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1 Chronicles 26:13 — Word Study

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WLCוַיַּפִּ֨ילוּ גוֹרָל֜וֹת כַּקָּטֹ֧ן כַּגָּד֛וֹל לְבֵ֥ית אֲבוֹתָ֖ם לְשַׁ֥עַר וָשָֽׁעַר׃ פ

BSAThey castnâphal [drew by lot, made a decision] lotsgôwrâl [pebbles or small stones used for making decisions] for each gateshaʻar [city entrance, temple door] according to their familiesʼâb [households, clans] youngqâṭân [small, insignificant] and old alikegâdôwl [great, mature, equally, without distinction]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 26
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (va.Sha.'ar) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 26:13quick helps
In a sentenceThey cast lots to determine the responsibilities for each gate.
Who is speakingThe gatekeepers, acting under their leaders.
Where we areIn the organization of the gatekeepers for the temple.
The hard wordגוֹרָל֜וֹת
Take awayDecisions were made fairly, with no distinction between young and old.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbנָפַל 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 26:13

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 Division of the Gatekeepersgenerated

12These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the house of the LORD, just as their brothers did.
13They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.
14The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.
15The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-edom, and the lot for the storehouses to his sons.

1 Chronicles 26:13 describes how the gatekeepers were organized for their duties at the temple. They used lots to assign responsibilities for each gate, ensuring that every family, regardless of age, had a role to play. This practice highlights the importance of fairness and order in their service to God, as seen in the preceding verses that outline their roles.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 24:31As their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, they also cast lots in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.
21 Chronicles 25:8They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.

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

as well the small as the great1 Chronicles 24:31 1 Chronicles 25:8

The Key Word גוֹרָל֜וֹת, go.ra.Lotgenerated

The Hebrew word גוֹרָל (goral) refers to 'lots' or 'portions,' often associated with decision-making through casting pebbles. It symbolizes the randomness of fate or destiny assigned by chance, a common practice in ancient Israelite culture for determining outcomes.

In this context, the casting of lots signifies a divinely guided method for assigning responsibilities among the gatekeepers, emphasizing the communal nature of their service.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

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


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיַּפִּ֨ילוּ, and they cast, governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a noun phrase גוֹרָל֜וֹת, lots, and a series of prepositional phrases that specify the context of the casting.

The structure emphasizes the action of casting lots as the central focus, with the subsequent phrases detailing the manner and purpose of the action.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word κλήρους (klērous) to translate גוֹרָל֜וֹת. This choice reflects a direct connection to the concept of lots as a means of determining fate or responsibilities, consistent with the Hebrew usage.

The translation indicates a continuity of practice from Hebrew to Greek, maintaining the significance of casting lots in decision-making.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 26:13 explains how the gatekeepers cast lots to assign responsibilities for each gate. This method ensured that all families, regardless of age, participated equally in their duties at the temple.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to cast lots?

Casting lots is an ancient practice used to make decisions or assign tasks, often seen as a way to determine God's will.

Why is it significant that young and old were included?

Including both young and old highlights the communal aspect of service and the importance of every family member's role in the temple duties.

How does this practice reflect the culture of ancient Israel?

Casting lots was a common method in ancient Israel for making decisions, reflecting a belief in divine guidance in their communal activities.

What other instances of casting lots are found in the Bible?

Other examples include the division of land in Joshua and the selection of Matthias as an apostle in Acts.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I ensure fairness and inclusion in my community?
  2. How do I see God's guidance in the decisions I make?
  3. What roles do I have in my family or community that I can fulfill with dedication?
  4. How can I learn from the practices of ancient Israel to better serve in my own context?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 26:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they cast lots,.... To determine at which gate each should stand, who at this gate, and who at the other, c.

