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1 Chronicles 16:31 — Word Study

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WLCיִשְׂמְח֤וּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֥וּ בַגּוֹיִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה מָלָֽךְ׃

BSALet the heavensshâmayim [the visible universe, sky] and the earthʼerets [land, ground] rejoicegîyl [be glad, happy] Let them sayʼâmar [declare, proclaim] among the nationsgôwy [Gentiles, non-Hebrews] The LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, God] reignsmâlak [is King, rules]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 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 (ma.Lakh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 16:31quick helps
In a sentenceThe heavens and the earth are called to rejoice and proclaim the reign of the LORD.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing joy and calling creation to celebrate.
Where we areA call to all creation to acknowledge God's sovereignty.
The hard wordמָלַךְ
Take awayAll creation is invited to express joy and declare the LORD's kingship.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectיהוה verbשָׂמֵחַ 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 16:31

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 — A Call to Creation's Joygenerated

30tremble before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’
32Let the sea resound, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
33Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth.

1 Chronicles 16:31 invites the heavens and the earth to rejoice, expressing the joy of creation in response to the LORD's reign. This verse is part of a larger psalm celebrating God's sovereignty and goodness, calling all elements of creation to participate in this joyful proclamation, similar to other psalms that emphasize the response of nature to God's majesty, such as Psalm 19:1 and Psalm 148:1–4.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
2Psalm 89:5The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD— Your faithfulness as well— in the assembly of the holy ones.
3Psalm 148:1–4Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.
4Luke 2:13–14And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
5Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מָלַךְ, ma.Lakhgenerated

The verb מָלַךְ (malak) means to reign or rule, often used in the context of kingship. It indicates the action of a sovereign exercising authority, and in this verse, it emphasizes the LORD's dominion over all creation.

This verb is in the perfect tense, third person masculine singular, indicating a completed action. The use of this verb here signifies that the LORD is not only king in a future sense but has already established His reign.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree that the LORD reigns, using various renderings for מָלַךְ.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יִשְׂמְח֤וּ (let them rejoice) governs the verse, with several clauses detailing what is to happen: the heavens are to be glad, the earth is to rejoice, and they are to proclaim the LORD's reign.

The structure emphasizes the call to all creation, with the verbs leading the action and the subjects being the heavens and the earth.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word βασιλεύων to translate מָלַךְ, which conveys the same sense of reigning or ruling. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of God's sovereignty across both Hebrew and Greek texts.

The translation choice shows a direct correlation in meaning, affirming the LORD's kingship as understood in both languages.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 16:31 calls for the heavens and the earth to rejoice and proclaim that the LORD reigns. This verse highlights the joy of creation in response to God's sovereignty, inviting all to celebrate His kingship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the heavens to be glad?

It signifies that all of creation, including the heavens, is called to express joy in response to God's reign.

Why is the earth invited to rejoice?

The earth rejoices as a reflection of God's authority and goodness, acknowledging His rule over creation.

What does it mean that the LORD reigns?

It means that God is sovereign and has authority over all things, governing the universe with power and justice.

How do the nations respond in this verse?

The nations are called to declare and proclaim the reign of the LORD, recognizing His sovereignty.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I see God's reign in my life and the world around me?
  2. How can I express joy in my relationship with God, similar to how creation rejoices?
  3. What does it mean for me to declare the LORD's reign among others?
  4. How can I encourage others to recognize and celebrate God's sovereignty?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Christian writers, such as Justin Martyr, referenced this verse to argue for the reign of Christ after His crucifixion, highlighting its prophetic significance.

