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1 Chronicles 14:12 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיַּעַזְבוּ־ שָׁ֖ם אֶת־ אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔יד וַיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פ

BSAThereshâm the Philistines abandonedʻâzab [left behind, forsaken] their godsʼĕlôhîym [Elohim, idols, false deities] and DavidDâvid [the king of Israel, a man after God's heart] orderedʼâmar [gave a commandment, spoke] that they be burnedsâraph [consumed, destroyed] in the fireʼêsh [burning, flame]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 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 (ba.'Esh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 14:12quick helps
In a sentenceThe Philistines abandoned their gods, and David commanded that they be burned.
Who is speakingDavid, the king of Israel.
Where we areAfter David's victory over the Philistines.
The hard wordעָזַב
Take awayThe abandonment of false gods signifies a break from idolatry.
5 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectדָּוִד verbעָזַב 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 14:12

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 — David's Victory Over the Philistinesgenerated

11So David and his men went up to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, God has burst out against my enemies by my hand.” So they called that place Baal-perazim.
12There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.
13Once again the Philistines raided the valley.
14So David again inquired of God, who answered him, “Do not march up after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

1 Chronicles 14:12 recounts a moment after David's victory, where the Philistines, realizing their defeat, abandon their idols. David's command to burn these gods symbolizes the rejection of idolatry and the establishment of worship focused solely on the God of Israel. This act serves as a clear message about the futility of false deities, aligning with the broader biblical theme of fidelity to God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 12:12On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
2Exodus 32:20Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
3Deuteronomy 7:5–25Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
41 Samuel 5:2–6carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
52 Kings 19:18They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עָזַב, vai.ya.'az.vu-generated

The Hebrew verb עָזַב (azav) means to leave or forsake. It conveys a sense of relinquishing something significant, often implying abandonment. In this context, the Philistines abandon their gods, indicating a decisive break from their previous practices.

This verb is used frequently in the Bible, including in contexts that express desperation, such as in Psalm 22:1. The nuance of abandonment here emphasizes the Philistines' recognition of their gods' impotence in the face of David's victory.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term abandoned, a translation consistent with the KJV and ASV that also emphasize the act of forsaking.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse centers around two main verbs: עָזַב (abandoned) and אָמַר (spoke). The first clause presents the action of the Philistines abandoning their gods, while the second clause conveys David's command regarding the burning of these idols.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions taken by the Philistines and David, illustrating the sequence of events following the battle.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָזַב as ἐγκατέλιπον (egkatelipon), which also means 'abandoned' but carries a connotation of leaving behind something of value. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the significance of forsaking idols.

This translation choice aligns with the overall theme of the passage, emphasizing the rejection of false gods in favor of the true God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 14:12 describes how the Philistines, after being defeated by David, abandoned their gods. David then commanded that these idols be burned in the fire, signifying a clear rejection of idolatry.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the Philistines abandoned their gods?

It signifies their recognition of the futility of their idols in the face of defeat, marking a significant moment of turning away from false worship.

Why did David order the burning of the idols?

David's command to burn the idols reflects the biblical principle of rejecting idolatry and the desire to purify the land from false worship.

How does this event relate to other biblical themes?

This event aligns with the recurring theme in the Bible of God’s people rejecting false gods and returning to true worship, as seen in various other passages.

What can we learn from this verse about idolatry?

This verse teaches the importance of forsaking anything that distracts from true worship and devotion to God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern-day idols that people might need to abandon?
  2. How can one ensure that their worship remains focused on God alone?
  3. In what ways can we encourage others to turn away from false beliefs?
  4. How does understanding the significance of this event impact our view of worship today?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 14:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. When they had left their gods - (see the note at 2 Samuel 5:21.)

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 14:12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.Ver. 12. And when they had left their gods there.] Their terricula bogey gods. They were now in a great fright.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 14 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) And when they had left their gods there.—Samuel, “their images.” Our word is explanatory. David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.—Samuel, “And David and his men carried them off” (Heb.). The two statements are not incompatible, and may both have existed in the same original text. The chronicler is careful to record David’s compliance with the law of Deu 7:25.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 14 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. And when they had left their gods there, David etc.] R.V. And they left their gods there; and David etc. David gave a commandment, and they were burnt] In 2 Samuel 5:21 (R.V.) David and his men took them away. The Law (Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 7:25) enjoined that graven images were to be burnt with fire.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 14 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When they had left their gods there - The practice of carrying images of the gods to battle was common among the nations of antiquity, and arose from the belief that there was virtue in the images

