Bible Strands
Psalms 107:18
They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist describes a group of fools who, through rebellion and iniquity, have reached a point of severe physical and spiritual collapse. This description occurs immediately before their cry for help and God’s subsequent rescue.
The words — תְּתַעֵב (te.ta.'Ev) literally means "loathed," describing the complete rejection of sustenance. שַׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת (Sha.'a.rei Ma.vet) translates to "gates of death," marking the threshold of imminent demise.
The thread — The motif of approaching death’s threshold appears in Psalms 9:13 and Psalms 88:3, while Job 33:19 parallels the physical torment and bedridden distress that accompanies such near-death affliction.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that rebellion naturally progresses to total collapse, leaving only a desperate cry to God as the path to deliverance. It requires the reader to observe the sequence of sin, suffering, supplication, and rescue without minimizing the severity of the affliction.
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
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Cross-references
- Psalms 9:13 Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death,
- Psalms 88:3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.
- Job 33:19 A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
- Isaiah 38:10 I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”
- Job 38:17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?