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1 Kings 13:13 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃

BSASo [the prophet] saidʼâmar [a spokesperson for God] toʼêl his sonsbên [descendants, family members] Saddlechâbash [to tie or bind, prepare] the donkeychămôwr [a male ass, a beast of burden] Then they saddledchâbash [to tie or bind, prepare] the donkeychămôwr [a riding animal] and he mountedrâkab [to ride, get on] itʻal [the donkey, his mode of transportation]

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 13
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 ('a.Lav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 13:13quick helps
In a sentenceThe prophet instructs his sons to prepare the donkey for him to ride.
Who is speakingThe prophet, a spokesperson for God, is addressing his sons.
Where we areThis verse is part of a narrative where the prophet is on a mission.
The hard wordחָבַשׁ, chabash
Take awayThe act of saddling is a preparation for the journey ahead.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר 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 Kings 13:13

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 Prophet's Instructionsgenerated

12“Which way did he go?” their father asked. And his sons showed him the way taken by the man of God, who had come from Judah.
13So the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” Then they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it
14and went after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he replied.
15So the prophet said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat some bread.”

1 Kings 13:13 describes a moment when the prophet gives specific instructions to his sons to saddle a donkey for him. This action is part of a larger narrative where the prophet is following the man of God who came from Judah. The context shows the importance of obedience and preparation in carrying out God's commands, as seen in the subsequent verses where the prophet pursues the man of God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 13:27Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it,
2Numbers 22:21So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
3Judges 5:10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
4Judges 10:4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.
52 Samuel 19:26“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,

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

And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,1 Kings 13:27 Numbers 22:21 Judges 5:10 Judges 10:4 2 Samuel 19:26

The Key Word חָבַשׁ, chiv.shu-generated

The verb חָבַשׁ (chabash) means to bind or tie, specifically in the context of saddling an animal. It is an imperative form, indicating a command directed at the sons to prepare the donkey for riding.

This verb encompasses the physical act of preparing an animal for transport, emphasizing readiness for the journey. The usage here highlights the practical aspects of following God's instructions, as the prophet prepares to move forward.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term saddle consistently with other versions like the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is יֹּ֙אמֶר֙, he said, which governs the command to saddle the donkey. The structure includes a series of actions: the command, the response of the sons, and the prophet mounting the donkey.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the prophet's command first, followed by the actions taken by his sons, demonstrating a clear sequence of obedience and action.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹּ֙אמֶר֙ as εἶπεν, indicating a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew verb 'to say'. This choice maintains the original meaning without additional interpretation.

The consistent use of ἐπισάχατέ for חִבְשׁוּ reflects a direct translation, emphasizing the action of saddling without altering the intent of the command.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 13:13 shows the prophet telling his sons to saddle a donkey for him. They obeyed and prepared the donkey, and he then rode it. This simple narrative illustrates the importance of following instructions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to saddle the donkey?

Saddling the donkey refers to preparing the animal for riding, which involves tying or binding the saddle securely.

Why is the prophet asking his sons to saddle the donkey?

The prophet needs to ride the donkey to pursue the man of God, indicating a sense of urgency in following God's command.

What can we learn from the sons' actions?

The sons' obedience in saddling the donkey demonstrates the importance of following instructions and being ready to assist in fulfilling God's plans.

What is the significance of the donkey in this context?

The donkey serves as a means of transportation for the prophet, symbolizing readiness to embark on a mission given by God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when I receive instructions from authority figures in my life?
  2. What does obedience look like in my daily actions?
  3. In what ways can I prepare myself for the tasks God has set before me?
  4. How can I encourage others to follow through on their responsibilities?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

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

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

And he said unto his sons, saddle me the ass,.... Which he used to ride on; intimating he had a mind to ride after him, and overtake him, as he might reasonably think he might, since the man of God

Read John Gill on 1 Kings 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 13:13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,Ver. 13. So they saddled him the ass.] Children must cheerfully obey their parents; and not stick at any service within their power.

Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 13 →

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

So the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” Then they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

So the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” Then they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it

NETBNew English Translation2006

He then told his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” When they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass; and he rode thereon.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said to his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode upon it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And hee saide vnto his sonnes, Saddle mee the asse. Who sadled him the asse, and hee rode thereon,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he said to his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass; and he rode thereon,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he saith unto his sons, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle for him the ass, and he rideth on it,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he says to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddle the donkey for him, and he rides on it,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass, and he rode away thereon,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey and he rode off on it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he said to his sons: Saddle me the ass. And when they had saddled him, he got up,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Saddle up a donkey for me,” he told his sons. They saddled up a donkey and he got on.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So the prophet said to his sons, Make ready an ass for me. So they made an ass ready, and he got on it,

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֨אמֶר֙he.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseבָּנָ֔יsonsוhisclauseverbחִבְשׁוּsaddleprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֖forיmenoun phrase · objectהַtheחֲמ֑וֹרdonkeyוַandclauseverbיַּחְבְּשׁוּthey.saddledprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֣forוֹhimnoun phrase · objectהַtheחֲמ֔וֹרdonkeyוַandclauseverbיִּרְכַּ֖בhe.rodeprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלָֽיonוit

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


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

Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this text across different traditions.

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

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙εἶπενאֶל־τοῖςבָּנָ֔יוαὐτοῦחִבְשׁוּ־ἐπισάχατέלִ֖יμοιהַחֲמ֑וֹרὄνονוַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ἐπέσαχανל֣וֹαὐτῷהַחֲמ֔וֹרὄνονוַיִּרְכַּ֖בἐπέβηעָלָֽיו׃αὐτόν

11 of the 11 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 Kings 13:13אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראֶלtotoאֶלבֵּןsons hissons hisבֵּןחָבַשׁsaddlesaddleחָבַשׁנִיfor mefor meנִיחֲמוֹרthe donkeythe donkeyחֲמוֹרחָבַשׁand they saand they saddleחָבַשׁוֹfor himfor himוֹחֲמוֹרthe donkeythe donkeyחֲמוֹררָכַבand he rodeand he rodeרָכַבעַלon iton itעַלחָמַרto aggitatto aggitateחָמַרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהעַלheightheightעַלחֲמוֹרdonkeydonkeyחֲמוֹרחָבַשׁto saddle/to saddle/tieחָבַשׁשׁוֹרcattlecattleשׁוֹרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫העַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןגָּאָהto rise upto rise upגָּאָהסוּסswallowswallowסוּסכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּא
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 Kings 13:13

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 he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
a spokesperson for God
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

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

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

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

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

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

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

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

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

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

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

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

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

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
בָּנָ֔יוba.Nav sons his H1121 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
4,943× 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 son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, family members
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
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 said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
חִבְשׁוּ־chiv.shu- saddle H2280 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to tie or bind something firmly, like a turban or a saddle. It is also used figuratively to mean stopping or ruling something. In 1 Kings 20:12, it describes the binding of a wound.
Amplified meaning
to tie or bind, prepare
Tyndale gloss
to saddle/tie
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָבַשׁ (chabash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bind, tie, or saddle. It covers a range of actions from physically binding something up to metaphorically governing or restraining. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to bind) and Piel (to restrain). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to binding and governance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָבַשׁ] vb. bind, bind on, bind up

Qal

bind, bind on

bind up

Pi. bind, restrain

Pu. be bound up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2280 חָבַשׁ bind, bind on, bind up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2280 chabash khaw-bash'

a primitive root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban,

compress, or saddle); figuratively, to stop, to rule:--bind

(up), gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָבַשׁ (cha.vash) — to saddle/tie.

1) to tie, bind, bind on, bind up, saddle, restrain, bandage, govern

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bind, bind on

1a2) to bind up

1b) (Piel) to bind, restrain

1c) (Pual) to be bound up

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sad'-'-l: As noun (merkabh, "a riding seat") the word occurs in Le 15:9 (margin "carriage"); ordinarily it is used as a verb (chabhash, literally, to "bind up" or "gird about"), to saddle an ass (Ge 22:3; Nu 22:21; Jud 19:10, etc.).

and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
לִ֖יli for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
הַחֲמ֑וֹרha.cha.Mor the donkey H2543 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
96× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a male donkey, it is translated as he ass in the KJV Bible. The name comes from the animal's reddish-brown color.
Amplified meaning
a male ass, a beast of burden
Tyndale gloss
donkey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲמוֹר (chamor) refers to a male donkey, derived from a root meaning 'to be red' or 'dun.' The term is consistently translated as 'ass' or 'donkey' across various lexicons, indicating its specific reference to this animal in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲמוֹר n.m. (he)-ass

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2543 חֲמוֹר (he)-ass

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2543 chamowr kham-ore'

or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}; from 2560; a male ass (from

its dun red):--(he)ass.

see HEBREW for 02560

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמוֹר (cha.mor) — donkey.

