Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Psalms 60:7 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 60:7	Strong Concordance	Gilead [01568] is mine, and Manasseh [04519] is mine; Ephraim [0669] also is the strength [04581] of mine head [07218]; Judah [03063] is my lawgiver [02710];
	King James	Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Gilead . . . and Manasseh--as large districts, east and west of Jordan, represent the whole land. divide . . . and mete out--means to have entire control over. Ephraim--denotes the military (Deu 33:17); and-- Judah--(the lawgiver, Gen 49:10), the civil power. Foreign nations are then presented as subdued.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Gilead . . . and Manasseh--as large districts, east and west of Jordan, represent the whole land.

divide . . . and mete out--means to have entire control over.

Ephraim--denotes the military (Deu 33:17); and--

Judah--(the lawgiver, Gen 49:10), the civil power. Foreign nations are then presented as subdued.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine - That is, My dominion or authority is extended over these regions - Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah. The idea here is substantially the same as in the former verse, that his dominion extended over the country on both sides of the Jordan; or that in the direction of east and west it embraced all that had been promised - "from the great sea to the river Euphrates." In verse 6, this idea is expressed by selecting two spots or towns as representatives of the whole country - Shechem on the west, and Succoth on the east; in this verse, the same idea is expressed by a reference to the two regions so situated - Gilead and Manasseh on the east, and Ephraim and Judah on the west. Gilead was on the east of the river Jordan, properly embracing the mountainous region south of the river Jabbok, Gen. 31:21-48; Sol 4:1. The word has sometimes, however, a wider signification, including the whole mountainous tract between the rivers Arnon and Bashan, and thus including the region occupied by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, Num 32:26, Num 32:29, Num 32:39. Hence, in this place, it is put for the region occupied by the tribes of Reuben and Gad. "Manasseh" refers to the district or region occupied by the half tribe of Manasseh, on the east of the Jordan. These two portions - Gilead and Manasseh - or, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh - would, therefore, embrace the whole of the land of promise, north and south, on the east of the Jordan. The limits of these regions to the east were properly the banks of the Euphrates; that is, the original promise would embrace this. David had gone to carry the boundaries of his country to those assigned limits Sa2 8:3, and he now says that he had completed that undertaking. Ephraim also - Ephraim and Judah were the principal tribes on the west of the Jordan, and they would well represent that part of Canaan. The idea is, that the whole of the promised land, east and west, was now under his control. There needed only the territory of Edom, on the south, to complete the conquest, and place the whole of the promised land under his dominion, Psa 60:8-9. Is the strength of my head - This means that Ephraim constituted his chief strength, or was that on which he mainly relied. It was that which protected him, as the helmet does the head; that on which his very life in battle depended. This honor is given to the tribe of Ephraim because it was one of the largest tribes, and because it was situated in the very center of the land. Judah is my lawgiver - This means that the tribe of Judah, by its position, its numbers, and the prominence given to it in the prophecies Gen 49:8-12, actually gave law to the nation. Its influence was felt in all the institutions of the land. The controlling influence went out from that tribe in the time of David; and its authority in this respect was recognized, perhaps partly in anticipation of what it had been said would be its importance in future times: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come." Gen 49:10.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine - That is, My dominion or authority is extended over these regions - Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah. The idea here is substantially the same as in the former verse, that his dominion extended over the country on both sides of the Jordan; or that in the direction of east and west it embraced all that had been promised - "from the great sea to the river Euphrates." In verse 6, this idea is expressed by selecting two spots or towns as representatives of the whole country - Shechem on the west, and Succoth on the east; in this verse, the same idea is expressed by a reference to the two regions so situated - Gilead and Manasseh on the east, and Ephraim and Judah on the west. Gilead was on the east of the river Jordan, properly embracing the mountainous region south of the river Jabbok, Gen. 31:21-48; Sol 4:1. The word has sometimes, however, a wider signification, including the whole mountainous tract between the rivers Arnon and Bashan, and thus including the region occupied by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, Num 32:26, Num 32:29, Num 32:39. Hence, in this place, it is put for the region occupied by the tribes of Reuben and Gad. "Manasseh" refers to the district or region occupied by the half tribe of Manasseh, on the east of the Jordan. These two portions - Gilead and Manasseh - or, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh - would, therefore, embrace the whole of the land of promise, north and south, on the east of the Jordan. The limits of these regions to the east were properly the banks of the Euphrates; that is, the original promise would embrace this. David had gone to carry the boundaries of his country to those assigned limits Sa2 8:3, and he now says that he had completed that undertaking.

Ephraim also - Ephraim and Judah were the principal tribes on the west of the Jordan, and they would well represent that part of Canaan. The idea is, that the whole of the promised land, east and west, was now under his control. There needed only the territory of Edom, on the south, to complete the conquest, and place the whole of the promised land under his dominion, Psa 60:8-9.