Justin MartyrThe First Apology, Chapters XLI-XLII c. 100–165
And again, in another prophecy, the Spirit of prophecy, through the same David, intimated that Christ, after He had been crucified, should reign, and spoke as follows: "Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and day by day declare His salvation.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Chronicles 16 →

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 16:31 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

(4-42) THE OF A FOR THE ARK. THE ODE SUNG ON THE DAY OF . This entire section is peculiar to the Chronicle. 1 Chronicles 16:43 is almost identical with 2 Samuel 6:19-20. Compared, then, with the older text, this relation of the chronicler’s looks like a parenthesis interpolated from another source into the history, as narrated in 2 Samuel 6:12-20.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 16 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 31. Let the heavens be glad] "Let the supreme angels be glad, and the inhabitants of the earth rejoice." - T. In this place the Targumist uses the Greek word αγγελοι, angels, in Hebrew letters thus, אנגלי angeley.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Chronicles 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31. and let men say] Psalms 96:10, say [ye]. The clause is displaced in Chron.; cp. note on 1 Chronicles 16:30. The Lord reigneth] i.e. the Lord is claiming His kingdom over the earth by coming to judge the earth; cp. 1 Chronicles 16:33. Contrast Habakkuk 1:14, where the prophet complains that Jehovah is not asserting Himself as ruler of men.

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

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’

NETBNew English Translation2006

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the nations say, ‘The Lord reigns!’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; and let them say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Let the heauens reioyce, and let the earth be glad, and let them say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth!

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Also, established is the world, It is not moved! The heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, And they say among nations: Jehovah hath reigned.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, || And they say among nations, YHWH has reigned!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad: and let them say among the nations: The Lord hath reigned.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Let the heavens sing for joy, let the earth be happy. Tell the nations, “The Lord is in charge!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let the heavens have joy and let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, The Lord is King.

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.

clauseverbיִשְׂמְח֤וּlet.them.rejoicenoun phrase · subjectהַtheשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙heavensוְandclauseverbתָגֵ֣לlet.it.be.gladnoun phrase · subjectהָtheאָ֔רֶץearthוְandclauseverbיֹאמְר֥וּlet.people.sayprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַamongnoun phrasetheגּוֹיִ֖םnationsclausesubjectיְהוָ֥הYahwehverbמָלָֽךְhe.reigns

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 closely, with all eight words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

יִשְׂמְח֤וּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֥וּ בַגּוֹיִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה מָלָֽךְ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יִשְׂמְח֤וּεὐφρανθήτωהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙οὐρανόςוְתָגֵ֣לἀγαλλιάσθωהָאָ֔רֶץγῆוְיֹאמְר֥וּεἰπάτωσανבַגּוֹיִ֖םἔθνεσινיְהוָ֥הκύριοςמָלָֽךְ׃βασιλεύων

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 16:31שָׂמַחlet them relet them rejoicשָׂמַחשָׁמַיthe heavensthe heavensשָׁמַיגִּילand let it and let it be gגִּילאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץאָמַרand let peoand let people אָמַרגּוֹיamong the namong the natioגּוֹייהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהמָלַךְhe reignshe reignsמָלַךְהָיָהto beto beהָיָהגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילשִׂמְחָהjoyjoyשִׂמְחָהעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףכּוֹכָבstarstarכּוֹכָבשׂוּשׂto rejoiceto rejoiceשׂוּשׂשָׂמַחto rejoiceto rejoiceשָׂמַחכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָהנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהתַּחַתunderneathunderneath: undתַּחַת
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 16:31

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.

let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
יִשְׂמְח֤וּyis.me.Chu let them rejoice H8055 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
155× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to rejoice or be glad, often used in a religious sense, like when the Israelites rejoiced at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8:66.
Tyndale gloss
to rejoice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂמַח (samach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rejoice or be glad. It can express joy in everyday life, religious contexts, or even exultation. The verb has different forms: Qal (to rejoice), Piel (to cause to rejoice), and Hiphil (to make glad). The entries indicate a range of meanings related to joy and merriment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ 154 vb. rejoice, be glad

Qal 126

in common life

rejoice religiously

subj. י׳

Pi. cause to rejoice, gladden

Hiph. = Pi.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8055 שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ rejoice, be glad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8055 samach saw-makh'

a primitive root; probably to brighten up, i.e.

(figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or

gleesome:--cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful),

be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂמַח (sa.mach) — to rejoice.