(he) ass

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־vai.yach.be.shu- and they saddled H2280 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to tie or bind something firmly, like a turban or a saddle. It is also used figuratively to mean stopping or ruling something. In 1 Kings 20:12, it describes the binding of a wound.
Amplified meaning
to tie or bind, prepare
Tyndale gloss
to saddle/tie
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָבַשׁ (chabash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bind, tie, or saddle. It covers a range of actions from physically binding something up to metaphorically governing or restraining. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to bind) and Piel (to restrain). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to binding and governance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָבַשׁ] vb. bind, bind on, bind up

Qal

bind, bind on

bind up

Pi. bind, restrain

Pu. be bound up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2280 חָבַשׁ bind, bind on, bind up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2280 chabash khaw-bash'

a primitive root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban,

compress, or saddle); figuratively, to stop, to rule:--bind

(up), gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָבַשׁ (cha.vash) — to saddle/tie.

1) to tie, bind, bind on, bind up, saddle, restrain, bandage, govern

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bind, bind on

1a2) to bind up

1b) (Piel) to bind, restrain

1c) (Pual) to be bound up

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
ל֣וֹlo for him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
הַחֲמ֔וֹרha.cha.Mor the donkey H2543 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
96× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a male donkey, it is translated as he ass in the KJV Bible. The name comes from the animal's reddish-brown color.
Amplified meaning
a riding animal
Tyndale gloss
donkey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲמוֹר (chamor) refers to a male donkey, derived from a root meaning 'to be red' or 'dun.' The term is consistently translated as 'ass' or 'donkey' across various lexicons, indicating its specific reference to this animal in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲמוֹר n.m. (he)-ass

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2543 חֲמוֹר (he)-ass

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2543 chamowr kham-ore'

or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}; from 2560; a male ass (from

its dun red):--(he)ass.

see HEBREW for 02560

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמוֹר (cha.mor) — donkey.

(he) ass

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
וַיִּרְכַּ֖בvai.yir.Kav and he rode H7392 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
78× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to ride an animal or vehicle, and can also mean to place someone or something on a horse or chariot. It is used to describe riding horses or chariots in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
to ride, get on
Tyndale gloss
to ride
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָכַב (rakab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to ride, mount, or sit upon something, typically an animal or vehicle. It can also imply causing someone or something to ride or draw, as in plowing. The entries highlight its use in various forms, including a participle for 'rider' and figurative expressions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָכַב vb. mount and ride, ride

Qal

mount, mount and sit or ride

ride, be riding

pt., as subst., rider

Hiph.

cause to (mount and) ride

cause to draw (plough, etc.)

fig. cause hand to ride upon (grasp) bow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7392 רָכַב mount and ride, ride .. mount, mount and sit or ride

. ride, be riding

. pt., as subst., rider

. . cause to (mount and) ride

. cause to draw (plough, etc.)

. fig. cause hand to ride upon (grasp) bow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7392 rakab raw-kab'

a primitive root; to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle);

causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to

despatch:--bring (on (horse-)back), carry, get (oneself) up,

on (horse-)back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot,

on, -r), set.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָכַב (ra.khav) — to ride.

1) to mount and ride, ride

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to mount, mount and sit or ride

1a2) to ride, be riding

1a3) rider (subst)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to ride, cause to (mount and) ride

1b2) to cause to draw (plough, etc)

1b3) to cause to ride upon (fig)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he said to sons his saddle for me the donkey and they saddled for him the donkey and he rode on it
עָלָֽיו׃'a.Lav on it H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
the donkey, his mode of transportation
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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