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1 Chronicles 12:36 — Word Study

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WLCוּמֵאָשֵׁ֗ר יוֹצְאֵ֥י צָבָ֛א לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ מִלְחָמָ֖ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ ס

BSApreparedʻârak [trained and equipped] for battlemilchâmâh [war, conflict]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 36 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('A.lef) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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1 Chronicles 12:36quick helps
In a sentenceThe tribe of Asher provided 40,000 warriors ready for battle.
Who is speakingThe chronicler, listing the warriors of Israel.
Where we areA census of Israel's warriors, detailing the numbers and readiness of each tribe.
The hard wordלַעֲרֹ֥ךְ
Take awayAsher's warriors were well-prepared for conflict.
3 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbדָּנִי The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Chronicles 12:36

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Warriors of Israelgenerated

35From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.
36From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.
37And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.
38All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

1 Chronicles 12:36 lists the warriors of the tribe of Asher, emphasizing their readiness for battle. This census highlights the strength of Israel's tribes as they prepare to support David's kingship, showcasing the military capabilities of each tribe. The mention of Asher, known for its blessed and happy people, adds a layer of significance to their readiness in this context.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 12:33From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.
2Joel 2:7They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ, la.'a.Rokhgenerated

The verb עָרַךְ (arak) means to arrange or set in order. In this context, it refers to the deployment of troops for battle, indicating a strategic preparation for conflict.

As a verb in the Qal stem, it suggests an active and intentional arrangement, highlighting the importance of order and readiness in military contexts.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is introduced by the subject יוֹצְאֵ֥י (those who go forth), with the predicate detailing their readiness for battle. The structure emphasizes the number of warriors and their preparedness, showing the importance of military organization.

The sentence's arrangement places emphasis on the tribe of Asher and their capabilities, reflecting the military context of the passage.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ as παρατασσόμενοι, meaning 'those who are arranged.' This choice reflects a similar emphasis on order and preparation for battle.

The Greek term suggests a focus on the act of arranging troops, aligning closely with the Hebrew intent of deploying warriors effectively.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 12:36 tells us that from the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 warriors ready for battle. This highlights the strength and preparedness of Asher's people as they joined the other tribes in supporting David's kingship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the warriors were 'fit for service'?

It indicates that they were well-trained and ready to engage in military action, demonstrating their capability and readiness for battle.

Why is the tribe of Asher significant in this context?

Asher is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its blessed and happy people, and their readiness for battle emphasizes their commitment to support David.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of David's kingship?

It shows the unity and strength of Israel's tribes coming together to support David, highlighting the importance of military readiness in establishing his reign.

What does the number 40,000 signify?

The number represents a significant military force, indicating the strength and capability of the tribe of Asher in the context of Israel's military organization.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think make a person or group 'fit for service' in your life?
  2. How can we prepare ourselves for the challenges we face, just as the warriors were prepared for battle?
  3. What does it mean to you to be part of a community that supports each other in times of need?
  4. In what ways can we demonstrate readiness to support our leaders or those in authority?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 12:36 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 12 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(36) Expert in war.—Literally, to order or marshal battle (ad aciem struendam). The same phrase occurred in 1 Chronicles 12:33; 1 Chronicles 12:35. The margin (1 Chronicles 12:33), “rangers of battle,” is good.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

36. went forth to battle, expert in war] R.V. were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in army; cp. 1 Chronicles 12:33.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 12 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array: forty thousand.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.

NETBNew English Translation2006

From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And of Asher, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, forty thousand.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And of Asher, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, forty thousand.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And of Asher that went out to the battell and were trained in the warres, fourtie thousand.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And of Asher such as went forth in the host, to set themselves in battle array, forty thousand.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And of Asher, going forth to the host, to arrange battle, [are] forty thousand.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And of Asher, going forth to the host, to arrange battle, [are] forty thousand.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And of Asher, such as went forth to the host to put themselves in battle array, forty thousand.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

From Asher there were forty thousand men prepared for battle.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And of Aser forty thousand going forth to fight, and challenging in battle.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

From the tribe of Asher, 40,000 experienced warriors, all battle-ready.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And of Asher, forty thousand who went out with the army, expert in ordering the fight.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וּandclauseprepositional phrase · predicateמֵofאָשֵׁ֗רAshernoun phrase · subjectnoun phrasenoun phraseיוֹצְאֵ֥י[those.who].go.forthצָבָ֛אof.warprepositional phraseלַtoclauseverbעֲרֹ֥ךְdeployobjectמִלְחָמָ֖הbattlenumeral phraseאַרְבָּעִ֥ים[were].fortyאָֽלֶףthousand