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Chronicles 14 →

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

There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They left their gods there; and David gave a command, and they were burned with fire.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The Philistines left their idols there, so David ordered that they be burned.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And there they had left their gods: and Dauid said, Let them euen be burnt with fire.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they left their gods there; and David commanded, and they were burned with fire.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they leave there their gods, and David speaketh, and they are burnt with fire.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they leave their gods there, and David commands, and they are burned with fire.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they left behind there their gods, and David gave the order, and they were burnt with fire.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The Philistines abandoned their gods there, and David gave an order that they should be burned.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they left there their gods, and David commanded that they should be burnt.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The Philistines had left their gods behind, so David gave orders that they should be burned.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the Philistines did not take their images with them in their flight; and at David's orders they were burned with fire.

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּעַזְבוּthey.abandonedadverbialשָׁ֖םtherenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאֱלֹֽהֵיgodsהֶ֑םtheirוַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמֶרhe.spokesubjectדָּוִ֔ידDavidוַandclauseverbיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּthey.were.burnedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּwithnoun phrase(the)אֵֽשׁfire

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 generally agree in this verse, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct syntactical structures of Hebrew and Greek, but the core message remains intact.

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

וַיַּעַזְבוּ־ שָׁ֖ם אֶת־ אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔יד וַיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּעַזְבוּ־ἐγκατέλιπονשָׁ֖םἐκεῖאֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑םθεοὺςוַיֹּ֣אמֶרεἶπενדָּוִ֔ידδαυιδוַיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּαὐτοὺςבָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פπυρί

7 of the 8 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 14:12עָזַבand they aband they abandoעָזַבשָׁםtherethereשָׁםאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֱלֹהִיםgods theirgods theirאֱלֹהִיםאָמַרand he spokand he spokeאָמַרדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדשָׂרַףand they weand they were bשָׂרַףאֵשׁwith firewith fireאֵשׁאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁראֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹדנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּסנָדַחto banishto banishנָדַחגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁאַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵראֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹןכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהמִזְמוֹרmelodymelodyמִזְמוֹרנָצַחto conductto conductנָצַחאֵשׁfirefireאֵשׁחוּץoutsideoutsideחוּץלֶהָבָהflameflameלֶהָבָהיָצַתto kindleto kindleיָצַת
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 14:12

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 they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
וַיַּעַזְבוּ־vai.ya.'az.vu- and they abandoned H5800 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
215× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Forsaken means to loosen or relinquish something, often implying abandonment. In the Bible, the word appears in Psalm 22:1, where David cries out to God, saying my God, why have you forsaken me. The term signifies a sense of desperation and isolation.
Amplified meaning
left behind, forsaken
Tyndale gloss
Forsaken
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָזַב (azab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to leave, forsake, or let loose. It encompasses a range of actions from abandoning or neglecting to setting free. The entries suggest it can also imply restoration or repair, though this aspect is less emphasized. Notably, the term can describe both active and passive states, such as being forsaken or deserted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָזַב 213 vb. leave, forsake, loose

Qal

leave, c. acc.

leave, abandon, forsake

let loose, set free, let go

Niph.

be left to

be forsaken, of house of God

Pu. (or Qal pass.) be deserted, of city

base

[עָזַב] vb. restore, repair (?);—Qal Ne 3:8

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5800a עָזַב leave, forsake, loose .. leave, c. acc.

. leave, abandon, forsake

. let loose, set free, let go

. . be left to

. be forsaken, of house of God

. (or Qal pass.) be deserted, of city

H5800b עָזַב restore, repair(?)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5800 `azab aw-zab'

a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit,

etc.:--commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave

(destitute, off), refuse, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: forsake.

1) to leave, loose, forsake

1a) (Qal) to leave

1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone

1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise

1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be left to

1b2) to be forsaken

1c) (Pual) to be deserted

עָזַב (a.zav) — to restore.

1) to restore, repair

1a) (Qal) to repair

עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: release.

1) to leave, loose, forsake

1a) (Qal) to leave

1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone

1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise

1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be left to

1b2) to be forsaken

1c) (Pual) to be deserted

עָזַב (a.zav) — Forsaken.

This name means to restore, repair

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: neglect.

