38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
But the transgressors - Sinners; violators of the law of God.
Shall be destroyed together - The word "together" here - יחדּו yachedâh - means properly "a union of them;" then, together - either:
(a) in one place, Genesis 13:6 - or
(b) at one time, Psalm 4:8; or
(c) all as one, Psalm 14:3 - or
(d) mutually with one another, as when men strive together, Deuteronomy 25:11.
The idea here is, that one would be destroyed as well as another; that there would be no exception; that they would go to the same ruin. They might be destroyed at different times, or in different modes, but it would be the same destruction in the end.
The end of the wicked - The future of the wicked. The same word is used here which occurs in Psalm 37:37, as applied to the righteous. The meaning is, that while the "future" of the one would be peace, the future of the other would be a "cutting off," or destruction.
Shall be cut off - That is, they shall be cut off; or, there will be a cutting off. This means here, evidently:
(a) that as an ordinary fact they would be cut down before they had reached the full limit of their course, Psalm 37:35-36;
(b) in the future world they would be cut off from hope and happiness forever.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together,.... This is to be understood of obstinate and continued transgressors, who live and die in their transgressions; see Proverbs 11:3; otherwise all men are transgressors in Adam, and sinned and fell with him in his transgression; and are justly called transgressors from the womb; and are guilty of actual transgressions, nor are any clear from them; and are arraigned, convinced, and judged by the law as transgressors; and for many of these Christ died, and makes intercession; and who are converted, and turned from their transgressions; and these are pardoned, and saved, and not destroyed: but stubborn and perverse transgressors are destroyed; not only with a temporal destruction of their substance, and of their names, and they themselves are rooted out of the earth; but with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power; for this seems to refer to the day of judgment, when all the wicked will be "together"; and shall in a body stand at Christ's left hand, and be bid to go, "ye cursed into everlasting fire", Matthew 25:41, and shall be turned into hell at once, and together;
the end of the wicked shall be cut off; meaning either their posterity, as the word is rendered in Psalm 109:13; or their hope and expectation of good things here and hereafter; when the righteous man receives the end of his faith, hope, and expectation, even the salvation of his soul; but these shall be disappointed and frustrated of their end; see Proverbs 23:18; or their last end is cutting off from the presence and sight of God, utter ruin and destruction; and so it stands opposed to the end of the perfect and upright man, which is eternal peace and happiness.
together--at once; entirely (Psalm 4:8).
Together - All without exception.
*More commentary available at chapter level.