They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just a historical declaration of intent; it reveals the depth of the enemy's hatred, aiming not just for conquest but for the complete annihilation of Israel's identity and memory. It exposes a chilling desire to erase a people from existence, highlighting that their battle is not merely against a nation, but against the very name and remembrance of God's chosen people.
They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm describes a desperate situation where numerous nations have formed a hostile alliance against Israel. Their explicit goal is not just conquest, but the complete annihilation of Israel as a people and the erasure of their name from history, reflecting a deep-seated malice and assurance of their success. The psalmist's plea comes in the context of this existential threat, highlighting the vast coalition arrayed against God's people.
When enemies declare, 'Let the name of Israel be remembered no more!' what are they truly aiming for? It's a chilling ambition that goes beyond military conquest.
This verse captures a profound and terrifying desire: the complete annihilation of a people. The enemies aren't just seeking to defeat Israel in battle or conquer their land; their goal is total erasure.
Extermination of a Nation
The phrase 'cut them off from being a nation' speaks to a desire for genocide. It's about destroying their identity, their culture, and their very existence as a distinct group. This isn't just about political borders; it's about erasing a people from the face of the earth.
Erasing a Legacy
The ultimate aim is that 'the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.' This goes even deeper than physical destruction. It's a war against their memory, their history, and their place in the world. They want to ensure that no one ever speaks of Israel again, effectively stealing their future by obliterating their past.
Why would so many nations band together with such a singular, brutal purpose? This psalm reveals a conspiracy fueled by deep-seated malice.
Psalm 83:4 doesn't describe a casual disagreement; it details a deliberate, unified plot. The 'they' in this verse represent a coalition of peoples driven by a powerful, common animosity.
Unified Malice
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The commentators highlight that this wasn't just a few disgruntled neighbors. It was a league, a firm bond (Clarke) of diverse nations (Expositors) united by a shared hatred for Israel. This shared purpose, however wicked, acted as a powerful 'cement' (Expositors) binding them together.
Extreme Assurance
This declaration of intent also reveals the enemies' 'implacable rage and malice' and their 'great assurance of success' (Poole). They were so confident in their combined might that they spoke openly of utter destruction. Their plan was well-laid, aiming for the complete extermination of the Jewish race (Clarke).
While enemies plot to erase a nation, this psalm frames the conflict as something far grander – a cosmic battle for God's honor.
The ultimate target of this plot isn't just the people of Israel; it's the very name and purposes of God. The enemies' desire to blot out Israel is an act of defiance against the Almighty.
Defiance Against God
As commentators note, Israel's existence was a 'constant rebuke of tyranny and idolatry' (Barnes) and a 'painful memorial of the existence of one God' (Barnes). By seeking to destroy Israel, the nations were implicitly attacking the God they represented and the covenant He had made. Their plot was 'high-handed opposition to God’s counsel' (Expositors).
The Enduring Name
Despite the enemies' desperate scheme, history shows God’s faithfulness. While the nations plotting against Israel have often faded into obscurity, the Jewish people endure (Gill). This psalm ultimately points to God’s sovereignty. Even when the world conspires against His people, His name and His purposes will ultimately prevail. The battle isn't truly Israel's alone; it's God's.
Understand the original words
goy · Hebrew Noun
A corporate political entity defined by common ancestry, law, and territory. In the context of Israel, it is the identity through which God manifests His kingdom on earth.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The historical and spiritual identity of God’s covenant people. To destroy the "name" is to attempt to erase their existence and the memory of God’s work through them from human history.
The desperate plea in Psalm 83 reflects a moment when various nations, driven by a shared hatred for Israel, formed a formidable coalition with the explicit goal of annihilating the Jewish people and erasing their very name from existence. This historical context highlights the constant existential threat faced by God's people and underscores the deep-seated animosity they often encountered.
c. 10th-9th century BC
Reign of Saul, David, and Solomon
The early United Monarchy of Israel experiences periods of both dominance and struggle against surrounding nations like the Philistines, Amalekites, and Aramaeans.
931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, often leading to conflict and strategic alliances with surrounding peoples.
c. 8th century BC
Assyrian Expansion and Influence
The powerful Assyrian Empire begins its significant expansion, impacting the geopolitical landscape of the ancient Near East and posing a threat to both Israel and Judah.
734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria attack Judah, which refused to join their anti-Assyrian alliance. Judah calls upon Assyria for help, leading to further Assyrian involvement.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrians, its population exiled, and its territory incorporated into the Assyrian Empire. Judah remains a vassal state.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Campaign Against Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities. Jerusalem is besieged but miraculously spared, attributed to divine intervention.
605 BC and 597 BC
Babylonian Deportations
The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II deports Jewish elites and artisans to Babylon in two major waves following revolts by Judah.
This passage describes Haman's plot to annihilate all the Jewish people, echoing the desire in Psalm 83:4 to wipe out Israel as a nation and remove their name from remembrance.
Jeremiah 11:19Here, enemies plot to destroy Jeremiah and his name, illustrating the persistent malice of those who wish to eradicate God's people and their very identity, a theme central to Psalm 83:4.
Deuteronomy 32:26Moses prophesied that God would scatter His people and make their memory cease among men, which reflects the ultimate goal of Israel's enemies as stated in Psalm 83:4.
2 Kings 18:27Rabshakeh taunts Hezekiah and Judah, threatening utter destruction and dismissal of their God, similar to the enemy's arrogant boasts and desires expressed in Psalm 83:4.
Exodus 17:14Following the victory at Rephidim, God tells Moses to write that He will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek, showing God's own pronouncement of destruction against a people who sought to obliterate Israel.
pulpitPsalms 83:4: "They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."
Verse 4. - They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation. This was the general object of Israel's enemies at all times (2 Kings 24:2; 2 Chronicles 20:11; Psalm 138:7; 1 Macc. 3:35 1 Macc. 5:2), and thus does not help much towards determining the date of the occasion here spoken cf. That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance (comp…
clarkePsalms 83:4: "They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."
Let us cut them off - Let us exterminate the whole race, that there may not be a record of them on the face of the earth. And their scheme was well laid: eight or ten different nations united themselves in a firm bond to do this; and they had kept their purpose so secret that the king of Judah does not appear to have heard of it till his territories were actua…
This verse isn't just a historical declaration of intent; it reveals the depth of the enemy's hatred, aiming not just for conquest but for the complete annihilation of Israel's identity and memory. It exposes a chilling desire to erase a people from existence, highlighting that their battle is not merely against a nation, but against the very name and remembrance of God's chosen people.
This psalm describes a desperate situation where numerous nations have formed a hostile alliance against Israel. Their explicit goal is not just conquest, but the complete annihilation of Israel as a people and the erasure of their name from history, reflecting a deep-seated malice and assurance of their success. The psalmist's plea comes in the context of this existential threat, highlighting the vast coalition arrayed against God's people.
This psalm describes a desperate situation where numerous nations have formed a hostile alliance against Israel. Their explicit goal is not just conquest, but the complete annihilation of Israel as a people and the erasure of their name from history, reflecting a deep-seated malice and assurance of their success. The psalmist's plea comes in the context of this existential threat, highlighting the vast coalition arrayed against God's people.
"They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”" — This verse isn't just a historical declaration of intent; it reveals the depth of the enemy's hatred, aiming not just for conquest but for the complete annihilation of Israel's identity and memory. I…
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Last reviewed October 2026