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
שָׁ֖םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם'e.lo.hei.Hem gods their H430 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
2,603× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
Elohim, idols, false deities
Tyndale gloss
God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

pl. in number.

rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

angels

gods

pl. intensive

god or goddess

godlike one

works of God, or things belongng to him

God

הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

אֱלֹהִים = God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

. angels

. gods

. pl. intensive . god or goddess

. godlike one

. works of God, or things belongng to him

. God

. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

. אֱלֹהִים = God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically

used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the

supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to

magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X

exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X

mighty.

see HEBREW for 0433

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.

This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"

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

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.

Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3mp
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he spoke H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
gave a commandment, spoke
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

spok (1Ki 7:33).

See SEA, THE MOLTEN.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
דָּוִ֔ידda.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel, a man after God's heart
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
וַיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּvai.yi.sa.re.Fu and they were burned H8313 Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to set something on fire, and is used in the Bible to describe burning or kindling flames, like in Psalm 83:14. It can also mean to utterly destroy something. The word is related to fire and burning, and is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
consumed, destroyed
Tyndale gloss
to burn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׂרַף (*saraph*) is a primitive root meaning 'to burn.' It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be burned), Piel (burner), and Pual (to be burnt up). The entries suggest a focus on the act of burning and its implications, with no significant disagreements noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂרַף 117 vb. burn

Qal burn

Niph. be burned

Pi. his burner, usu. one burning him, but prob. burning spices for him

Pu. it was burnt up (and gone).

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8313 שָׂרַף burn

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8313 saraph saw-raf'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire:--(cause

to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, X utterly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂרַף (sa.raph) — to burn.

1) to burn

1a) (Qal) to burn

1b) (Niphal) to be burned

1c) (Piel) burner, burning (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be burnt up, be burned

Also means: sa.raph (סָרַף "to burn" H5635)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/VNw3mp
and they abandoned there the object marker gods their and he spoke David and they were burned with fire
בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פba.'Esh with fire H784 Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
378× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
burning, flame
Tyndale gloss
fire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵשׁ (esh) means 'fire' and encompasses various types, including natural fire, supernatural fire associated with divine appearances, and fire used for cooking or on altars. It can also figuratively represent God's anger. The entries consistently highlight its literal and metaphorical uses, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

fire, of conflagration

of supernatural fire

fire for cooking, roasting, parching

esp. of altar fire

fig. of Yahweh's anger

in various combinations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H784 אֵשׁ fire . fire, of conflagration

. of supernatural fire

. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

. esp. of altar fire

. fig. of Yahweh's anger

. in various combinations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

784 'esh aysh

a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):--

burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵשׁ (esh) — fire.

1) fire

1a) fire, flames

1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany)

1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching)

1d) altar-fire

1e) God's anger (fig.)

Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
HRd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fir ('esh; pur):

These are the common words for fire, occurring very frequently. 'Ur, "light" (Isa 24:15 the King James Version; compare the Revised Version (British and American); Isa 31:9, and see FIRES), nur (Aramaic) (Da 3:22 ff) are found a few times, also 'eshshah (Jer 6:29), and be`erah (Ex 22:6), once each. Ac 28:2,3 has pura, "pyre," and Mr 14:54; Lu 22:56, phos, "light," the Revised Version (British and American) "in the light (of the fire)." "To set…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fire

(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3). The expressions “fire from heaven” and “fire of the Lord” generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).

Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the altar was called “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1, 2;

is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s presence and the instrument of his power, in the way either of approval or of destruction. (Exodus 3:2; 14:19) etc. There could not be a better symbol for Jehovah than this of fire, it being immaterial, mysterious, but visible, warming, cheering, comforting, but also terrible and consuming. Parallel with this application of fire and with its symbolical meaning are to be noted the similar use for sacrificial purposes and the respect paid to it, or to the heavenly bodies as symbols of deity, which prevailed among so many nations of antiquity, and of which the traces are not even now extinct; e.g. the Sabean and Magian systems of worship. (Isaiah 27:9) Fire for sacred purposes obtained elsewhere than from the altar was called "strange fire," and for the use of such Nadab and Abihu were punished…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Scripture, is often connected with the presence of Jehovah; as in the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai, Ex 3:2 19:18 Ps 18:1-50 Hab 1:1-3:19. The second coming of Christ will be "in flaming fire," 2Th 1:8. In the New Testament it illustrates the enlightening, cheering, and purifying agency of the Holy Spirit, Mt 3:11 Ac 2:3. By sending fire from heaven to consume sacrifices, God often signified his acceptance of them: as in the case of Abel, Ge 4:4; Abraham, Ge…

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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