Verse 3 Hebrew Text

14:3הַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֪ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃

Verse 3 Sentence Flow

סָר֮ - Qal Perfect Third Masculine Singular = have turned aside
  הַכֹּ֥ל - Article, Noun Masculine Singular = the all (whole), every one

נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ - Nifal Perfect Third Plural = they have become corrupt
  יַחְדָּ֪ו - Adverb = all together (modifying נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ)

אֵ֤ין - Particle of non-existence = there is/are none (construct chain)
  עֹֽשֵׂה־ - Qal Participle Masculine Singular = do/make (construct chain)
    ט֑וֹב - Adjective Masculine Singular = good (construct chain)

אֵ֤ין - Particle of non-existence = there is/are none (construct construct)
  גַּם־ - Adverb = also/even (construct chain)
  אֶחָֽד - Noun Singular = one (construct chain)

Verse 3 Translation Rationale

Looking at the translation of this verse in the LSB, it was rounded off a bit by using “they have all.” I have chosen to be slightly more wooden here by rendering הַכֹּ֥ל as “the all” since in the most literal manner that’s how it would be translated. Certainly nothing wrong with the LSB here, I’m just being intentionally wooden. הַכֹּ֥ל is the subject of סָר֮. The Qal perfect loses the sureq in favor of the qamets beneath samech. Still, this is the standard verb for turn aside and it’s in the active voice. Therefore, “the all” or the entirety of the sons of men (Adam) have turned aside.

In the second clause, נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ is a Nifal perfect third singular and it’s being modified by the adverb יַחְדָּ֪ו. This Nifal is in the active voice and means “to become corrupt morally.” Given that this is a third plural verb, the implied subject is “they.” However, the verb is being adverbially modified by יַחְדָּ֪ו. יַחְדָּ֪ו means “all together.” The manner in which it’s being used here is for emphasis. The emphasis here is “everyone, nobody withstanding.” The emphasis will be further displayed in the clauses that follow.

The third clause begins with the particle of no existence. The particle of no existence shows that something doesn’t exist. Therefore, it’s showing that there is no such thing as עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב. The verb here, עֹֽשֵׂה means to “do/make” and here it’s a Qal masculine participle in construct with ט֑וֹב. The meaning of ט֑וֹב is “good.” Therefore, someone who does good does not exist as the one who does good is absolutely negated by the particle of no existence. This is the Psalmist’s next step of severity as he continues his assertion that the sons of men (Adam) have all turned aside.

In the fourth and final clause of Psalm 14:3, the author will once again begin the clause with the particle of no existence. The particle of no existence is preceding גַּם־אֶחָֽד. We can translate גַּם as “also/even.” And the final word אֶחָֽד is the standard word for “one.” The particle of no existence then is saying the there’s not even one that exists that does good. This clause. is simply doubling down on what the clause before it conveyed. Not even one person exists, that are fallen in Adam (which is all of humanity), that does good.

It’s from here, the apostle Paul draws his conclusion in Romans 3 for how bad humanity really is.

Verse 3 English Translation

The all (every one) have turned aside, all together they have become corrupt, there are none who do good, there is not even one.

Verse 3 Interpretive Questions

1. Would “choosing” God be considered “good” as an act of the libertarian autonomous free-will?