Bible Strands
Psalms 107:17
Fools, in their rebellious ways, and through their iniquities, suffered affliction.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the community immediately after declaring God's power to break iron gates. The statement identifies a specific group whose rebellion triggered their present suffering.
The words — אֱוִלִים ('E.vi.lim) translates to "fools," and יִתְעַנּֽוּ (yit.'a.Nu) means "they were afflicted." These terms anchor the verse in a direct cause-and-effect structure.
The thread — The link between moral failure and suffering appears in Lam 3:39 and Prov 1:22, while Num 11:33 shows immediate judgment on rebellious appetite. The surrounding Ps 107:16 and Ps 107:18 frame this affliction as a stage before deliverance.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that personal iniquity produces tangible hardship. It requires the reader to trace present suffering back to specific choices rather than external circumstance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Cross-references
- Lamentations 3:39 Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins?
- Proverbs 1:22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Numbers 11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague.
- Numbers 21:5 and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”
- Psalms 14:1 For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.
- Psalms 38:1 A Psalm of David, for remembrance. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.
- Psalms 92:6 A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,
- Proverbs 7:7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
- Isaiah 57:17 I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.
- Isaiah 65:6 Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will pay it back into their laps,