King James Version

Psalms 68:16

Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 68:17.

לָ֤מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮teratsdunleapרָצַדverb, piel, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural, paragogic nun — “leap”, an unfinished actionH7520probably to look askant, i.e. (figuratively) be jealousleap.הָרִ֪יםharimhillהַרnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “hill”, the ordinary formH2022a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥יםgavnunimhighגַּבְנֹןnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “high”, the ordinary formH1386a hump or peak of hillshigh.הָהָ֗רhaharthe hillהַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the hill”, the ordinary formH2022a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.חָמַ֣דchamaddelightחָמַדverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “delight”, a completed actionH2530to delight inbeauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, ([idiom] great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).אֱלֹהִ֣יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹleshivtvoto dwellיָשַׁבpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to dwell”, the to-form of the verbH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…אַףafalsoאַףparticle, affirmation — “also”H637meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively thoughalso, [phrase] although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, [phrase] how much less (more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.יְ֝הוָ֗הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).יִשְׁכֹּ֥ןyishkonabideשָׁכַןverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “abide”, an unfinished actionH7931to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).לָנֶֽצַחlanetsachto alwayנֶצַחpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to alway”, the ordinary formH5331properly, a goal, i.e. the bright object at adistance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially), continually (i.e. to the most distant point of view)alway(-s), constantly, end, ([phrase] n-) ever(more), perpetual, strength, victory.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(68-17) Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? Yea, the LORD will dwell therein for ever.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever.

Young’s Literal Translation

Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever.

World English Bible

Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.

Darby Translation

Why do ye look with envy, ye many-peaked mountains, upon the mount that God hath desired for his abode? yea, Jehovah will dwell [there] for ever.

Douay-Rheims

Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(68-17) Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? Yea, the LORD will dwell therein for ever.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Wherefore do ye conceive evil , ye swelling mountains? this is the mountain which God has delighted to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἱνατί ὑπολαμβάνετε ὄρη τετυρωμένα; τὸ ὄρος ὃ εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς κατοικεῖν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος κατασκηνώσει εἰς τέλος.