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in the wording of this verse, with six of the seven words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects its own structure but maintains the essential meaning of the Hebrew.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וּמֵאָשֵׁ֗ר יוֹצְאֵ֥י צָבָ֛א לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ מִלְחָמָ֖ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמֵאָשֵׁ֗רτῶνיוֹצְאֵ֥יδανιτῶνצָבָ֛אπαρατασσόμενοιלַעֲרֹ֥ךְεἴκοσιאַרְבָּעִ֥יםὀκτὼאָֽלֶף׃ סξιλιάδες

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Chronicles 12:36אָשֵׁרand of Asheand of Asherאָשֵׁריָצָא[those who][those who] go יָצָאצָבָאwarwarצָבָאעָרַךְto deployto deployעָרַךְמִלְחָמָהbattlebattleמִלְחָמָהאַרְבָּעִיםfortyfortyאַרְבָּעִיםאֶ֫לֶףthousandthousandאֶ֫לֶףאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרצָבָאto serveto serveצָבָאלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםאַרְבַּעfourfourאַרְבַּעאֶ֫לֶףcattlecattleאֶ֫לֶףקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאנַפְתָּלִיNaphtaliNaphtaliנַפְתָּלִיזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלכֹּהthusthusכֹּהנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםשֻׁלְחָןtabletableשֻׁלְחָןעָרַךְto arrangeto arrangeעָרַךְגִּבּוֹרmighty manmighty manגִּבּוֹרלַ֫יְלָהnightnightלַ֫יְלָהמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהחָמֵשׁfivefiveחָמֵשׁ
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 12:36

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
וּמֵאָשֵׁ֗רu.me.'a.Sher and of Asher H836 Conjunction · preposition · noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asher was the eighth son of Jacob and one of the twelve tribes of Israel, mentioned in Genesis 30:13. The tribe of Asher was known for its happy and blessed people. Asher is also the name of a region in Palestine.
Tyndale gloss
Asher
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשֵׁר (Asher) refers to a son of Jacob and Zilpah, as well as the tribe descended from him. The name means 'happy' and is also associated with a city east of Shechem. The entries note that Asher is linked to the Hebrew root for happiness, but there is a mention of potential translations related to wood in Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָשֵׁר n.pr.m. Asher (happy one, Felix)

son of Jacob and Zilpah

the tribe

n.pr.loc. city E. of Shechem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H836 אָשֵׁר Asher

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

836 'Asher aw-share'

from 833, happy; Asher, a son of Jacob, and the tribe

descended from him, with its territory; also a place in

Palestine:--Asher

see HEBREW for 0833

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשֵׁר (a.sher) — Asher.

A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.13;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Zilpah (H2153);

brother of: Gad (H1410);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Imnah (H3232), Ishvah (H3438), Ishvi (H3440), Beriah (H1283) and Serah (H8294); also translated "pine" or "cypress wood" at Ezk.27.6(?); Ashurite at 2Sa.2.9(?);

§ Asher = "happy"

1) son of Jacob and Zilpah

2) the tribe descended from Asher

3) a city east of Shechem in Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R/Npm — Conjunction · preposition · noun proper masculine
HC/R/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Asher

Happy, Jacob’s eigth son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (Gen. 30:13). Of the tribe founded by him nothing is recorded beyond its holding a place in the list of the tribes (35:26; 46:17; Ex. 1:4, etc.) It increased in numbers twenty-nine percent, during the thirty-eight years’ wanderings. The place of this tribe during the march through the desert was between Dan and Naphtali (Num. 2:27). The boundaries of the inheritance given to it, which contained some of the richest soil in Palestine, and the names of its towns, are recorded in Josh. 19:24-31; Judg. 1:31, 32. Asher and Simeon were the only tribes west of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a place which formed one boundary of the tribe of Manasseh on the south. (Joshua 17:7) Mr. Porter suggests that Teyasir may be the Asher of Manasseh. Handbook , p.348.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The eighth son of Jacob and second of Zilpah, Ge 30:13 35:26. On entering Canaan his tribe was the fifth in order, numbering fifty-three thousand four hundred. The portion of Asher lay along the seaboard, having Levanon and Zidon on the north, Carmel and the tribe of Issachar on the south, and Zebulun and Naphtali on the east. It was fruitful in grain, wine, oil, and minerals, Ge 49:20 De 33:24,25. How much of the Phoenician coast was included is uncertain, Jos 19:25,28; but the Asherites were unable to expel the Canaanites, and dwelt in part among them, Jud 1:31,32. They are honorably mentioned in the history of…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

