What Does Psalm 105:24 Mean in the King James?
And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The word translated “increased” carries the image of fruitfulness: the people bear life until their adversaries no longer set their measure.
THE MEANING
The verse presents increase as received fruitfulness: a people grows and becomes strong beyond the pressure of its adversaries. Their opposition does not determine how much life can take root and multiply.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The adversary gets the final say over how much life can grow.
THE ROOT
וַיֶּפֶר
wayyepher
GROWS FROM
פרה
p-r-h
To bear fruit, become fruitful, or multiply.
The verb translated “increased” evokes a people bearing fruit, not merely growing in number. English hides the image of living capacity that produces more life.
ALSO GROWS
peri: Fruit
פְּרִי
The related noun makes the verse’s increase concrete: the people’s growth is fruit borne.
parah: To bear fruit; to be fruitful
פָּרָה
This verbal form names the fruitful process carried by the word translated “increased.”
וַיַּעֲצִמֵהוּ
wayyaʿatzimehu
GROWS FROM
עצם
ʿ-tz-m
To grow strong, mighty, or numerous.
“made them stronger” in this verse is wayyaʿatzimehu. The verb is causative: he makes the people strong. Related forms include “mighty” and “bone,” letting strength suggest something substantial as well as powerful.
ALSO GROWS
atzum: Mighty, strong, or numerous
עָצוּם
This related form gathers the verse’s sense of strength and growing multitude.
etsem: Bone; substance or self
עֶצֶם
The related word for bone gives strength a tangible, bodily resonance: something with substance and staying power.
THE PATTERN
Life can multiply under pressure until the force opposing it no longer defines its measure.
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.THE THREAD
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.“Fruitful” comes from the same root as the word translated “increased” here. The root opens increase as generative life: what grows carries the capacity to bring forth more.
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