1) to rejoice, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rejoice

1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at)

1a3) to rejoice (religiously)

1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yim the heavens H8064 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for heaven or sky, it refers to the visible universe and the abode of God. It is often used in the Bible to describe the dwelling place of celestial bodies.
Amplified meaning
the visible universe, sky
Tyndale gloss
heaven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַיִם (*shamayim*) is a dual noun meaning 'heavens' or 'sky.' It refers to the visible heavens where celestial bodies are found, as well as the abode of God. The dual form may suggest both the arch of the sky and the higher ether. It is noted in contexts such as Elijah's ascent in a whirlwind.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמַי] n.m. only pl. שָׁמַיִם 421 heavens, sky

visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

phrases

as abode of God

Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8064 שָׁמַי only pl. שָׁמַיִם heavens, sky . . visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

. phrases

. . as abode of God

. Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

. הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim

dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused

root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps

alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well

as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies

revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) — heaven.

1) heaven, heavens, sky

1a) visible heavens, sky

1a1) as abode of the stars

1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc

1b) Heaven (as the abode of God)

Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hev'-'nz (shamayim; ouranoi): On the physical heavens see ASTRONOMY; WORLD. Above these, in popular conception, were the celestial heavens, the abode of God and of the hosts of angels (Ps 11:4; 103:19-21; Isa 66:1; Re 4:2; 5:11; compare Da 7:10), though it was recognized that Yahweh's presence was not confined to any region (1Ki 8:27). Later Judaism reckoned seven heavens. The apostle Paul speaks of himself as caught up into "the third heaven," which he evidently identifies with Paradise (2Co 12:2).

See HEAVENLY.

let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
וְתָגֵ֣לve.ta.Gel and let it be glad H1523 Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person feminine singular
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to rejoice or be glad, often expressing strong emotions like joy or fear, as seen in the KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
be glad, happy
Tyndale gloss
to rejoice
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּיל (giyl) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rejoice or be glad, often associated with a sense of excitement or levity. It can also imply trembling, particularly from fear. The word is built from a root that conveys the idea of spinning around due to strong emotions, covering both joy and fear.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גִּיל] vb. rejoice (go around or about, be excited to levity)

Qal

rejoice

tremble

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1523 גִּיל rejoice (go around or about, be excited to levity)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1523 giyl gheel

or (by permutation) guwl {gool}; a primitive root; properly,

to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion),

i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:--be glad, joy,

be joyful, rejoice.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּיל (gil) — to rejoice.

1) to rejoice, exult, be glad

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to rejoice

1a2) to tremble (from fear)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Juss-3fs — Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person feminine singular
HC/Vqj3fs
let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retz the earth H776 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
land, ground
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
וְיֹאמְר֥וּve.yo.me.Ru and let people say H559 Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
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
declare, proclaim
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-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine plural
HC/Vqu3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
בַגּוֹיִ֖םva.go.Yim among the nations H1471 Preposition · noun common masculine plural 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
Gentiles, non-Hebrews
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-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HRd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-shunz.

See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.

let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
יְהוָ֥הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
let them rejoice the heavens and let it be glad the earth and let people say among the nations Yahweh he reigns
מָלָֽךְ׃ma.Lakh he reigns H4427 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
348× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To advise or counsel is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to reign or rule as a king. It is used in the Bible to describe the actions of leaders, like King Solomon, who sought wisdom to rule God's people. This word is found in the book of 1 Kings.
Amplified meaning
is King, rules
Tyndale gloss
to reign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַךְ (malak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to reign, become king or queen, or to counsel. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to reign), Hiphil (to make someone king), and Niphal (to consider). The word appears in contexts related to royalty and governance, with a notable reference in Daniel 9:1 for its use in the passive form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלַךְ 346 vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign

Qal 296 be (become) king, reign

Hiph. make king, or queen, cause to reign

Hoph. Dn 9:1.

base

[מָלַךְ] vb. counsel, advise;—only Niph. Impf. i.e. I considered carefully, Ne 5:7.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4427a מָלַךְ vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign H4427b מָלַךְ counsel, advise—only Niph. Impf.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4427 malak maw-lak'

a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the

throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by

implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make,

set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to)

reign(-ing), rule, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to reign.

1) to be or become king or queen, reign

1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign

1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign

1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to advise.

1) to counsel, advise

1a) (Niphal) to consider

Aramaic equivalent: me.lakh (מְלֵךְ "counsel" H4431)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
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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