Psalms 106:31
in Psalms 106It was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, Unto all generations for evermore.
KJV
And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
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This verse in Psalms 106
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAnd that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. Down to the moment when this psalm was penned the house of Phinehas was honoured in Israel. His faith had performed a valorous deed, and his righteousness was testified of the Lord, and honoured by the continuance of his family in the priesthood. He was impelled by motives that what would otherwise have been a deed of blood was justified in the sight of God; nay, more, was made the evidence that Phinehas was righteous.
This site's exposition
yoked themselves to Baal of Peor
on Psalms 106:28-31
At Peor they yoked themselves to Baal and ate what was offered to lifeless gods. That is Numbers 25: a plague broke out, and it stopped. Phinehas stood and intervened, and verse 31 credits the act to him as righteousness, the words Genesis 15:6 uses of Abram's faith.
This site's exposition
It was credited to him as righteousness
For endless generations matches the promise of Numbers 25:13, a covenant of lasting priesthood for Phinehas and his descendants. Ezra 7:5 traces Ezra's own line back through Phinehas to Aaron. The credit outlived the man.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And that was counted unto him for righteousness among all posterities for evermore" [Psalm 106:31]. God counted this unto His Priest for righteousness, not only as long as posterity shall exist, but "for evermore;" for He who knows the heart, knows how to weigh with how much love for the people that deed was done.
"And that was counted unto him for righteousness among all posterities for evermore" [Psalm 106:31]. God counted this unto His Priest for righteousness, not only as long as posterity shall exist, but "for evermore;" for He who knows the heart, knows how to weigh with how much love for the people that deed was done.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), and, in recompence of it, the priesthood was entailed on his family. He shall make an atonement by offering up the sacrifices, who had so bravely made an atonement (so some read it,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And that was counted unto him for righteousness,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
counted . . . righteousness--"a just and rewardable action." for--or, "unto," to the procuring of righteousness, as in Ro 4:2; Here it was a particular act, not faith, nor its object Christ; and what was procured was not justifying righteousness, or what was to be rewarded with eternal life; for no one act of man's can be taken for complete obedience.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. Down to the moment when this psalm was penned the house of Phinehas was honoured in Israel. His faith had performed a valorous deed, and his righteousness was testified of the Lord, and honoured by the continuance of his family in the priesthood. He was impelled by motives that what would otherwise have been a deed of blood was justified in the sight of God; nay, more, was made the evidence that Phinehas was righteous. No personal ambition, or private revenge, or selfish passion, or even fanatical bigotry, inspired the man of God, but zeal for God, indignation at open filthiness, and true patriotism urged him on. Once again we have cause to note the mercy of God that even when his warrant was out, and actual execution was proceeding, he stayed his hand at the suit of one man: finding, as it were, an apology for his grace when justice seemed to demand immediate vengeance.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And that was counted unto him for righteousness - See Num 25:11-13. Compare the notes at Rom 4:3. The meaning here is, that this was regarded as a “proof” or “demonstration” that he was a righteous man - a man fearing God. Unto all generations for evermore - Hebrew, “To generation and generation forever.” The record would be transmitted from one generation to another, without any intermission, and would be permanent. This is one of the illustrations of the statement so frequently made in the Scriptures (compare Exo 20:6; Deu 7:9; Rom 11:28) that the blessings of religion will descend to a distant posterity. Such instances are constantly occurring, and there is no legacy which a man can leave his family so valuable as the fact that he himself fears God and keeps his laws.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֵּחָ֣שֶׁב | vatechashev | and it was reckoned | H2803 → | 124 times |
| ל֭וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| לִצְדָקָ֑ה | litzdakah | to righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
| לְדֹ֥ר | ledor | to a generation | H1755 → | 167 times |
| וָ֝דֹ֗ר | vador | and a generation | H1755 → | 167 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
וַתֵּחָ֣שֶׁבand it was reckoned
vatechashevH2803 →124 times
ל֭וֹto him
lo
לִצְדָקָ֑הto righteousness
litzdakahH6666 →157 times
לְדֹ֥רto a generation
ledorH1755 →167 times
וָ֝דֹ֗רand a generation
vadorH1755 →167 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 15:6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
it leads to
- James 2:23
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
- Galatians 3:6–14
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:9
Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
- Romans 4:20–25
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- Romans 4:3–6
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- James 2:23
Through
Deuteronomy 24:13be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:27
Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be…
- Deuteronomy 6:25
And if we are careful to observe every one of these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us, then that will be our righteousness.”
- Exodus 22:26–27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
- Daniel 4:27
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 106; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.