Psalms 94:11

“YHWH knows the thoughts of human beings, that they are vapor.”
Psalms 94:11 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

YHWHיְהוָהknowsיֹדֵעַthe thoughtsמַחְשְׁבוֹתof human beings,אָדָםthatכִּיtheyהֵמָּהare vapor.הָבֶל

Quotation · 1 Corinthians 3:20

Go to 1 Corinthians 3:20

Where the psalm says “the thoughts of human beings,” Paul says “the reasonings of the wise.”

Formula: καὶ πάλιν “and again” (1 Corinthians 3:20)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: καὶ πάλιν Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν σοφῶν ὅτι εἰσὶν μάταιοι

Hebrew (Masoretic text): יְהוָה יֹדֵעַ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָדָם כִּי הֵמָּה הָבֶל

Septuagint (Psalms 93:11 in the Septuagint numbering): Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅτι εἰσὶν μάταιοι.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 5 consecutive words: “Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Psalms 94:11, word by word

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

knowsיֹדֵעַyodea

know

To know something, realize.

Where else “yodea” appears

the thoughtsמַחְשְׁבוֹתmachshvot

thought

What one has in mind and intends.

Where else “machshvot” appears

of human beingsאָדָםadam

human being

All humankind, men and women, as creatures God formed.

Where else “adam” appears

are vaporהָבֶלhavel

vapor

A breath that passes and does not last; that brief is everything.

Where else “havel” appears

Translation note

Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 3:20.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · 1 Corinthians 3:20

Where the psalm says “the thoughts of human beings,” Paul says “the reasonings of the wise.”

See them side by side

Psalms 94:11

¹¹YHWH knows the thoughts of human beings, that they are vapor.

1 Corinthians 3:20

²⁰and again: The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile.

The context

10He who corrects nations, does he not reprove? he who teaches human beings knowledge!

11 · This verse (above)

12Happy is the man whom you correct, Yah, and from your instruction you teach him,

Read all of Psalms 94

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