They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

  • KJV King James Version

    They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    They know not, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are moved.

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Cross-references (17)

Passages linked to Psalms 82:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • Psalms 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
  • Proverbs 2:13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness,
  • Micah 3:1 I said, “Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: Isn’t it for you to know justice?
  • Romans 1:28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
  • Psalms 14:4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh?
  • Proverbs 1:29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
  • John 12:35 Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.
  • 1 John 2:11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
  • Psalms 53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?
  • Psalms 75:3 The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars.
  • Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress.
  • Isaiah 59:9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn’t overtake us. We look for light, but see darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
  • John 3:19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
  • 2 Timothy 2:19 However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
  • Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
  • Ecclesiastes 3:16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

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Explain this verse (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 5 They know not, neither do they understand. After…

5 They know not, neither do they understand. After having reminded princes of their duty, the Psalmist complains that his admonition from their infatuation is ineffectual, and that they refuse to receive wholesome instruction; yea, that although the whole world is shaken to its foundations, they, notwithstanding, continue thoughtless and secure in the neglect of their duty. He chiefly reprobates and condemns their madness as manifested in this, that although they see heaven and earth involved in confusion, they are no more affected at the sight than if the care of the interests of mankind did not belong to them, of which they are, notwithstanding, in an especial manner the chosen and appointed conservators. I have stated a little before, that what chiefly deprives them of understanding is, that, being dazzled with their own splendor, and perversely shaking off every yoke, no religious considerations have the effect of inclining them to moderation. All sound knowledge and wisdom must commence with yielding to God the honor which is his due, and submitting to be restrained and governed by his word. The last clause of the verse, Although all the foundations of the earth are moved, is almost universally understood by interpreters in a different sense from that in which I have rendered it. They explain it as implying, that of all the calamities in the world the greatest is when princes neglect to execute the duties of their office; for it is the observance and prevalence of justice which constitutes the foundation on which the fabric of human society rests. Thus the sense, according to them, is, that the world is undermined and overthrown by the unjust tyranny of princes. I am far from rejecting this interpretation; but, as I have already hinted, I am more inclined to think, that we have here condemned the monstrous stupidity of judges, who can remain indifferent and unmoved in beholding the horrible confusion of civil society, yea even the very earth shaken to its foundations.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That is, all things are out of order either…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 82:5 They know not, neither will they understand;…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain They, the magistrates, of whom this Psalm treats,
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain They knew not,.... The Targum adds, to do well.…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain They - The magistrates of whom this psalm treats.…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. They know not] The judges are not…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 82:5. They know not — That is, the…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain They know not, neither will they understand - This…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. They know not— “The judges are ignorant of…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. God is still the speaker; but instead of…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (5) Here we imagine a pause, that interval between…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain They know not, neither will they understand. Scarcely "an…
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 5. They know not, neither will they understand.…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain All the foundations of the earth are out of…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 They neither
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 82:5 The unjust oppressors cannot bring or restore order.…

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