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 26 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate. They cast lots.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 26 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They cast lots, as well the small as the great; determining the times and places of their service not by age or dignity, but merely by lot. According to the house of their fathers; a several lot being allowed for each several house. For every gate, that it might be known to whom the care of each gate was more especially committed.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 26 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) And they cast lots.—Compare 1 Chronicles 25:8. As well the small as the great . . .—Rather, Small and great (senior and junior) alike, according to their houses, for each gate. The posts of the porters were assigned by lot, without distinction of rank between the various families. The Sanctuary was built square with the four points of the compass, and had four gates, one on each side. The orientation of temples was the rule with the ancient Semites; and the importance attached to the cardinal points is illustrated by the ancient designation of the Babylonian and Assyrian sovereigns as “King of the four quarters,” i.e., of heaven (sar arba’i kiprat).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 26 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13. They cast lots - for every gate.] None of these captains or their companies were permitted to choose which gate they would guard, but each took his appointment by lot.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Chronicles 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13–19 (cp. 1 Chronicles 9:23-26). The Stations of the Doorkeepers 13. the house of their fathers] R.V. their fathers’ houses.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 26 →

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 cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

NETBNew English Translation2006

They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they cast lottes both small and great for the house of their fathers, for euery gate.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they cause to fall lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for gate and gate.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they cause lots to fall, the small as well as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their family divisions, for each and every gate.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They threw lots, both young and old, corresponding to their families, for every gate.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they cast lots equally, both little and great, by their families for every one of the gates.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Every gate was assigned by lot to different families, the least important equal to the most important.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the families were taken by the decision of the Lord for every door; the small family had the same chance as the great.

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּפִּ֨ילוּthey.castobjectגוֹרָל֜וֹתlotsprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseכַּasnoun phrasetheקָּטֹ֧ןsmallprepositional phraseכַּasnoun phrasetheגָּד֛וֹלgreatprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseבֵ֥יתthe.housenoun phraseאֲבוֹתָ֖their.ancestorsםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseשַׁ֥עַרa.gateוָandשָֽׁעַרa.gate

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 in their wording for this verse, with all eight words matched. This consistency suggests a shared understanding of the practice of casting lots among the ancient communities.

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

וַיַּפִּ֨ילוּ גוֹרָל֜וֹת כַּקָּטֹ֧ן כַּגָּד֛וֹל לְבֵ֥ית אֲבוֹתָ֖ם לְשַׁ֥עַר וָשָֽׁעַר׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּפִּ֨ילוּἔβαλονגוֹרָל֜וֹתκλήρουςכַּקָּטֹ֧ןμικρὸνכַּגָּד֛וֹלμέγανלְבֵ֥יתοἴκουςאֲבוֹתָ֖םαὐτῶνלְשַׁ֥עַרπυλῶναוָשָֽׁעַר׃ פπυλῶνα

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 26:13נָפַלand they caand they castנָפַלגּוֹרָלlotslotsגּוֹרָלקָטָןas the smalas the smallקָטָןגָּדוֹלas the greaas the greatגָּדוֹלבֵּיתto [the] hoto [the] house בֵּיתאָבancestors tancestors theirאָבשַׁ֫עַרfor a gatefor a gateשַׁ֫עַרשַׁ֫עַרand a gateand a gateשַׁ֫עַרשָׁעַרto calculato calculateשָׁעַרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהקוּטto loathto loathקוּטגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלמָדַדto measureto measureמָדַדפֶּ֫תַחentranceentranceפֶּ֫תַחגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלחָלָלslain: kilslain: killedחָלָלמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּהגָּדוֹלGreat (SeaGreat (Sea)גָּדוֹלאָחוֹתsistersisterאָחוֹתקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹדאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵם
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 26:13

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 cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
וַיַּפִּ֨ילוּvai.ya.Pi.lu and they cast H5307 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
435× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Amplified meaning
drew by lot, made a decision
Tyndale gloss
to fall: fall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

fall, by accident

Esp. of violent death

fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

fig. = experience calamity

fall, of a city

Fall prostrate

fall = prostrate oneself before

fall upon one's neck, in embrace

Fall upon = attack

desert or fall away to, go over to

Fig., of deep sleep

Other idiomatic uses

= lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

cause to fall

Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

Esp. of casting lot

Fig., let drop, cause to fail

cause deep sleep to fall

Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident

. . Esp. of violent death

. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

. fig. = experience calamity

. fall, of a city

. . Fall prostrate

. fall = prostrate oneself before

. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

. . Fall upon = attack

. desert or fall away to, go over to

. Fig., of deep sleep

. Other idiomatic uses

. = lie; = lie prostrate

. . cause to fall

. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

. Esp. of casting lot

. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

. cause deep sleep to fall

. Other idioms

. throw, or prostrate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5307 naphal naw-fal'

a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications

(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be

accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide

(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall

(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have

(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay

(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,

lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make

to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.

see HEBREW for 06419

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.

