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1 Kings 17:4 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָיָ֖ה מֵהַנַּ֣חַל תִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וְאֶת־ הָעֹרְבִ֣ים צִוִּ֔יתִי לְכַלְכֶּלְךָ֖ שָֽׁם׃

BSAAndhâyâh you are to drinkshâthâh [from the stream, of the brook] from the brooknachal [a small river, or valley] and I have commandedtsâvâh [given orders, appointed] the ravensʻôrêb [dark-colored birds] to feed youkûwl [sustain, support] thereshâm [in that place, at that time]

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 17
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (Sham) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 17:4quick helps
In a sentenceGod instructs Elijah to drink from a brook and assures him that ravens will provide for him.
Who is speakingThe LORD, giving specific instructions to Elijah.
Where we areElijah is in a time of drought, receiving divine provision.
The hard wordכַּלְכֶּלְךָ֖, le.khal.kel.Kha
Take awayGod provides sustenance through unexpected means.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָיָה 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 17:4

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 — Provision for Elijahgenerated

3“Leave here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan.
4And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
5So Elijah did what the LORD had told him, and he went and lived by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan.
6The ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening, and he would drink from the brook.

1 Kings 17:4 describes God's provision for Elijah during a time of drought. God instructs Elijah to drink from the brook and promises that ravens will bring him food. This narrative highlights God's care and provision for His prophet in difficult circumstances, similar to how He provides for His people in various ways throughout Scripture.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 17:9“Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
21 Kings 19:5–8Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
3Numbers 20:8“Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
4Job 34:29But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
5Job 38:8–13Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word כַּלְכֶּלְךָ֖, le.khal.kel.Khagenerated

The Hebrew word כַּלְכֶּלְךָ֖ (le.khal.kel.Kha) is a Piel infinitive construct meaning 'to sustain' or 'to support.' It implies an active role in providing for someone's needs, emphasizing God's commitment to care for Elijah during his time of need.

The parsing indicates that this verb is in the infinitive form, which expresses the purpose of the action — in this case, to supply Elijah with what he needs to survive. The word conveys a sense of nurturing and ongoing support.


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 main verb הָיָ֖ה, ve.ha.Yah ('and it will be'), governs the sentence, establishing the context of God's promise. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating where Elijah will drink, and a series of clauses detailing the actions of the ravens.

The structure emphasizes the sequence of God's commands and the assurance of provision, with the verbs תִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה (tish.Teh) and צִוִּ֔יתִי (tzi.Vi.ti) clearly marking the actions that God has ordained for Elijah.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כַּלְכֶּלְךָ֖ as ἐντελοῦμαι (enteloumai), meaning 'I command.' This choice reflects a direct command from God to ensure Elijah's needs are met, emphasizing divine authority.

The Greek term also carries the connotation of appointing or ordaining, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning of sustaining and providing for Elijah's needs.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 17:4 tells us that God instructed Elijah to drink from a brook and assured him that ravens would bring him food. This shows how God provides for His people, even in difficult times.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God commanded the ravens?

It indicates God's control over nature and His ability to provide for His servants in unexpected ways.

Why is Elijah told to drink from a brook?

The brook represents a source of life and sustenance during a drought, symbolizing God's provision.

How does this story illustrate God's care?

It shows that God is attentive to the needs of His prophets and will provide for them, even through unconventional means.

What can we learn from Elijah's experience?

We learn to trust in God's provision and care, especially during challenging times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God provide for me in unexpected situations?
  2. How can I trust God more fully in times of need?
  3. What does this passage teach me about God's character?
  4. How can I be a source of provision for others, as God was for Elijah?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 17:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook,.... The water of that was to be his drink: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there; whereby he should be provided with food to eat; by

Read John Gill on 1 Kings 17 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there , [ haa`orªbiym (H6158); Septuagint, tois koraxin].

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 17 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. I have decreed or appointed. Or, I shall command, i.e. effectually move them, by instincts and inclinations which I shall put into them, which shall be as forcible with them as a law or command is to men. God is said to command both brute creatures, as , and senseless things, as ,12 Psa 78:23 45:12, when he causeth them to do the things which he intends to effect by them. I have commanded the ravens; which he names, and chooseth for this work; partly to succour the prophet’ s faith against human infirmity, by the credibility of the thing; there being many ravens in those parts, and those delighting to reside near brooks of water; and that sort of creatures being apt and accustomed to…

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Kings 17 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 17:4 And it shall be, [that] thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.Ver. 4. Thou shalt drink of the brook.] Adam’ s ale (water) he had, and food cooked by the angels, likely; though the Rabbis tell us - but who told them? - that the ravens pillaged it out of king Ahab’ s kitchen. And I have commanded the ravens,] i.e., I have prepared them, and put this instinct into them. All creatures are ready to serve the saints. God hath taken the best of them, and bound them over to cater for his people. Peter Martyr observeth, that the ravens especially did owe the Lord this service, for the benefit which they singularly above other fowls enjoy by…

Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 17 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) The ravens.—Of the accuracy of this rendering, which is that of almost all the ancient versions and of Josephus, there can be little doubt. The singularly prosaic interpretations, substituted for this striking and significant record of miracle by some ancient and modern writers (adopting slight variations of the Hebrew vowel points)—such as “Arabs,” “merchants,” “inhabitants of a city Orbi or the rock Oreb”—seem to have arisen simply from a desire to get rid of what seemed a strange miracle, at the cost (be it observed) of substituting for it a gross improbability; for how can it be supposed that such regular sustenance by human hands of the persecuted prophet could have gone on in the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Kings 17 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 4. I have commanded the ravens to feed thee] Thou shalt not lack the necessaries of life; thou shalt be supplied by an especial providence. See more on this subject at the end of the chapter. 1Kg 17:24.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Kings 17 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. thou shalt drink of the brook] The drought had not yet dried it up, but soon it would do so. I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there] Just as in 1 Kings 13:28 the appetite of the lion which had slain the false prophet was supernaturally checked, so that he tare neither the corpse nor the ass, so here the greedy birds were to bring into the valley enough food to suffice for the prophet’s wants as well as for their own. Their nests would be in the caves among which Elijah would find his best hiding-place. Many attempts have been made to explain away this verse by putting different vowel points to the word òøáéí to interpret it as (1) merchants. This some Jews favoured as the raven…

