Psalms 80:12

Authorized King James Version

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Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

Original Language Analysis

לָ֭מָּה H4100
לָ֭מָּה
Strong's: H4100
Word #: 1 of 7
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
פָּרַ֣צְתָּ Why hast thou then broken down H6555
פָּרַ֣צְתָּ Why hast thou then broken down
Strong's: H6555
Word #: 2 of 7
to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)
גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ her hedges H1447
גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ her hedges
Strong's: H1447
Word #: 3 of 7
a circumvallation; by implication, an inclosure
וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ do pluck H717
וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ do pluck
Strong's: H717
Word #: 4 of 7
to pluck
כָּל H3605
כָּל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 5 of 7
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עֹ֥בְרֵי so that all they which pass H5674
עֹ֥בְרֵי so that all they which pass
Strong's: H5674
Word #: 6 of 7
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
דָֽרֶךְ׃ by the way H1870
דָֽרֶךְ׃ by the way
Strong's: H1870
Word #: 7 of 7
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

Analysis & Commentary

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? This pivotal question introduces the lament's crisis: inexplicable reversal of blessing into curse. "Why?" (lamah, לָמָּה) challenges God for explanation. The question isn't rhetorical but genuine theological wrestling: if You carefully planted, cultivated, and blessed this vine to maximum fruitfulness, why destroy Your own work? The question assumes God is responsible for devastation, not merely permitting it—"thou hast broken down" (paratsta, פָּרַצְתָּ) uses active verb indicating God personally dismantled protections.

"Her hedges" (gedareyha, גְּדֵרֶיהָ) refers to stone walls or thorn hedges protecting vineyards from wild animals and thieves (Numbers 22:24; Isaiah 5:5; Micah 7:4). Ancient vineyards required protective enclosures; without them, crops would be destroyed. The hedge represents God's covenant protection—military defense, prophetic guidance, law's boundaries. By breaking down hedges, God has removed protections, exposing Israel to predators and passers-by. Isaiah 5:5 uses identical imagery describing God's judgment: "I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up."

"So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her" (ve'aruha kol-ovrey darek, וְאָרוּהָ כָּל־עֹבְרֵי דָרֶךְ) describes opportunistic pillaging. Arah (אָרָה) means to pluck, gather—anyone passing can casually steal fruit without consequences. This depicts Israel's vulnerability to any enemy—great empires and minor raiders alike exploit defenseless condition. The contrast with verses 8-11's description of comprehensive protection and flourishing makes current exposure all the more tragic.

Historical Context

The broken hedges describe Israel's historical experience of invasion and conquest. For northern kingdom, this began with Aramean raids under Hazael (2 Kings 10:32-33, 13:3-7), intensified under Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727 BC), and culminated in Assyrian destruction (722 BC). For Judah, Babylonian invasion (605-586 BC) removed final protections, exposing people to surrounding nations' predation. The question "why?" drove prophetic theology: God removed hedges because covenant violations made protection impossible (Deuteronomy 28:15-68), yet this explanation intensified the crisis—how can relationship be restored after such comprehensive judgment?

Questions for Reflection