Psalms 107:10

They sat in utter darkness, ¹  bound in painful iron chains, ² 

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,

There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains,

Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, miserable prisoners in chains.

Some of you were locked in a dark cell, cruelly confined behind bars,

Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron;

Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons,

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons––

They sat in utter darkness, ¹  bound in painful iron chains, ² 

¹ tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).

² tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.