Oaks or Deer?

The voice of the LORD twists the oaks[c] and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, Glory! Psalms 29:9 NIV



The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. Psalms 29 KJV



Lori Parsons asked me, “why is there such a drastic difference in translating Psalms 29:9?” It is obvious there is a difference on how to translate the noun in this first phrase in verse nine. The ESV translates it as a “deer” agreeing with the KJV, and the NLT translates it as the “twisting of the oaks”.



I have the view that context is the most important tool in solving Bible difficulties. First take the time to read Psalms 29. Psalms 29 is a description of a thunder storm beginning over the Mediterranean. If you have been on or near water when a storm breaks out you know how frightening it is. Water is a natural carrier of sound, so a scary storm is intensified over water. There is nothing that humbles a proud man quicker than a storm on the sea.

Starting in verse five, the storm moves in land. Growing up in the Midwest, I have survived at least a half dozen tornadoes, and through those encounters it is clear there are situations I have no control over. Only God can control the storm. Verses five through Nine is a description of God using a storm to display His strength and man's weakness. In Verse Six and eight he uses the illustration of land formations skipping or moving. I remember when I was young boy, lightening striking a cottonwood in my front yard. When lightening hits the ground, I can testify the ground does shake! In verse five, He describes the destruction of the cedars. Verse eight he describes the Lord's voice as thunder and lightening.

Back to my opinion that context matters most in matters of biblical difficulties. Both the twisting of Oaks (NIV) and Hinds (deer) to calve fit the overall context. If you have ever helped a rancher or owned livestock you know animals calve at the coming of storm. Also, if you would study the ASV, KJV, and ESV you can see how deer birthing fits. However, all translations agree on the last Phrase of verse nine. . His voice strips bare the forests. Because there is an agreement that the Lord is stripping the forest bare-the immediate context that makes the most sense is the twisting of the oaks.



In the Commentary Treasury of Scripture Knowledge it lists the Hebrew as ayyaloth, which can mean both writhing in labor or twisting. In Syriac, a dialect of Middle Aramaic, it is clear it should be translated as twisting of oak. The NET Study Bible Environment sums it up well when it states; "the Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway. tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the Lord’s shout gives birth to deer” is absurd. In light of the parallelism (note “forests” in the next line) and v. 5, it is preferable to emend אַיָּלוֹת (’ayyalot, “deer”) to אֵילוֹת (’elot, “large trees”) understanding the latter as an alternate form of the usual plural form אַיָּלִים (’ayyalim).


The good news is that neither translation changes the Message; God is large and in charge therefore it is imperative we worship the maker of the storm.



Be God's
Roger