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1 Chronicles 7:22 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל אֶפְרַ֥יִם אֲבִיהֶ֖ם יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶחָ֖יו לְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃

BSATheir fatherʼâb EphraimʼEphrayim [doubly fruitful] mournedʼâbal [to lament, cried out in sorrow] for manyrab [numerous, a long time] daysyôwm and his relativesʼâch [brethren, close family] camebôwʼ to comfort himnâcham [show pity, sympathize with]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 7
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1 Chronicles 7:22quick helps
In a sentenceEphraim mourned deeply for a long time after the loss, and his brothers came to comfort him.
Who is speakingThe narrative describes Ephraim, a significant figure in Israel's history.
Where we areThis verse is part of a genealogical account detailing the descendants of Ephraim.
The hard wordוַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל
Take awayThe mourning reflects deep familial ties and the sorrow of loss.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָבַל 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 7:22

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 Descendants of Ephraimgenerated

21Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by the natives of Gath, because they went down to steal their livestock.
22Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.
23And again he slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, because tragedy had come upon his house.
24His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah.

1 Chronicles 7:22 recounts the mourning of Ephraim, the father of a significant tribe in Israel. This mourning follows the tragic loss of his sons, reflecting the deep emotional ties within the family. The verse highlights the support of his relatives, who come to comfort him during this difficult time, emphasizing the importance of community in times of grief.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 37:34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
2Job 2:11Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.

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

and his brethrenJob 2:11

The Key Word וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל, vai.yit.'a.Belgenerated

The verb אָבַל (abal) is a primitive root meaning to mourn or lament. It encompasses various forms of mourning, applicable to both humans and inanimate objects, such as land or gates. The Hithpael stem used here indicates a reflexive action, suggesting that Ephraim is actively engaging in the mourning process.

This verb appears in different contexts throughout the Bible, often indicating profound sorrow. The form used here, in the sequential imperfect, conveys ongoing action, highlighting the depth and duration of Ephraim's grief.


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 uses mourned, which is consistent with the KJV and ASV, emphasizing the act of mourning.

Where translations differ, they do so primarily over the word רַבִּ֑ים (ra.Bim). The BSB, KJV, and others render it as many, while the BBE and FBV opt for a long time, showing a difference in emphasis on duration.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse centers around two finite verbs: וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל (and he mourned) and וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ (and they came). The first verb establishes the subject, Ephraim, and his action of mourning, while the second verb introduces the relatives who come to comfort him.

The syntax indicates a sequence of actions: Ephraim mourns first, followed by the arrival of his brothers. This order emphasizes the mourning before the comfort, reflecting the natural progression of grief and support.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל is rendered as ἐπένθησεν (epénthēsen), which also means to mourn. This choice reflects a direct translation of the emotional state of Ephraim, maintaining the focus on his sorrow.

The Greek term carries a similar weight of lamentation but may suggest a broader cultural understanding of mourning practices in the Hellenistic context.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 7:22 tells us that Ephraim mourned deeply for many days after losing his sons, and his relatives came to comfort him. This verse highlights the importance of family support during times of grief, as Ephraim's brothers arrived to show their sympathy.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Ephraim mourn for many days?

Ephraim mourned for many days due to the loss of his sons, which reflects the deep emotional pain associated with losing family members.

What does it mean that his relatives came to comfort him?

The arrival of his relatives signifies the importance of community and familial support during times of mourning, illustrating a cultural practice of coming together to offer sympathy.

How does this verse connect to other parts of the Bible?

This verse connects to themes of mourning and comfort found elsewhere in Scripture, such as in Genesis 37:34 and Job 2:11, where mourning and the support of friends and family are also highlighted.

What can we learn from Ephraim's mourning?

Ephraim's mourning teaches us about the natural human response to loss and the importance of allowing ourselves to grieve, as well as the value of having supportive relationships during difficult times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to grief in my own life, and who do I turn to for comfort?
  2. What does it mean to be a supportive friend or family member to someone who is mourning?
  3. How can I create a community that supports one another during times of loss?
  4. What biblical examples of mourning and comfort resonate with me, and how can I apply those lessons?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 7:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Ephraim their father mourned many days,.... For the loss of his son and grandchildren for the above fact was done while the Israelites were in Egypt, and Ephraim the patriarch yet alive; nor is

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 7 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. Ephraim their father mourned many days. The mourning lasted 30 days.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 7 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ephraim their father; either, 1. That Ephraim of whom he speaks, , whose sons are here named. But that to many seems hard, especially if these several sons, named ,21, be understood successively, so as each man be the son of him who is named next and immediately before him, which seems most probable; for so here are seven successive generations of Ephraim, which it is not likely that Ephraim lived to see; for then he must have been near two hundred years old. Although it is not necessary that the persons here said to be slain should be that generation which was last mentioned; but the particle whom may belong to the other sons of Ephraim of the fourth, or fifth, or sixth generation. Nor is…

