Psalms 83:6-8 · Bible study
Psalms 83:6-8 Commentary: The Confederate Nations
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegesis of the ten nations allied against Israel in Psalm 83, examining their identity and the historical alliance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A catalogue of ten neighboring peoples who formed a coalition to destroy Israel, with Moab and Ammon as the instigators.
- Key words: “tents” (dwellings or nomadic tribes); “helped” (Hebrew: “been an arm to”, strong support).
- Main debate: Whether the psalm refers specifically to Jehoshaphat’s war (2 Chronicles 20) or to a later Maccabean setting; whether Gebal is Edomite or Phoenician.
- Theological theme: God’s people face coordinated hostility, but the enemy’s real fight is against God himself, making prayer the appropriate response.
- Best use: A model of honest, detailed lament that names the threat and turns to God as the only deliverer.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,
7of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
8Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah
WEB World English Bible 2000
6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
KJV King James Version 1769
6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre:
8Assyria also is joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. [Selah
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
6Tents of Edom, and Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Hagarenes,
7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with inhabitants of Tyre,
8Asshur also is joined with them, They have been an arm to sons of Lot. Selah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagarites;
7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Asshur also is joined with them: they are an arm to the sons of Lot. Selah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
6Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,
7In the vale of tears, in the place which he hath set.
8For the lawgiver shall give a blessing, they shall go from virtue to virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the psalmist here lists the ten nations encircling Israel who have formed a coalition to destroy God’s people. Calvin, Barnes, and Keil & Delitzsch all note that the core conspirators are Moab and Ammon, the children of Lot, who have enlisted surrounding peoples. The list moves geographically: from Edom and the Ishmaelites in the southeast, through Moab, the Hagrites, and Gebal east of the Dead Sea, to Philistia and Tyre on the western coast, with Assyria as a distant auxiliary. The expression “they have helped the children of Lot” (v.8) identifies the Moabites and Ammonites as the instigators, supported by the others. Most scholars link this confederacy to the invasion described in 2 Chronicles 20, during King Jehoshaphat’s reign, though some allow a later setting. The overall consensus is that the psalmist records a real, historical conspiracy that threatened Israel’s existence, and that the large number of enemies underscores the gravity of the crisis that drove the psalmist to earnest prayer.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage lists ten specific neighboring nations that united against Israel under the leadership of Moab and Ammon, as part of a larger prayer for deliverance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical setting | The psalm describes a coalition of neighboring nations against Israel, likely tied to a real invasion (cf. 2 Chronicles 20). | Some (Calvin, many traditional scholars) specify Jehoshaphat’s reign; others (Cheyne, some critical scholars) suggest the Maccabean era, arguing that Assyria in v.8 refers to Syria/Persia. |
| Identification of Gebal | Gebal is part of the Edomite region, south of the Dead Sea. | The Cambridge Bible identifies it with the mountainous area of Edom (Gebalene), while Gill equates it with the Phoenician Byblos; Keil and Delitzsch side with the Edomite location. |
| Identity of the Hagrites | They are a tribe living east of Gilead, often associated with the Ishmaelites. | Some (Gill) trace them through Hagar, Abraham’s handmaid; others (Barnes) simply note they were Arabian desert dwellers; Joshua 13:5 may or may not connect them to the Gibeonites. |
| Prayer for judgment | The psalm asks God to act decisively against those who threaten his people. | Some Christians view imprecatory prayers as inspired but limited to the Old Testament; others see them as models for crying out for justice, while still others emphasize praying for enemies (Matthew 5:44) alongside such laments. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 83 is a community lament traditionally attributed to Asaph, and most commentators, Calvin, Barnes, the Cambridge Bible, place its composition during the period of King Jehoshaphat (circa 870 BC). The key historical parallel is 2 Chronicles 20, where Moab, Ammon, and the Meunites (possibly the Hagrites) march against Judah. The psalm’s list expands that alliance to include nearly every neighboring people.
Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea, descended from Esau. The Ishmaelites were desert nomads, descendants of Ishmael, ranging from Egypt to Assyria (Genesis 25:18). Moab and Ammon, the “children of Lot,” lived east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan respectively; they were perennial foes of Israel. The Hagrites (or Hagarenes) dwelt east of Gilead (1 Chronicles 5:10). Gebal, as the Cambridge Bible and Keil note, is not the Phoenician Byblos but the mountainous region in Edom (Gebalene). Amalek, from the Negev, had been an enemy since the Exodus. Philistia and Tyre represent the Mediterranean coast; the Philistines were long-standing adversaries, while Tyre was a Phoenician city-state. Finally, Assyria, the great northeastern power, appears here not as a primary aggressor but as a hired auxiliary to strengthen the Moabite-led coalition.
The mention of “tents” (v.6) reflects the nomadic lifestyle of the Ishmaelites and others, though Barnes points out that “tents” became a general term for dwellings. The alliance was remarkably broad, surrounding Israel on every side. The Selah after verse 8 signals a musical pause, emphasizing the ominous completeness of the confederacy and transitioning to the petition for divine intervention.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for these verses. The differences across English translations (e.g., “Hagarenes” vs. “Hagrites,” “Assur” vs. “Assyria”) simply reflect translation choices for the same Hebrew terms. The spelling of Gebal is consistent, though one English version (BSB) uses “people of Tyre” instead of “inhabitants of Tyre.” No manuscript evidence suggests any alternative list of nations.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has often been used to illustrate the pattern of worldly opposition against God’s covenant people. Early Christian writers read the confederate nations as types of spiritual powers arrayed against the Church. During the Reformation, Calvin saw in the psalm a model for prayer in times when the Church is besieged by multiple enemies, both external and internal. In the medieval period, the list was sometimes allegorized, each nation representing a particular vice or heresy. More recently, the passage has been valued as a historical witness to the geopolitics of ancient Israel and as a reminder that lament and petition are biblical responses to overwhelming threats. Hymns based on Psalm 83 have been written to encourage believers facing persecution, trusting that God who judged Midian and Sisera will also deliver his people today.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The breadth of opposition. Ten nations formed a ring around Israel, representing every direction and every kind of threat. The people of God were outnumbered, surrounded, and targeted for annihilation (v.4).