happiness

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
יוֹצְאֵ֥יyotz.'Ei [those who] go forth of H3318 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmpc — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
צָבָ֛אtza.Va' war H6635 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
485× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a large group of people or things, often referring to an army or a campaign, and is also used to describe the Lord's hosts. It appears in the Bible as a name for God, emphasizing His power and authority. In the KJV, it's translated as 'host' or 'army'.
Tyndale gloss
army
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צָבָא (*tsaba'*) primarily means 'army' or 'warfare,' encompassing organized groups for battle, divine hosts, and even celestial bodies. It can also refer to service or duty in a military context. The term appears in various forms, including צְבָאוֹת (*tsaba'ot*), which denotes the 'hosts' of the Lord, particularly in relation to God's role in warfare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָבָא 485 n.m. army, war, warfare

army, host

war, warfare, service

service

צְבָאוֹת, in name of י׳ as God of war, prob. first in time of warlike David (some connect with sacred ark, but ark older)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6635a צָבָא army, war, warfare . army, host

. war, warfare, service

. service

H6635b צְבָאוֹת army, war, warfare . army, host

. war, warfare, service

. service

. צְבָאוֹת, in name of י׳ as God of war, prob. first in time of warlike David (some connect with sacred ark, but ark older)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6635 tsaba' tsaw-baw'

or (feminine) tsbadah {tseb-aw-aw'}; from 6633; a mass of

persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized

for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or

figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):--appointed

time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers,

waiting upon, war(-fare).

see HEBREW for 06633

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָבָא (tsa.va) — army.

: army

1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host

1a) army, host

1a1) host (of organised army)

1a2) host (of angels)

1a3) of sun, moon, and stars

1a4) of whole creation

1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war

1c) service

צָבָא (tsa.va) — Hosts.

The Hosts (of the Lord)

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

צָבָא (tsa.va) — army: war.

: war

1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host

1a) army, host

1a1) host (of organised army)

1a2) host (of angels)

1a3) of sun, moon, and stars

1a4) of whole creation

1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war

1c) service

צָבָא (tsa.va) — army: duty.

: duty

1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host

1a) army, host

1a1) host (of organised army)

1a2) host (of angels)

1a3) of sun, moon, and stars

1a4) of whole creation

1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war

1c) service

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

War

The Israelites had to take possession of the Promised Land by conquest. They had to engage in a long and bloody war before the Canaanitish tribes were finally subdued. Except in the case of Jericho and Ai, the war did not become aggressive till after the death of Joshua. Till then the attack was always first made by the Canaanites. Now the measure of the iniquity of the Canaanites was full, and Israel was employed by God to sweep them away from off the face of the earth. In entering on this new stage of the war, the tribe of Judah, according to divine direction, took the lead.

In the days of Saul and David the people of Israel engaged in many wars with the nations around, and after the division of the kingdom into two they often warred with each other. They had to defend themselves also against the inroads of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians. The whole history of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The most important topic in connection with war is the formation of the army which is destined to carry it on. [ARMY] In (1 Kings 9:22) at a period (Solomon’s reign) when the organization of the army was complete, we have apparently a list of the various gradations of rank in the service, as follows: "Men of war" = privates ; "servants," the lowest rank of officers --lieutenants ; "princes" = captains ; "captains," perhaps = staff officers ; "rulers of the chariots and his horsemen" = cavalry officers . Formal proclamations of war were not interchanged between the belligerents. Before entering the enemy’s district spies were seat to ascertain the character of the country and the preparations of its inhabitants for resistance. (Numbers 13:17;

One of the evil fruits of the fall, and an appalling manifestation of the depravity of mankind, Ge 6:11-13 Isa 9:5 Jas 4:1-2, often rendered apparently inevitable by the assaults of enemies, or commanded by God for their punishment. See AMALEKITES and CANAAN.

