Psalms 29:7

29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes ¹  with flaming fire. ² 

Psalms 78:63

78:63 Fire consumed their ³  young men,

and their ⁴  virgins remained unmarried. ⁵ 

Psalms 106:18

106:18 Fire burned their group;

the flames scorched the wicked. ⁶ 

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¹ tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the Lord’s shout is accompanied by “flames of fire,” that is, lightning bolts.

² sn The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire. The short line has invited textual emendation, but its distinct, brief form may highlight the statement, which serves as the axis of a chiastic structure encompassing vv. 5-9: (A) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 5); (B) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 6); (C) the Lord’s shout is accompanied by destructive lightning (v. 7); (B´) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 8); (A´) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 9).

³ tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).

⁴ tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).

⁵ tn Heb “were not praised,” that is, in wedding songs. The young men died in masses, leaving no husbands for the young women.

⁶ sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.