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 7 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 7:22 And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.Ver. 22. And Ephraim their father.] Who must needs be now a very old man. Mourned many days.] His grief was the greater, if they went against the Gittites without his consent, as many young men are headlong and headstrong, &c. And his brethren came to comfort him.] The Benjamites also set upon the men of Gath, and took their city from them. Atque sic ulti sunt fratres suos Ephraemitas.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 7 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22-23) This is either what we should call a metaphorical description of the enfeebling of the tribe of Ephraim by the disaster which had befallen two of its chief houses, and of its subsequent recovery owing to the natural increase of its numbers, and the formation of a new and populous clan, that of Beriah; or if this be deemed too bold an interpretation of the archaic record, we have nothing for it but to suppose that the whole account relates to an expedition from Goshen, under two sons of Ephraim, during the lifetime of that patriarch; who, after the death of Ezer and Elead, begat another son, Beriah.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 7 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The treatment of different tribes is unequal in this chapter. In the case of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:1-5), Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:6-12), and Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30-40), genealogies are given and the number of fighting-men of each tribe is stated. To Naphtali is devoted a single verse, giving only the names of his sons. For Manasseh and Ephraim genealogies are given and their possessions are shortly enumerated. The mention of Dan is obliterated, owing to the state of the text of 1 Chronicles 7:12.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 7 →

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

Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days and his brothers came to console him.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Therefore Ephraim their father mourned many dayes, and his brethren came to comfort him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Ephraim their father mourneth many days, and his brethren come in to comfort him,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And their father Ephraim mourns many days, and his brothers come to comfort him,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Ephraim their father mourned for them many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Their father Ephraim mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And for a long time Ephraim their father went on weeping for them, and his brothers came to give him comfort.

Word by word, the decisions they made

רַבִּ֑יםra.Bim many H7227 2 different renderings
manyASV BSB DBY DRA GNV ILT KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
a long timeBBE FBV

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּתְאַבֵּ֛לhe.mournednoun phrase · subjectאֶפְרַ֥יִםEphraimnoun phraseאֲבִיfatherהֶ֖םtheirnoun phrase · adverbialיָמִ֣יםdaysרַבִּ֑יםmanyוַandclauseverbיָּבֹ֥אוּthey.camenoun phrase · subjectאֶחָ֖יbrothersוhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbנַחֲמֽcomfortobjectוֹhim

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


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

The Masoretic Text states that Ephraim mourned for many days and his brothers came to comfort him, which is confirmed by the Septuagint, where all eight words match in meaning, though the word order may differ. There are no significant differences between these two witnesses regarding this verse.

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

וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל אֶפְרַ֥יִם אֲבִיהֶ֖ם יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶחָ֖יו לְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛לἐπένθησενאֶפְרַ֥יִםεφραιμאֲבִיהֶ֖םαὐτῶνיָמִ֣יםἡμέραςרַבִּ֑יםπολλάςוַיָּבֹ֥אוּἦλθονאֶחָ֖יוαὐτοῦלְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃αὐτόν

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 7:22אָבַלand he mourand he mournedאָבַלאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםאָבfather theifather theirאָביוֹםdaysdaysיוֹםרַבmanymanyרַבבּוֹאand they caand they cameבּוֹאאָחbrothers hibrothers hisאָחנחםto comfort to comfort himנחםרָבַבto multiplto multiplyרָבַבאֶפְרָ֫תָהEphrathEphrathאֶפְרָ֫תָהאָבfatherfatherאָבאָמַלto weakento weakenאָמַלנָאָהhabitationhabitationנָאָהמְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁההַרmountain: mountain: mountהַרקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןNebuzaradaNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןטַבָּחguardguardטַבָּחשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) EsauעֵשָׂויוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףרַעbad: harmfbad: harmfulרַע
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 7:22

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 he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛לvai.yit.'a.Bel and he mourned H56 Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To mourn or lament, as seen in human and inanimate objects, like gates or land, and used in various forms in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
to lament, cried out in sorrow
Tyndale gloss
to mourn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָבַל (abal) is a primitive root meaning to mourn or lament. It covers various forms of mourning, including for humans and inanimate objects like gates and land. The verb can appear in different stems, such as Qal (to mourn), Hiphil (to cause to mourn), and Hithpael (to play the mourner).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָבַל 39 vb. mourn

Qal mourn, lament

Hithp. mourn (mostly prose)

Hiph. cause to mourn

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H56 אָבַל mourn

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

56 'abal aw-bal'

a primitive root; to bewail:--lament, mourn.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָבַל (a.val) — to mourn.

1) to mourn, lament

1a) (Qal) to mourn, lament

1a1) of humans

1a2) of inanimate objects (fig.)