Is the strength of my head - This means that Ephraim constituted his chief strength, or was that on which he mainly relied. It was that which protected him, as the helmet does the head; that on which his very life in battle depended. This honor is given to the tribe of Ephraim because it was one of the largest tribes, and because it was situated in the very center of the land.

Judah is my lawgiver - This means that the tribe of Judah, by its position, its numbers, and the prominence given to it in the prophecies Gen 49:8-12, actually gave law to the nation. Its influence was felt in all the institutions of the land. The controlling influence went out from that tribe in the time of David; and its authority in this respect was recognized, perhaps partly in anticipation of what it had been said would be its importance in future times: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come." Gen 49:10.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Gilead - All the land beyond Jordan, which was possessed by Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh - The other half of that tribe within Jordan. The strength - A chief part of my strength, either to offend mine enemies, or to defend myself. For this tribe was very numerous, and valiant and rich. Law - giver - The chief seat of my throne and kingdom, and of the inferior throne of judgment, Psa 122:5.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Gilead is mine - This country was also beyond Jordan, and Manasseh and Ephraim are put for the tribes that formed the kingdom of Israel. All these, after the return from the captivity, formed but one people, the Jews and Israelites being united. The strength of mine head - It shall be the principal support of the new-found kingdom, when all distinctions shall be buried. Judah is my lawgiver - This tribe was chief of all those who returned from the captivity; and Zerubbabel, who was their leader, was chief of that tribe, and of the family of David. As this part of the Psalm appears to relate to the return of the captives from Babylon, and their repossession of their own land, the psalmist may refer, not only to the promises of their restoration, but also to the principal person under whose superintendence they returned.

Top

¹⁰ The sceptre [07626] shall not depart [05493] from Judah [03063], nor a lawgiver [02710] from between his feet [07272], until [03588] Shiloh [07886] come [0935]; and unto him shall the gathering [03349] of the people [05971] be.

¹⁷ His glory [01926] is like the firstling [01060] of his bullock [07794], and his horns [07161] are like the horns [07161] of unicorns [07214]: with them he shall push [05055] the people [05971] together [03162] to the ends [0657] of the earth [0776]: and they are the ten thousands [07233] of Ephraim [0669], and they are the thousands [0505] of Manasseh [04519].

⁸ Judah [03063], thou art he whom thy brethren [0251] shall praise [03034]: thy hand [03027] shall be in the neck [06203] of thine enemies [0341]; thy father's [01] children [01121] shall bow down [07812] before thee.
⁹ Judah [03063] is a lion's [0738] whelp [01482]: from the prey [02964], my son [01121], thou art gone up [05927]: he stooped down [03766], he couched [07257] as a lion [0738], and as an old lion [03833]; who shall rouse him up [06965]?
¹⁰ The sceptre [07626] shall not depart [05493] from Judah [03063], nor a lawgiver [02710] from between his feet [07272], until [03588] Shiloh [07886] come [0935]; and unto him shall the gathering [03349] of the people [05971] be.
¹¹ Binding [0631] his foal [05895] unto the vine [01612], and his ass's [0860] colt [01121] unto the choice vine [08321]; he washed [03526] his garments [03830] in wine [03196], and his clothes [05497] in the blood [01818] of grapes [06025]:
¹² His eyes [05869] shall be red [02447] with wine [03196], and his teeth [08127] white [03836] with milk [02461].

⁸ Moab [04124] is my washpot [05518] [07366]; over Edom [0123] will I cast out [07993] my shoe [05275]: Philistia [06429], triumph [07321] thou because of me.
⁹ Who will bring [02986] me into the strong [04692] city [05892]? who will lead [05148] me into Edom [0123]?

³ David [01732] smote [05221] also Hadadezer [01909], the son [01121] of Rehob [07340], king [04428] of Zobah [06678], as he went [03212] to recover [07725] his border [03027] at the river [05104] Euphrates [06578].

³⁹ And the children [01121] of Machir [04353] the son [01121] of Manasseh [04519] went [03212] to Gilead [01568], and took [03920] it, and dispossessed [03423] the Amorite [0567] which was in it.

²⁹ And Moses [04872] said [0559] unto them, If the children [01121] of Gad [01410] and the children [01121] of Reuben [07205] will pass with you over [05674] Jordan [03383], every man armed [02502] to battle [04421], before [06440] the LORD [03068], and the land [0776] shall be subdued [03533] before [06440] you; then ye shall give [05414] them the land [0776] of Gilead [01568] for a possession [0272]:

²⁶ Our little ones [02945], our wives [0802], our flocks [04735], and all our cattle [0929], shall be there in the cities [05892] of Gilead [01568]:

¹ Behold, thou art fair [03303], my love [07474]; behold, thou art fair [03303]; thou hast doves [03123]' eyes [05869] within [01157] thy locks [06777]: thy hair [08181] is as a flock [05739] of goats [05795], that appear [01570] from mount [02022] Gilead [01568].

⁵ For there are set [03427] thrones [03678] of judgment [04941], the thrones [03678] of the house [01004] of David [01732].