The phrase “pisseth against the wall” appears a few times in the King James Version of the Bible. It is an outdated and vulgar phrase that refers to male urination. Here is an overview of where this phrase shows up in the Bible and what it means in each context:
1 Samuel 25:22
So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
In this verse, David is angry with Nabal for refusing to give provisions to David’s men. David vows to kill every male in Nabal’s household by morning. The phrase “any that pisseth against the wall” is a crude reference to male members of the household.
1 Samuel 25:34
For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
Again, this phrase is used in reference to killing all the males of Nabal’s household. Here, Abigail is affirming that David would have killed all the males if she hadn’t intervened.
1 Kings 14:10
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
In this verse, God is speaking through a prophet about the judgment coming against the house of Jeroboam. The vivid phrase “him that pisseth against the wall” again refers to male members of the household who will be killed.
1 Kings 16:11
And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
This verse describes Zimri killing off all the male members of Baasha’s family so that none remained. The phrase emphasizes the completeness of the slaughter.
1 Kings 21:21
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
Again this phrase is used in pronouncing judgment (evil) on Ahab’s male descendants. They will be completely wiped out.
2 Kings 9:8
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
The judgment pronounced in 1 Kings 21:21 against Ahab’s family is repeated here. The imagery describes the thorough elimination of all males in the household.
In summary, “him that pisseth against the wall” is an outdated vulgar idiom used several times in the King James Version to refer to male members of a household. It emphasizes the utter destruction of all the males of a family line as an act of judgment. Later translations typically update the euphemism to something less jarring for modern readers, using phrases like “every male” or “every man-child”. The vulgarity of the original language underscores the severity of the judgment being pronounced.
While this specific phrase may be offensive to modern ears, its usage in the Bible reflects linguistic norms from the time period when the King James translation was produced (1611). The King James Version, though monumentally influential, contains many such rough idioms that later translations smoothed out. Understanding the original cultural and linguistic context prevents unnecessary distraction and helps readers grasp the intent and imagery behind such unusual turns of phrase. In essence, these verses pronounce complete annihilation of males in the households of David’s enemies – a severe judgment invoked through crude, hyperbolic language typical of ancient Near Eastern pronouncements of curses upon one’s enemies.
References to “pisseth against the wall” in other Bible versions
Here are some examples of how other English Bible translations render the phrase “pisseth against the wall”:
New International Version: “every male”
New Living Translation: “every male”
English Standard Version: “every male”
New American Standard Bible: “every male”
King James 2000 Bible: “him that urinates against the wall”
Christian Standard Bible: “any male”
New English Translation: “any males”
New Revised Standard Version: “every male”
Revised Standard Version: “every male”
Douay-Rheims Bible (Catholic translation): “every man child”
New American Bible (Catholic translation): “every male”
As you can see, most modern translations avoid the vulgarity of the King James phrasing, while still conveying the meaning of total destruction of the males in a household. Only a couple translations maintain a more literal (but sanitized) equivalent. This demonstrates how translations balance faithfulness to the original language with readability for a modern audience.
Theological implications
What are we to make of these kinds of imprecations against one’s enemies – especially pronouncements from God that seem to endorse violence? This is an complex theological issue, but a few points are worth considering:
1. The violent exaggeration follows literary patterns of Ancient Near Eastern pronouncements – it is hyperbolic in nature rather than literal.
2. The judgments come in specific historical contexts against morally corrupted leadership. They are acts of justice following repeated disobedience.
3. There is a difference between descriptive passages and prescriptive commands. Descriptive passages record events and statements, which are not necessarily endorsements.
4. These acts of judgment point forward to final justice and judgment that will one day be enacted by God.
5. Jesus provides the full revelation of God’s character – one of holiness, justice and mercy. Followers of Christ must filter all Scriptural interpretations through his teachings.
6. Christians recognize that they do not have the authority or right to invoke such judgments on enemies. They follow Christ’s example and commands to love enemies, show grace, and overcome evil with good.
So in summary, these difficult passages remind readers that God takes sin seriously and will enact justice, while also pointing to the need for Christ to finally defeat evil. They require careful interpretation guided by the overall witness of Scripture as fulfilled in Jesus.
Conclusion
The outdated phrase “him that pisseth against the wall” is an earthy, hyperbolic idiom used in the King James Version to refer to males in a household. It conveys complete destruction of one’s enemies – in these cases as acts of divine justice against corrupt leaders. Modern translations rightfully avoid the vulgar wording while maintaining the imagery of judgment. Readers benefit from understanding the historical and literary context that produced such unusual verbal formulations. While difficult in isolation, these passages ultimately point to the holiness of God and his work of justice and mercy made complete through Christ for the redemption of mankind.