Psa 80:8-16 | NETfull | STEP | You uprooted a vine from Egypt; you drove out nations and transplanted it.

Psalms 80:8-16

8 You uprooted a vine ^{▼▼ The vine is here a metaphor for Israel (see Ezek 17:6–10; Hos 10:1).} from Egypt;
you drove out nations and transplanted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it; ^{▼▼ Heb “you cleared away before it.”}
it took root, ^{▼▼ Heb “and it took root [with] its roots.”}
and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the highest cedars ^{▼▼ Heb “cedars of God.” The divine name אֵל (’al, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.} by its branches.
11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea, ^{▼▼ Heb “to [the] sea.” The “sea” refers here to the Mediterranean Sea.}
and its shoots the Euphrates River. ^{▼▼ Heb “to [the] river.” The “river” is the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. Israel expanded both to the west and to the east.}
12 Why did you break down its walls, ^{▼▼ The protective walls of the metaphorical vineyard are in view here (see Isa 5:5).}
so that all who pass by pluck its fruit? ^{▼▼ Heb “pluck it.”}
13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it; ^{▼▼ The Hebrew verb כִּרְסֵם (kirsem, “to eat away; to ruin”) occurs only here in the OT.}
the insects ^{▼▼ The precise referent of the Hebrew word translated “insects,” which occurs only here and in Ps 50:11, is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic, and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.} of the field feed on it.
14 O God, invincible warrior, ^{▼▼ Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (ts^eva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (ts^eva’ot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also vv. 4, 7 for a similar construction.} come back!
Look down from heaven and take notice!
Take care of this vine,
15 the root ^{▼▼ The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ (kannah, “its shoot”).} your right hand planted,
the shoot you made to grow! ^{▼▼ Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן (ben, “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22.}
16 It is burned ^{▼▼ Heb “burned with fire.”} and cut down.
They die because you are displeased with them. ^{▼▼ Heb “because of the rebuke of your face they perish.”}