1a2a) of gates

1a2b) of land

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to mourn, cause to mourn (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to mourn

1c2) play the mourner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vtw3ms
and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
אֶפְרַ֥יִם'ef.Ra.yim Ephraim H669 Noun proper masculine
180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ephraim means doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph's son and the tribe that descended from him. The tribe of Ephraim was a significant part of Israel's history. Ephraim is also the name of a region in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
doubly fruitful
Tyndale gloss
Ephraim
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (Ephrayim) refers to Ephraim, a son of Joseph and Asenath, and the tribe descended from him. The term signifies 'double fruit' and encompasses various meanings, including a geographical region, a chief gate of Jerusalem, and a reference to the northern kingdom. Notably, it appears in Genesis 41:52.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶפְרַ֫יִם n.pr.m. Ephraim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H669 אֶפְרַ֫יִם Ephraim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

669 'Ephrayim ef-rah'-yim

dual of masculine form of 672; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son

of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its

territory:--Ephraim, Ephraimites.

see HEBREW for 0672

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52;

son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621);

brother of: Manasseh (H4519);

father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19;

§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh

2) the tribe, Ephraim

3) the mountain country of Ephraim

4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)

5) a city near Baal-hazor

6) a chief gate of Jerusalem

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim (Gate).

§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

a chief gate of Jerusalem

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ephraim

Double fruitfulness (“for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction”). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt (Gen. 41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding him is his being placed, along with his brother Manasseh, before their grandfather, Jacob, that he might bless them (48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of Joseph was that the right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on the head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the younger before his brother, “guiding his hands wittingly.” Before Joseph’s death, Ephraim’s family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a city "in the district near the wilderness" to which our Lord retired with his disciples when threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt, Ge 41:52. Although the youngest, he yet had the chief blessing of his grandfather Jacob, and the tribe was always more distinguished than that of Manasseh, Ge 48:8-20 Nu 2:18-21. The portion of Ephraim was large and central, and embraced some of the most fertile land in all Canaan. It extended from the Mediterranean across to the Jordan, north of the portions of Dan and Benjamin and included Shiloh, Shechem, etc. A range of mountainous country, which runs through it, is called "the mountains of Ephraim," or "mount Ephraim." This extends also farther south into the portion of Judah, and is there called "the mountains of Judah." Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, being in Ephraim…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

fruitful; increasing

and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
אֲבִיהֶ֖ם'a.vi.Hem father their H1 Noun common masculine singular 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.
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-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3mp
and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
יָמִ֣יםya.Mim days H3117 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
רַבִּ֑יםra.Bim many H7227 Adj
454× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Amplified meaning
numerous, a long time
Tyndale gloss
many
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

(oft. opp. מְעַט)

much: of substances

esp. of collectives, numerous

pl. many

רַב as subst. coll. pers.

cstr. = abounding in

מִן comp. = more numerous than

רַב = abundant, enough

as adv. much, exceedingly

less oft. great

base

רַב 49 n.m. chief

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances

. esp. of collectives, numerous

. pl. many

. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

. cstr. = abounding in

. + מִן comp. = more numerous than

. רַב = abundant, enough

. as adv. much, exceedingly

. less oft. great

H7227b רַב chief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7227 rab rab

by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,

number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),

captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,

one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,

things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)

much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,

populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

see HEBREW for 07231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַב (rav) — many.

adj

1) much, many, great

1a) much

1b) many

1c) abounding in

1d) more numerous than

1e) abundant, enough

1f) great

1g) strong

1h) greater than

adv

1i) much, exceedingly

רַב (rav) — chief.

captain, chief

Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)

רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.

Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)

§ captain, chief

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

MANY, adjective men'ny.

1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.

Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.

Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.

It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.

As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.

So many laws argue so many sins.

It is followed by as.

As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.

It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene.

2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.

MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.

O thou fond many

The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.

and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
וַיָּבֹ֥אוּvai.ya.Vo.'u and they came H935 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
אֶחָ֖יו'e.Chav brothers his H251 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
630× 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 brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
brethren, close family
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he mourned Ephraim father their days many and they came brothers his to comfort him
לְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃le.na.cha.Mo to comfort him H5162 Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffix
108× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To comfort means showing pity or sympathy, as seen in God's actions throughout the Bible, such as in Isaiah 40. The word can also imply regret or remorse, like in the story of Jonah, who was sorry for his actions. It involves easing someone's pain or discomfort.
Amplified meaning
show pity, sympathize with
Tyndale gloss
to be sorry: comfort
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.

Niph.

be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others

be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings

comfort oneself, be comforted

comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Piel—comfort, console

Pual; be comforted, consoled

Hithpa.—

be sorry, have compassion

rue, repent of

comfort oneself, be comforted

ease oneself, by taking vengeance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console

. be comforted, consoled

.— . be sorry, have compassion

. rue, repent of

. comfort oneself, be comforted

. ease oneself, by taking vengeance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5162 nacham naw-kham'

a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;

by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to

pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge

(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),

repent(-er,-ing, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.

: comfort

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be sorry, have compassion

1d2) to rue, repent of

1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1d4) to ease oneself

Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)

נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.

: relent

1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion

1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent

1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted

1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself

1b) (Piel) to comfort, console

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vpcc/Sp3ms
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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