.

Good News Translation
They looked like woodsmen cutting down trees with their axes.

International Standard Version
As one blazes a trail through a forest with an ax,

Majority Standard Bible
like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

NET Bible
They invade like lumberjacks swinging their axes in a thick forest.

New Heart English Bible
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.

Webster's Bible Translation
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

World English Bible
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He is known as one bringing in on high "" Against a thicket of wood—axes.

Young's Literal Translation
He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood -- axes.

Smith's Literal Translation
It will be known according to bringing the axes upwards upon the thicket of wood.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
and they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,

Catholic Public Domain Version
as if it had been issued from on high; yet they did not understand. As in a forest of chopped wood,

New American Bible
They hacked away like a forester gathering boughs, swinging his ax in a thicket of trees.

New Revised Standard Version
At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thou knowest this as the exalted one who sits on high: they have hewn down the doors with axes as they would cut the trees of the forest.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you know as The Exalted One above.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
It seemed as when men wield upwards Axes in a thicket of trees.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
ignorantly as it were in the entrance above;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?
4Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs, 5like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees 6and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.…

Cross References
Isaiah 10:15
Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it, or a staff lifting him who is not wood!

Jeremiah 46:22
Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees.

Ezekiel 31:18
Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”

Isaiah 14:8
Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: “Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.”

Isaiah 37:24
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.

2 Kings 19:23
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest outposts, the densest of its forests.

Isaiah 44:14
He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.

Ezekiel 31:3-5
Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds. / The waters made it grow; the deep springs made it tall, directing their streams all around its base and sending their channels to all the trees of the field. / Therefore it towered higher than all the trees of the field. Its branches multiplied, and its boughs grew long as it spread them out because of the abundant waters.

Isaiah 10:33-34
Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.

Isaiah 2:12-13
For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled— / against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan,

Matthew 3:10
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Luke 3:9
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Romans 11:17-21
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.


Treasury of Scripture

A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes on the thick trees.

1 Kings 5:6
Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

2 Chronicles 2:14
The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

Jeremiah 46:22,23
The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood…

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Axe Axes Behaved Blade Cutting Entrance Famous Forest High Lifted Seemed Seems Thick Thicket Trees Upper Upwards Wield Wielding Wood Wooden
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Psalm 74
1. The prophet complains of the desolation of the sanctuary
10. He moves God to help in consideration of his power
18. Of his reproachful enemies, or his children and of his covenant.














They have smashed all the carved paneling
They have smashed
The phrase "they have smashed" indicates a violent and deliberate act of destruction. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "שָׁבַר" (shabar), which means to break or shatter. This word conveys not just physical destruction but also a sense of violation and desecration. Historically, this reflects the actions of invading forces who would often destroy sacred objects to demonstrate their power and to demoralize the conquered people. In a spiritual sense, this can be seen as an attack on the sanctity and holiness of God's dwelling place, symbolizing the broader spiritual warfare against God's people.

all the carved paneling
The "carved paneling" refers to the intricate and artistic woodwork that adorned the temple. In Hebrew, the word "פִּתּוּחַ" (pittuach) is used, which denotes engraved or carved work. This craftsmanship was not merely decorative but held significant religious and cultural value, representing the beauty and glory of God's house. The destruction of such detailed work signifies a deep loss, not only of physical beauty but also of cultural and spiritual heritage. Archaeologically, remnants of such craftsmanship have been found in ancient Near Eastern temples, underscoring their importance in religious architecture. Scripturally, this act of destruction can be seen as an affront to God Himself, as the temple was His dwelling place among His people. Theologically, it serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of earthly structures and the need for a faith that is rooted in the eternal and unshakeable presence of God.

(5) The Authorised Version, with the ancient versions, has entirely mistaken the meaning of this verse, though, unlike the LXX. and Vulgate, it has the merit of being intelligible. Literally the words run, he (or it) is known like one causing to come in on high against the thicket of trees axes, which is generally understood, it seems as if men were lifting up axes against a thicket of trees. The ruthless destroyers go to work like woodcutters in a forest--the carved pillars are no more than so many trees to fell. But though this is intelligible, it does not read like Hebrew, and the contrast apparently intended between the signs of the heathen and the signs of Israel in Psalm 74:9 is not preserved. If, with the LXX., we read the verb in the plural, are known instead of is known, and supply the subject from the last clause, we get this contrast clearly brought out:

"They have set up their idols as signs,

They (these signs) are known in the lifting up on high."

"These visible idols are easily seen and recognised as soon as set up, but (Psalm 74:9) we see not our signs."

According as . . .--We have now, as so frequently, to supply the sign of comparison, and this clause with the next verse runs plainly enough--

"As in a thicket of trees with axes,

So now they break down all the carved work thereof with

axes and hammers." . . .

Verse 5. - A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees; rather, they seemed as men that plied aloft hatchets in a thicket of trees (so Kay, Canon Cook, Professor Cheyne, and the Revised Version); i.e. they plied their hatchets with as little reverence as if they had been hewing timber in a copse of wood.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
like men
יִ֭וָּדַע (yiw·wā·ḏa‘)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

wielding
כְּמֵבִ֣יא (kə·mê·ḇî)
Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

axes,
קַרְדֻּמּֽוֹת׃ (qar·dum·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 7134: An axe

in a thicket
בִּֽסֲבָךְ־ (bi·să·ḇāḵ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5442: A thicket

of trees,
עֵ֝֗ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood


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OT Poetry: Psalm 74:5 They behaved like men wielding axes cutting (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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