: fall/drop/fail

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.

: deserting

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vhw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

In general "to throw," with various degrees of violence; usually, with force, but not so necessarily, as e.g. in "cast a net," "cast lots." When applied to molten metal, as in English, first, "to let run. into molds," with reference to their descent by gravity, and, then, "to form," as in Ex 25:12, etc. Usually in the New Testament for ballo, but not always. Thus, in Lu 1:29 "cast in her mind" means "considered" (dielogizeto); "cast reproach" for Greek oneidizon, "reproached" (Mt 27:44); "casting down" for kathaireo, "demolishing" (2Co 10:4); "casting all anxiety upon" (1Pe 5:7), a still stronger term, as in

and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
גוֹרָל֜וֹתgo.ra.Lot lots H1486 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
78× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a pebble or small stone used for making decisions by casting lots. It symbolizes a portion or destiny assigned by chance, like the drawing of lots to determine an outcome. This concept is central to ancient Israelite decision-making practices.
Amplified meaning
pebbles or small stones used for making decisions
Tyndale gloss
allotted
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹרָל (goral) refers to a 'lot' or 'portion,' often associated with decision-making through casting pebbles. It encompasses the idea of something assigned or apportioned, including land division and duties. The term can also imply recompense or retribution. The entries indicate that it is derived from a root meaning 'to be rough,' suggesting its connection to the physical stones used in the practice.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹרָל 77 n.m. & f. lot

lot for dividing land

lot for assigning to service, duty or punishment

thing assigned, apportioned, allotted

portion = recompence, retribution

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1486 גּוֹרָל lot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1486 gowral go-rawl'

or (shortened) goral {go-ral'}; from an unused root meaning

to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small

stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion

or destiny (as if determined by lot):--lot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹרָל (go.ral) — allotted.

1) lot

1a) lot-pebbles used for systematically making decisions

2) portion

2a) lot, portion (thing assigned by casting lots)

2b) recompense, retribution

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See DIVINATION.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Were often cast by the Jews, as well as other ancient nations, with the expectation, when God was appealed to, that he would so control them as to give a right direction in doubtful cases, Ps 22:18 16:11 18:18. They were often used by the divine appointment. The portions of the twelve tribes were thus assigned to them; and hence each tribe’s portion was called "the lot of its inheritance," Nu 26:55,56 Ps 125:3 Ac 8:21. The scapegoat was to be selected, and the other of the priests’ service determined by lot, Le 16:8 1Ch 24:5 25:8. By the same means Achan, Jonathan…

and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
כַּקָּטֹ֧ןka.ka.Ton as the small H6996 Preposition
101× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means something or someone small in size, amount, or importance. It can describe something as little or least, and is often used to convey a sense of youth or insignificance. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
small, insignificant
Tyndale gloss
small
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָטָן (qatan) means small, young, or unimportant. It can refer to size, quantity, or age, and is often used to describe something insignificant. The entries indicate that it is a diminutive form, with variations in spelling. The lexicons highlight its meanings consistently, without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָטָן adj. small, young, unimportant

base

קָטֹן 64 adj. small, insignificant

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6996a קָטָן small, young, unimportant H6996b קָטֹן small, insignificant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6996 qatan kaw-tawn'

or qaton {kaw-tone'}; from 6962; abbreviated, i.e.

diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or

figuratively (in age or importance):--least, less(-er),

little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing),

young(-er, -est).

see HEBREW for 06962

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָטָן (qa.tan) — small.

young, small, unimportant

Another spelling of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)

קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small.

: small

small, insignificant

קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small: young.

: young

small, insignificant

A sub-meaning of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HRd/Aamsa
and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
כַּגָּד֛וֹלka.ga.Dol as the great H1419 Preposition
526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means something or someone great, whether in size, age, or importance. It appears in descriptions of the Great Sea and the Philistines. The word is used to convey a sense of magnitude or grandeur.
Amplified meaning
great, mature, equally, without distinction
Tyndale gloss
Great (Sea)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great

in magnitude and extent

in number

in intensity

in sound, loud

in age

in importance

in phrases

cstr.

as subst. concr. do great things

† as subst. neut. greatness of arm

base

הַגְּדוֹלִים n.pr.m. father of Zabdiel Ne 11:14 (RV & so most; but 𝔊 RVm al. the great).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent

. in number

. in intensity

. in sound, loud

. in age

. in importance

. in phrases

. cstr.

