Psalm 127:3–4
The NET BibleOther versions
English
- NET The NET Bible
- DARBY 1890 Darby Bible
- ASV American Standard Version
- AV 1873 The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of the Authorized English Version
- CSB Christian Standard Bible
- D-R Douay-Rheims Bible
- ESV English Standard Version
- GW GOD’S WORD Translation
- GNB Good News Translation
- HCSB The Holman Christian Standard Bible
- KJV 1900 King James Version
- LSB Legacy Standard Bible
- LEB The Lexham English Bible
- MSG The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language
- NASB95 New American Standard Bible (1995)
- NCV New Century Version
- NIrV New International Reader’s Version (1998)
- NIV New International Version (2011)
- NKJV The New King James Version
- NLT New Living Translation
- NRSVue New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition
- RSV The Revised Standard Version
- RSVCE The Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition
- YLT Young’s Literal Translation
Arabic
Czech
French
German
Hebrew
Hungarian
Italian
Korean
Latin
Portuguese
Russian
Simplified Chinese
Spanish
Traditional Chinese
127:3Yes,6 sons7 are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
127:4Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand.8
Footnotes
- 6 or “look.”
- 7 Some prefer to translate this term with the gender neutral “children,” but “sons” are plainly in view here, as the following verses make clear. Daughters are certainly wonderful additions to a family, but in ancient Israelite culture sons were the “arrows” that gave a man security in his old age, for they could defend the family interests at the city gate, where the legal and economic issues of the community were settled.
- 8 Heb “like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so [are] sons of youth.” Arrows are used in combat to defend oneself against enemies; sons are viewed here as providing social security and protection (see v. 5). The phrase “sons of youth” is elliptical, meaning “sons [born during the father’s] youth.” Such sons will have grown up to be mature adults and will have children of their own by the time the father reaches old age and becomes vulnerable to enemies. Contrast the phrase “son of old age” in Gen 37:3 (see also 44:20), which refers to Jacob’s age when Joseph was born.
The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press
In other versions
ESVEnglish Standard Version
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
NIVNew International Version (2011)
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.
CSBChristian Standard Bible
Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
offspring, a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
NLTNew Living Translation
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
LEBThe Lexham English Bible
Look, children are the heritage of Yahweh;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
so are the children of one’s youth.
Copyright 2012 Lexham Press
KJV 1900King James Version
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:
And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;
So are children of the youth.
Public Domain