Psalms 109:9
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Original Language Analysis
יִֽהְיוּ
H1961
יִֽהְיוּ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 5
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
בָנָ֥יו
Let his children
H1121
בָנָ֥יו
Let his children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
2 of 5
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
Cross References
Exodus 22:24And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.Jeremiah 18:21Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.Lamentations 5:3We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern warfare routinely resulted in widowhood and orphanhood. David himself became fatherless when Jesse likely died during his fugitive years, and he made orphans and widows through legitimate warfare. But David never betrayed covenant loyalty—that distinction justifies this imprecation against covenant-breakers.
Questions for Reflection
- How do generational consequences of sin reflect both God's justice and the seriousness of covenant leadership?
- What does God's special protection of widows and orphans reveal about His character even in contexts of judgment?
- How should the reality of our actions affecting our families motivate holiness and faithfulness?
Analysis & Commentary
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow (יִהְיוּ־בָנָיו יְתוֹמִים וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אַלְמָנָה, yihyu-vanav yetomim ve'ishto almanah)—this verse intensifies the judgment to include generational consequences. The words יָתוֹם (yatom, "orphan") and אַלְמָנָה (almanah, "widow") denote the most vulnerable classes in Israelite society, those God specifically protects (Ex 22:22-24; Deut 10:18).
The irony is deliberate: the persecutor made others vulnerable; now his own family joins the ranks of the defenseless. Yet this isn't arbitrary cruelty—it reflects covenant curses in Deuteronomy 28:41 ("Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them") and the principle of intergenerational consequences (Ex 20:5). David isn't creating new punishments; he's invoking Torah-prescribed sanctions for covenant betrayal. Critically, God's special care for widows and orphans means even the enemy's family ultimately falls under divine providence—justice doesn't contradict mercy for the innocent.