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Psalm 29:1

"Sons of gods" and young rams

Hebrew: "Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of gods (bene elim), ascribe to the LORD glory and strength." The Greek and Latin have an extra line: "Bring to the Lord, sons of God; bring to the Lord young rams." The Vulgate title also adds "at the completion of the tabernacle."

Disputed addition: some witnesses include it, some do not

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ includes the disputed words · ✕ does not include them · ❝ quotes part of them · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
Hebrew
  1. The psalm as first composedPsalms composed over centuries (c. 10th–4th century BC; debated)
  2. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed
Greek
  1. Greek Psalter (library: Giguet's French)Old Greek c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Psalter
Latin
  1. Jerome's Gallican Psalter (Clementine Vulgate)c. AD 386–392, revised from the GreekTranslated from the Greek Psalter (Origen's Hexapla)
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

Every witness, in order

  1. Psalms composed over centuries (c. 10th–4th century BC; debated)

    The psalm as first composed

    – No copy survives

    No original survives. About forty Psalms manuscripts from Qumran, Masada and Nahal Hever (c. 2nd century BC – 1st century AD) are the oldest copies.

  2. c. AD 386–392, revised from the Greek

    Jerome's Gallican Psalter (Clementine Vulgate)

    ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Translated from the Greek Psalter (Origen's Hexapla)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Psalmus David, in consummatione tabernaculi. Afferte Domino, filii Dei, afferte Domino filios arietum.

    Latin numbering: Psalm 28:1. Jerome revised this Latin Psalter from the Greek, so it is a witness to the Greek, not to the Hebrew.

  3. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Descends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לֽ͏ַ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃

    A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of gods (bene elim), ascribe to the LORD glory and strength

    Hebrew numbering: Psalm 29:1.

  4. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    A Psalm of David. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

  5. Old Greek c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

    Greek Psalter (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Translated from the Old Greek Psalter

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    Apportez au Seigneur, enfants de Dieu, apportez au Seigneur les petits des béliers.

    Greek numbering: Psalm 28:1. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text; not checked against Rahlfs' critical edition.

What changed, and why

The word elim can be "gods" or, with different vowels, eilim, "rams." The Greek seems to translate it both ways: once as "sons of God," once as "young of rams." Double translations of this kind are a known habit of the Greek translators where a word was ambiguous.

The title addition "in consummatione tabernaculi" (Greek exodiou skēnēs) may refer to the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the psalm was sung. Giguet's French follows a Greek text without the titles, so the extra line is visible there but not the title.

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documentedThe Greek and Latin of 29:1 have an added line about young rams.
  • Strongly supportedThe added line is a double translation of elim.

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Psalm 29: The Voice of the LORD →"Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty (bene elim, 'sons of gods'), give unto the LORD glory and strength." Then a storm crosses the land: "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters… The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon… maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn… The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire… shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh." In his temple all cry "Glory!" "The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."