By this scourge, subsequently to the conquest of Canaan, God chastised both his own rebellious people and the corrupt and oppressive idolaters around them. In many cases, moreover, the issue was distinctly made between the true God and idols; as with the Philistines, 1Sa 17:43-47; the Syrians, 1Ki 20:23-30; the Assyrians,

→ Averted Jos 22:11-34

→ Enemy harangued by the general of the opposing side 2Ki 18:19-36; 2Ch 13:4-12

→ Of extermination Nu 31:7-17; De 2:33,34; 3:6; 20:13-18;

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
לַעֲרֹ֥ךְla.'a.Rokh to deploy H6186 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
75× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to value or arrange things in order. It is used in various contexts, like setting up an army for battle or estimating the value of something, as seen in 1 Kings 10.
Amplified meaning
trained and equipped
Tyndale gloss
to arrange
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָרַךְ (arak) means to arrange or set in order, applicable in various contexts such as preparing a table, organizing a battle, or stating a legal case. It can also denote valuing or taxing in the Hiphil form. The word encompasses a wide range of meanings related to order and comparison.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָרַךְ vb. arrange or set in order

Qal

arrange in order, seven altars

set or lay in order, as wood

in common life, arrange a table

arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order

arrange weapons of army in order for battle

arrange words

state in order, set forth a legal case

compare (as result of arranging in order)

intrans. be comparable

base

עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6186a עָרַךְ arrange or set in order .. . arrange in order, seven altars

. set or lay in order, as wood

. in common life, arrange a table

. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order

. arrange weapons of army in order for battle

. arrange words

. state in order, set forth a legal case

. . compare (as result of arranging in order)

. intrans. be comparable

H6186b עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6186 `arak aw-rak'

a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order

(in a very wide variety of applications):--put (set) (the

battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem,

estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle),

ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax,

value.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to arrange.

1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place

1a2) to compare, be comparable

עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to value.

(Hiphil) to value, tax

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
מִלְחָמָ֖הmil.cha.Mah battle H4421 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
320× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means battle or war, describing a fight or conflict. It is used in the Bible to talk about wars and battles, like the ones in the book of Joshua. The KJV translates it as battle or fight.
Amplified meaning
war, conflict
Tyndale gloss
battle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'

from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the

engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,

fight(-ing), war((-rior)).

see HEBREW for 03898

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.

battle, war

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See WAR.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Shouting in Jud 7:20; 1Sa 17:20

→ Priests in 2Ch 13:12

→ Prayer before

By Asa 2Ch 14:11

By Jehoshaphat 2Ch 20:3-12

→ See ARMIES

→ See WAR

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים'ar.ba.'Im forty H705 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
136× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number forty is what this Hebrew word represents, often used in the Bible to mark significant periods of time, like the 40 days of rain in Genesis or the 40 years of Israel's wilderness journey.
Tyndale gloss
forty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבָּעִים a forty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'

multiple of 702; forty:---forty.

see HEBREW for 0702

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.

forty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for'-ti ('arba`im; tessarakonta).

See FOUR (5); NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Remarkable coincidences in the number

→ DAYS

Of rain, at the time of the flood Ge 7:17

Of flood, before sending forth the raven Ge 8:6

For embalming Ge 50:3

Of fasting

By Moses Ex 24:18; 34:28; De 9:9,25

By Elijah 1Ki 19:8

By spies in the land of promise Nu 13:25

Of probation, given to the Ninevites Jon 3:4

By Jesus Mt 4:2

Christ's stay after the resurrection Ac 1:3

and of Asher [those who] go forth of war to deploy battle forty thousand
אָֽלֶף׃ ס'A.lef thousand H505 Noun common · both singular absolute
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A thousand, as in Exodus 20:6 where God shows love to thousands of people. It represents a large number or a company of people under one leader, like an army or a group of soldiers.
Tyndale gloss
thousand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫לֶף (eleph) means 'thousand' in Hebrew. It can refer to the numeral itself or denote a company or clan, particularly a group of men under one leader. The word is built from the concept of a thousand, and it is associated with the ox's head, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

505 'eleph eh'-lef

prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first

letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral)

a thousand:--thousand.

see HEBREW for 0504

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand.

: thousand

1) a thousand

1a) as numeral

2) a thousand, company

2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops

אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand: clan.

: clan

1) a thousand

1a) as numeral

2) a thousand, company

2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).

See NUMBER.

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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