He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
תָּ֭בוֹא עַד־דּ֣וֹר אֲבוֹתָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֽוֹר׃
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 13 commentaries
He will walk in the footsteps of his forebears' greed, and, being born of the unrighteous, will inherit their sins. Alternatively, if he fails to do good, he will be left without the blessings of wealth, remaining among those who have passed away in the earth until the time of judgment, unable to behold the light as dictated by natural law.
From obscurity to obscurity While he was among the living, he existed in darkness, finding joy in deceptive treasures and failing to cherish the truths of righteousness. Consequently, he departed this life and descended into hell, being drawn from the shadows of slumber into the shadows of anguish. Thus, he shall never behold the light eternally.
He will connect with the lineage of his ancestors, meaning he will reflect their example. The unjust of today have siblings and forebears. The unholy of the past serve as the ancestors of the current generation; likewise, those who are unjust in the present become the progenitors of their unrighteous descendants. In contrast, the ancestors of the just, the virtuous of old, are the forefathers of the righteous today, and those who follow them will be the fathers of future righteousness. The Holy Spirit intended to reveal that righteousness is not to be regarded as wrongdoing, even when people protest against it. These individuals have inherited their legacy from the very beginning, traced back to the ancestry of their forebears.
Adam fathered two sons, one who fell into wickedness and the other who embodied righteousness: Cain epitomized unrighteousness, while Abel represented righteousness (1 Jn. 3:12). It may appear that wrongdoing triumphed over good when Cain, the wicked, took the life of Abel, the righteous (Gen. 4:8) under the cover of night. But is that the case come morning? Certainly not; the righteous will ultimately prevail over the wicked at dawn. The light of day will reveal the true situation, showing the places of Abel and Cain. This will hold true for all who resemble Cain and for those who resemble Abel, all the way to the conclusion of time. He will indeed merge with the line of his ancestors; even in eternity, he will not behold the light. For during his time on earth, he dwelled in darkness, pursuing false pleasures instead of loving true goodness. Consequently, he will depart to the abyss; from the obscurity of fleeting illusions, he will enter into the shadows of torment. Therefore, throughout eternity, he will remain bereft of the light.
This passage refers to a sinner who perceives God only to the extent that tradition from their ancestors has imparted, while their own reasoning leads to no true understanding or addition to the knowledge of truth. As the Prophet states, “Thou art near, O God,” which reflects a vision of God that is shaped by the beliefs passed down through generations. The Prophet illustrates the profound inactivity of the intellect, showcasing the earthly and carnal nature of humanity, which is engrossed in material wealth and excess, and is burdened with worldly concerns. Consequently, “even unto the ages of ages shall not see the light.” Those who rely on the misguided teachings of the blind have forfeited their access to true light.
However, the phrase “Thou shalt enter even unto the generation of his fathers” conveys another implication: that Your judgment does not merely fall on those who live in unrighteousness and subscribe to doctrines contrary to holiness, even if such teachings are ancestral, but You also chastise those who advocate erroneous beliefs. This aligns with the concept that “You shall enter even unto the generation of his fathers.” It indicates that not only is the individual with distorted views of God culpable, but also the one who leads others into that ruin. Such individuals inherit the transgressions of their forebears and, by perpetuating these customs, engrave them indelibly within themselves. “Not even unto the ages shall they see the light.” They will be cast “into the darkness of the deep: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12), facing this in the Righteous Judgment of God—having despised the light in their lives for the sake of their wicked actions.
He will indeed become part of his ancestral heritage. He will reflect the envy of his forebears, and as a descendant of the wicked, he will inherit their sinful ways. He will remain in darkness for eternity. Those who hold such beliefs have become spiritually blind; they have not been illuminated by the light of wisdom during their earthly existence, nor will they be able to embrace eternal illumination in the days to come.
He shall return to the heritage of his ancestors; NOT ALL WILL WITNESS THE LIGHT. In his state of honor, man did not grasp the truth, and he became comparable to the unthinking beasts, resembling them (Psalm 48:20-21). The Psalm asserts that man shall join the lineage of his forebears. Regarding those whose father is evil, the Lord proclaimed: "Ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:44). Additionally, it is stated: "Let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:22). Consequently, the Moabites were prohibited from entering the Lord's Church until the third or fourth generation, as their offspring, influenced by the sins of their ancestors, found themselves among those whose deeds and lifestyles they emulated. Hence it is written, "The children of adulterers shall be barren" (Prem. 3:16).
The individual who turns away from the Father in heaven to follow a parent engrossed in sin is a descendant of an earthly father, for what is earthly is earthly (1 Cor. 15:48), thus ensuring that his existence will also be earthly, with no rest after death and no vision of light for eternity, due to his pursuit of transient matters. However, the one who seeks the glory of Christ and longs for the illuminating light that comes into the world (John 1:9) will encounter and behold eternal light, for Christ has redeemed him from death. He will then ponder alone that when he was esteemed, he failed to comprehend it. The one destined to resemble the angels through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will instead be likened to mute creatures. To Him belongs honor, glory, and eternity from everlasting, now and ever, and unto all eternity. Amen.
Rather than using the phrase ‘enter in’, the three translators chose the expression ‘enter in’. This indicates that he whom I advised, ‘Do not fear when someone becomes wealthy’, like the ancestors, is bound to death and is denied not only the light of this world, but also the light of eternity.
He will descend even to the heritage of his forefather. When a person steeped in sin passes away, they will descend to the realm of the dead, to the abyss, to the location where the forsaken lineage of their ancestors dwells. They will not behold the light until the close of the age. In other words, for as long as the age continues; and the age is eternal. Thus, the sinner, confined in the shadowy depths of the earth, will remain in darkness eternally.
If it is stated, "In this life," it indicates that he will face judgment upon his death; this is clarified by the subsequent phrase, "He shall enter even unto the generation of his father." However, the one who enters does not enter into oblivion, as some believe, but rather is destined for a place where he will not witness the light for eternity. For he shall dwell in unending darkness alongside those who have exalted him, enduring punishment for all his deeds.
The unrighteous exists in this earthly life basking in honor and acclaim, offering praise to God, but only when He grants him temporary blessings, either as a reward for some virtuous acts or to guide him towards repentance and salvation. However, when he fails to align with God's purpose, he ultimately descends into his father's dwelling, which is a dark sepulcher, where he will experience no illumination for all eternity. In the just judgment of God, he will remain enveloped in everlasting gloom, thus, he who basked in the brightness of transient accolades and glory, without seeking the radiance of everlasting honor, shall dwell eternally in shadows.
He will journey to the realm where his forebearers who shared his convictions resided, into Hades, and he will remain there without seeing the light.
By behaving in this manner, the unrighteous wealthy individual ultimately faces death, unites with his ancestors, and will never again behold God's light. As stated by St. Athanasius, he will emulate the fervor of his forebears and, emerging from the lineage of the wicked, will inherit their iniquity. Those who are wise in this way—like the wise of this age—have become spiritually blind; they have not been illuminated by the light of knowledge during their earthly existence, nor will they receive the eternal light in the future.
In this psalm, the prophet declares God's blessings to all, particularly to the faithful who endure suffering for His sake. He encourages them to focus on the ultimate goal, Christ, who is both the Author and Perfecter of faith, and to turn away from the corruption of the flesh (Heb. 12; 2 Pet. 1:4), as well as to disregard the allure of worldly wealth, fame, and power. Ultimately, he speaks of the Divine Last Judgment, the day when God will call every soul to account.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS