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1 Chronicles 16:20 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־ גּ֔וֹי וּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖ה אֶל־ עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃

BSAthey wanderedhâlak [traveled, went about] from nationgôwy [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] toʼêl nationgôwy from [one] kingdommamlâkâh [domain, ruler's power] toʼêl anotherʼachêr [next, different]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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.Cher) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 16:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the wandering of the Israelites among various nations and kingdoms.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the historical experience of the Israelites.
Where we areThis passage reflects on the plight of the Israelites during their time in foreign lands.
The hard wordוַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙
Take awayThe Israelites experienced a journey marked by displacement and change.
3 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbהָלַךְ 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 16:20

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 Wanderings of Israelgenerated

19When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,
20they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
21He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
22‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’

1 Chronicles 16:20 recounts how the Israelites, during their time of need, wandered from one nation to another. This reflects their vulnerability and the challenges they faced as they sought refuge and stability. The surrounding verses highlight God's protection over them, despite their wandering state, emphasizing His sovereignty and care.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 12:10Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
2Genesis 20:1Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
3Genesis 46:3–6“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙, vai.yit.ha.le.Khugenerated

The verb הָלַךְ (halak) is a Hithpael form, indicating a reflexive or reciprocal action, meaning 'they went about' or 'wandered.' This form conveys a sense of ongoing movement and exploration, capturing the essence of their journey.

In this context, the term encapsulates both physical movement and the broader spiritual journey of the Israelites as they navigated through foreign lands. The verb appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, illustrating various forms of movement, both literal and metaphorical.


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. The BSB has wandered, which is consistent across translations like the KJV and ASV.

Where translations differ is in the rendering of אַחֵֽרanother (ASV, KJV, WEB) versus next (FBV). This reflects a slight variation in how the final destination is perceived.


Sentence Structuregenerated

One main verb governs the verse — וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙, and they went about — with two prepositional phrases describing the movement: from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another. The structure emphasizes the continuous nature of their wandering.

The Hebrew word order places the verb first, highlighting the action of wandering as the focal point of the sentence, followed by the details of their journey.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ as ἐπορεύθησαν (eporeuthēsan), which means 'they traveled.' This choice reflects a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the sense of movement.

The Greek term emphasizes the act of traveling, aligning closely with the original Hebrew intent while fitting into the Greek narrative style.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 16:20 tells us that the Israelites wandered from one nation to another and from one kingdom to another. This reflects their journey and struggles as they sought refuge. The surrounding verses highlight God's protection over them during this time.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did the Israelites wander from nation to nation?

The Israelites wandered due to their status as strangers and their search for safety and stability in foreign lands.

What does the term 'nation' imply in this context?

The term 'nation' refers to Gentile groups, emphasizing the non-Hebrew peoples among whom the Israelites found themselves.

How does this verse relate to God's protection?

This verse highlights the vulnerability of the Israelites during their wanderings, while the surrounding verses affirm God's active protection over them.

What can we learn from the Israelites' experience?

The experience of the Israelites teaches us about resilience and the importance of seeking refuge and support during difficult times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this verse reveal about the challenges faced by the Israelites during their wanderings?
  2. How can we apply the lessons of resilience from the Israelites' experience in our own lives?
  3. In what ways can we seek God's protection in times of uncertainty?
  4. How does understanding the context of this verse enhance our appreciation of God's care for His people?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 16:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 16 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) And when they went from nation to nation.—And they went. This shows that the third plural (“when they were”) is original in the last verse. The reference is to the wanderings of the patriarchs. And from one kingdom.—The conjunction is prosaic, and is not read in Psalms 105:13.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. kingdom … people] The “kingdom” is Egypt (Genesis 12); the “people” the Canaanite and Perizzite (Genesis 13).

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 16 →

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

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

NETBNew English Translation2006

they wandered from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they went about from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they went about from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And walked about from nation to nation, and from one kingdome to another people,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they went from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they go up and down, From nation unto nation, And from a kingdom unto another people.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they go up and down, || From nation to nation, || And from a kingdom to another people.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And when they wandered from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they passed from nation to nation: and from a kingdom to another people.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They wandered from country to country, from one kingdom to the next.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

When they went about from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people;

Word by word, the decisions they made

אַחֵֽר׃'a.Cher another H312 2 different renderings
anotherASV BBE BSB DBY DRA GNV ILT KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
nextFBV

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙they.went.aboutprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseprepositional phraseמִfromגּ֣וֹיnationprepositional phraseאֶלtoגּ֔וֹיnationוּandprepositional phraseprepositional phraseמִfromמַּמְלָכָ֖הa.kingdomprepositional phraseאֶלtonoun phraseעַ֥םa.peopleאַחֵֽרanother

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 agree on the wording of this verse, with all eight words matched in the Hebrew and Greek translations. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the Israelites' experience during their wanderings.

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

וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־ גּ֔וֹי וּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖ה אֶל־ עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ἐπορεύθησανמִגּ֣וֹיἔθνουςאֶל־εἰςגּ֔וֹיἔθνοςוּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖הβασιλείαςאֶל־εἰςעַ֥םλαὸνאַחֵֽר׃ἕτερον

8 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 16:20הָלַךְand they weand they went aהָלַךְגּוֹיfrom nationfrom nationגּוֹיאֶלtotoאֶלגּוֹיnationnationגּוֹימַמְלָכָהand from a and from a kingמַמְלָכָהאֶלtotoאֶלעַםa peoplea peopleעַםאַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵרגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםאָחַרto delayto delayאָחַרהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהזְוָעָהhorrorhorrorזְוָעָהקָרַעto tearto tearקָרַעשָׁחָהto bowto bowשָׁחָהעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַד
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 16:20

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 went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙vai.yit.ha.le.Khu and they went about H1980 Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
traveled, went about
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vtw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-bout': The use of this word as a preposition, in the sense of "around," is confined to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, generally an adverb, for Greek hos or "hosei." The Revised Version (British and American) adopts it in several idiomatic translations of mello, referring to what is about to be, i.e. on the point of occurring, or immediately impending, amending the King James Version, in Ac 5:35; 27:2; Re 12:4, etc.

and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
מִגּ֣וֹיmi.Goy from nation H1471 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
Gentile, non-Hebrew people
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Sins of Isa 30:1,2

→ Chastised Isa 14:26,27; Jer 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Eze 2:3-5; 39:23,24; Da 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Ho 7:12; Joe 1:1-20; Am 9:9; Zep 3:6,8

→ Perish Ps 9:17; Isa 60:12

and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
גּ֔וֹיGoy nation H1471 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Sins of Isa 30:1,2

→ Chastised Isa 14:26,27; Jer 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Eze 2:3-5; 39:23,24; Da 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Ho 7:12; Joe 1:1-20; Am 9:9; Zep 3:6,8

→ Perish Ps 9:17; Isa 60:12

and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
וּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖הu.mi.mam.la.Khah and from a kingdom H4467 Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a kingdom or dominion, describing a ruler's power or territory. In the Bible, it is used to describe the kingdoms of Israel and other nations, as well as God's sovereignty. It emphasizes a ruler's authority and control.
Amplified meaning
domain, ruler's power
Tyndale gloss
kingdom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַמְלָכָה (mamlakah) refers to concepts of kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, and reign. It is derived from the root word for dominion and can denote both an abstract estate of rule and a concrete realm or country. The term is noted to primarily refer to non-Israelite kingdoms in some contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַמְלָכָה n.f. kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

kingdom, realm, chiefly non-Isr.

sovereignty, dominion

reign

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4467 מַמְלָכָה kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign . kingdom, realm, chiefly non-Isr.

. sovereignty, dominion

. reign

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4467 mamlakah mam-law-kaw'

from 4427; dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or

(concretely) the country (realm):--kingdom, king's, reign,

royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַמְלָכָה (mam.la.khah) — kingdom.

1) kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty

1a) kingdom, realm

1b) sovereignty, dominion

1c) reign

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-fs — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncfsa
and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
עַ֥ם'am a people H5971 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and they went about from nation to nation and from a kingdom to a people another
166× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means another or next in the original Hebrew, often referring to someone or something that follows or is different. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of people and events in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
next, different
Tyndale gloss
another
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַחֵר (acher) means 'another' or 'other' and can imply something that follows or is different. It is derived from a root that suggests hindrance or being next to something else. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, often referring to another person or thing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחֵר adj. another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H312 אַחֵר another

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

312 'acher akh-air'

from 309; properly, hinder; generally, next, other,

etc.:--(an-)other man, following, next, strange.

see HEBREW for 0309

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחֵר (a.cher) — another.

1) another, other, following

1a) following, further

1b) other, different

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
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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