. as subst. concr. do great things

. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm

H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1419 gadowl gaw-dole'

or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any

sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +

exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,

thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,

proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

1e) older (in age)

1f) in importance

1f1) important things

1f2) great, distinguished (of men)

1f3) God Himself (of God)

subst

1g) great things

1h) haughty things

1i) greatness

Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).

adj

great

Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HRd/Aamsa
and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
לְבֵ֥יתle.Veit to [the] house of H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
אֲבוֹתָ֖ם'a.vo.Tam ancestors their H1 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
households, clans
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
לְשַׁ֥עַרle.Sha.'ar for a gate H8179 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
374× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a gate or door, often referring to city entrances or temple doors, like in Genesis and Exodus. It can also symbolize a meeting place or marketplace. The word is used to describe important locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
city entrance, temple door
Tyndale gloss
gate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8179 sha`ar shah'-ar

from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or

gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).

see HEBREW for 08176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.

: gate

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.

: town

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gat (Hebrew normally (over 300 times) sha`ar; occasionally deleth, properly, "gateway" (but compare De 3:5); elsewhere the gateway is pethach (compare especially Ge 19:6); Aramaic tera`; Greek pulon, pule; the English Revised Version and the King James Version add caph, "threshold," in 1Ch 9:19,22; and the King James Version adds delathayim, "double-door," in Isa 45:1; thura, "door," Ac 3:2):

(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (Ne 2:3,17), but greater…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gate

(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).

(2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).

(3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ruth 4:10; Psalms 87:2; 122:2) Among the special purposes for which they were used may be mentioned. As places of public resort. (Genesis 19:1; 23:10; 34:20; 24; 1 Samuel 4:18) etc. Places for public deliberation, administration of Justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. (16:18; 21:19; 25:7;

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The gates of eastern walled towns were usually of wood, Jud 16:3, often covered with thick plates of iron or copper, Ps 107:16 Isa 45:2 Ac 12:10, secured by bolts and bars, De 3:5 1Ki 4:13, and flanked by towers, 2Sa 18:24,33. A city was usually regarded as taken when its gates were won, De 28:52 Jud 5:8. Hence "gate" sometimes signifies power, dominion; almost in the same sense as the Turkish sultan’s…

and they cast lots as the small as the great to [the] house of ancestors their for a gate and a gate
וָשָֽׁעַר׃ פva.Sha.'ar and a gate H8179 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
374× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a gate or door, often referring to city entrances or temple doors, like in Genesis and Exodus. It can also symbolize a meeting place or marketplace. The word is used to describe important locations in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
gate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8179 sha`ar shah'-ar

from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or

gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).

see HEBREW for 08176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.

: gate

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.

: town

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gat (Hebrew normally (over 300 times) sha`ar; occasionally deleth, properly, "gateway" (but compare De 3:5); elsewhere the gateway is pethach (compare especially Ge 19:6); Aramaic tera`; Greek pulon, pule; the English Revised Version and the King James Version add caph, "threshold," in 1Ch 9:19,22; and the King James Version adds delathayim, "double-door," in Isa 45:1; thura, "door," Ac 3:2):

(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (Ne 2:3,17), but greater…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gate

(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).

(2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).

(3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ruth 4:10; Psalms 87:2; 122:2) Among the special purposes for which they were used may be mentioned. As places of public resort. (Genesis 19:1; 23:10; 34:20; 24; 1 Samuel 4:18) etc. Places for public deliberation, administration of Justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. (16:18; 21:19; 25:7;

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The gates of eastern walled towns were usually of wood, Jud 16:3, often covered with thick plates of iron or copper, Ps 107:16 Isa 45:2 Ac 12:10, secured by bolts and bars, De 3:5 1Ki 4:13, and flanked by towers, 2Sa 18:24,33. A city was usually regarded as taken when its gates were won, De 28:52 Jud 5:8. Hence "gate" sometimes signifies power, dominion; almost in the same sense as the Turkish sultan’s…

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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