- The Lord as the true target. The psalmist describes the coalition as “your enemies” (v.2). Their conspiracy against Israel is ultimately against God himself. The attack on the Church is an attack on Christ.
- Prayer as the first and most powerful response. The psalm does not begin with a battle plan but with a cry: “Keep not thou silence, O God” (v.1). Faced with overwhelming odds, the believers turned to the Lord who had delivered them in the past.
Five-point outline
- God seems silent. The opening verses plead with God to speak and act, a reminder that his silence does not mean indifference.
- The enemies’ goal. They sought to erase Israel’s name from history (v.4). The world’s hostility against God’s people targets their identity and existence.
- A broad coalition. From Edom to Assyria, ten groups united. Their diversity shows that opposition to God can unite unlikely allies.
- The hidden instigators. The children of Lot (Moab and Ammon) led the effort. Human pride and envy often drive the conflict.
- The Selah pause. The musical break after listing the enemies invites reflection: the danger is real, but God has not been caught off guard.
Illustration hooks
- A small business facing a hostile takeover by a consortium of competitors who normally fight each other, suddenly united to destroy a common target.
- A school child who finds that a clique of classmates from different groups has teamed up to exclude or bully her. The child feels surrounded and helpless, yet learns that one trusted adult can change everything.
- A local church that suddenly faces criticism from multiple directions, neighbors, media, online voices, all seeming to agree that it should not exist. The congregation feels like Israel in this psalm.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow his people to be threatened by so many enemies at once?
- Is it right to pray for God to judge our enemies as the psalmist does?
- How can we trust God when he seems silent in the face of overwhelming opposition?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 83 describes a moment when God’s people faced a coordinated threat from virtually every direction. The list of ten nations reminds us that the church has always faced opposition, but also that God’s people have always cried out to him for deliverance. As you work through the passage, pay attention to both the detailed description of the enemy and the faith that drives the prayer.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 83:1-8. What do you notice about the way the psalmist describes the opposition? Which words and phrases stand out?
- Why do you think the psalmist lists each nation by name? What does that level of detail communicate?
- The enemies “have lifted up the head” (v.2) and “conspired with one consent” (v.5). What does this say about human pride and the ability of ungodly groups to unite?
- Look at verse 4: “let us cut them off from being a nation.” What does the enemies’ goal tell us about the nature of the threat? How does that compare to pressures Christians face today?
- The psalmist calls these enemies “your enemies” (v.2), God’s enemies. How does that reframe the conflict for the believer? What comfort does it bring?
- Verse 8 ends with “Selah,” a pause. Why would the psalmist pause here before asking for judgment? What might that pause teach us about prayer?
- How does this passage challenge or encourage your own prayer life when you feel outnumbered or threatened?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 25:12 | Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. |
| Genesis 25:18 | They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives. |
| I Chronicles 5:10 | In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead. |
| I Chronicles 5:19 | They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab. |
| I Chronicles 5:20 | They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he answered them because they put their trust in him. |
| II Chronicles 20:1 | After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. |
| II Chronicles 20:10 | Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them, and didn’t destroy them; |
| II Chronicles 20:11 | behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies each nation in this confederacy with their known historical identities, from the tent-dwelling Ishmaelites to the Gibalite stone-squarers who helped build the temple. He notes that Ammon and Moab, descendants of Lot, likely instigated the alliance, while even former tributaries like the Philistines and Tyre joined against Jehoshaphat.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note identifies the specific nations that formed the confederacy against Israel: Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistines, Tyre, and Assyria. It highlights that these enemies joined with the children of Lot, meaning Moab and Ammon, giving them military support.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill traces each nation in the confederacy—Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagarenes, Gebalites, Ammon, Amalek, Philistines, Tyre, and Assyria—to their genealogical roots. He sees this ten-nation alliance as a prophetic type of the antichristian kings who will unite against the Lamb, surrounding God’s people on every side.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies that the tabernacles refer to dwellings for the people, not the sacred tent. The group described includes the Ammonites and Moabites, identified as united with the children of Lot, as confirmed by a parallel account.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observes that the psalmist arranges the hostile nations geographically, starting with those east and southeast of the Dead Sea, then the coastal nations, and finally Assyria as a distant reserve. This precise ordering highlights the coalition's scope and the careful structure behind the imprecations.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies the coalition in this Psalm with the alliance against Jehoshaphat, pointing out that Assyria appears as a minor auxiliary, not yet the great world-power it later became. The prayer's final aim is not mere destruction but an acknowledgment of Jehovah's exclusive divinity, leading the nations to seek His name.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that when God appears silent or neutral in His people's suffering, He is not indifferent but is giving them leave to call on Him. This seeming quiet is an invitation for urgent prayer, not a sign that God has abandoned them.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the "tabernacles" refers to the people living in them, not the tents themselves. He identifies the Ishmaelites as some of Ishmael's descendants and notes that Gebal was an Arabian people living in southern Canaan, while "of Lot" means Moab and Ammon.