As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
Parallel translations
- WEB He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.
- BSB The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
- ESV He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!
- NKJV As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones.
- NASB But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, And it entered his body like water, And like oil into his bones.
- NLT Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing, or the water he drinks, or the rich food he eats.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wicked man wore cursing like clothing, and it soaked into his very being. His evil was not occasional but his whole character.
Overview
Cursing penetrated him 'like water' and 'like oil into his bones,' picturing sin that has saturated a person inwardly and outwardly. The image warns that habitual sin becomes one's identity. It magnifies the gospel hope that Christ can clothe the sinner instead in His own righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 73:6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
- Num 5:22And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
- Matt 27:3–5Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
- Col 3:12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
- Acts 1:18Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
- Job 29:14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
- Col 3:8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
- 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- Num 5:27And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
- Job 20:12–16Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
- Matt 26:24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
- Acts 1:25That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
- Job 20:20–23Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 109:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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