Read Cambridge on 1 Kings 17 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The ravens - This is the translation of most of the ancient versions; others, omitting the points, which are generally allowed to have no authority, read “Arabians;” others, retaining the present

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Kings 17 →

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

And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You shall drink from the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And thou shalt drinke of the riuer: and I haue comanded the rauens to feede thee there.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the torrent; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and it hath been, from the brook thou dost drink, and the ravens I have commanded to sustain thee there.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and it has been [that] you drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to sustain you there.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it shall be, that out of the brook shalt thou drink; and the ravens have I ordained to sustain thee there.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

It will happen that you will drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You can drink from the brook, and I have ordered ravens to bring you food you there.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The water of the stream will be your drink, and by my orders the ravens will give you food there.

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.

וְandclauseverbהָיָ֖הit.will.beclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromnoun phraseהַtheנַּ֣חַלwadiverbתִּשְׁתֶּ֑הyou.will.drinkוְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהָtheעֹרְבִ֣יםravensverbצִוִּ֔יתִיI.have.commandedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoclauseverbכַלְכֶּלְsupplyobjectךָ֖youadverbialשָֽׁםthere

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, with all eight words matching in the Hebrew and Greek versions. This consistency suggests a strong preservation of the original message across these texts.

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

וְהָיָ֖ה מֵהַנַּ֣חַל תִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וְאֶת־ הָעֹרְבִ֣ים צִוִּ֔יתִי לְכַלְכֶּלְךָ֖ שָֽׁם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָיָ֖הἔσταιמֵהַנַּ֣חַלξειμάρρουתִּשְׁתֶּ֑הπίεσαιוְאֶת־καὶהָעֹרְבִ֣יםκόραχινצִוִּ֔יתִיἐντελοῦμαιלְכַלְכֶּלְךָ֖σεשָֽׁם׃ἐκεῖ

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 Kings 17:4הָיָהand it willand it will beהָיָהנַ֫חַלfrom the wafrom the wadiנַ֫חַלשָׁתָהyou will dryou will drinkשָׁתָהאֵתand the objand the object אֵתעֹרֵבthe ravensthe ravensעֹרֵבצָוָהI have commI have commandeצָוָהכּוּלto supply yto supply youכּוּלשָׁםtherethereשָׁםנָחַלto inheritto inheritנָחַלאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתעָרַבto grow dato grow darkעָרַבהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאשָׁקָהto water: to water: waterשָׁקָהאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרקִדְרוֹןKidronKidronקִדְרוֹןאָרְנוֹןArnonArnonאָרְנוֹןשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָריַ֫יִןwinewineיַ֫יִןמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁמִיןkindkindמִיןנַ֫חַלBrookBrookנַ֫חַלמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהבַּתbathbathבַּתנָצַבto standto standנָצַבנָדַחto banishto banishנָדַח
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 17:4

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 it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
וְהָיָ֖הve.ha.Yah and it will be H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
מֵהַנַּ֣חַלme.ha.Na.chal from the wadi H5158 Preposition · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
141× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a brook or stream, often referring to a small river or valley, is used in the Bible to describe natural landscapes, such as the Brook Kidron in 2 Samuel 15:23. It can also refer to a narrow valley or a shaft of a mine, emphasizing the idea of a flowing body of water.
Amplified meaning
a small river, or valley
Tyndale gloss
Brook
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַ֫חַל (*nachal*) primarily refers to a torrent or stream, often associated with a valley or wadi where water flows, particularly in winter. It can also denote a shaft of a mine. Additionally, the term may relate to palm trees in certain contexts. The word appears in various forms in the Old Testament, including references in Psalms and Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַ֫חַל n.m. torrent, torrent-valley, wady

base

[נַ֫חַל] n.[m.] perh. palm-tree;—only pl. abs., Nu 24:6

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5158a נַ֫חַל torrent, torrent-valley, wady H5158b נַ֫חַל perh. palm-tree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5158 nachal nakh'-al

or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah

(Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; from 5157 in its

original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by

implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a

shaft (of a mine):--brook, flood, river, stream, valley.

see HEBREW for 05157

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — torrent: river.

: river/bed

1) torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley

1a) torrent

1b) torrent-valley, wadi (as stream bed)

1c) shaft (of mine)

Also means: na.chal (נַ֫חַל ": valley" H5158N)

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — palm-tree.

palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — Brook.

§ palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — (Eshcol) Valley.

Combined with esh.kol (אֶשְׁכֹּל " of Eshcol" H0812H)

§ palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — (Shittim) Valley.

Combined with shit.tim (שִׁטִּים " of Shittim" H7851H)

§ palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — (Sorek) Valley.

Combined with s.vo.req (שֹׂרֵק " of Sorek" H7796)

§ palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — Brook.

§ palm-tree

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — Brook.

palm-tree

Another name of shi.chor (שִׁיחוֹר "Shihor" H7883G)

נַ֫חַל (na.chal) — Brook.

palm-tree

Another name of shi.chor (שִׁיחוֹר "Shihor" H7883G)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Art | N-ms — Preposition · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Td/Ncmsa
and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
תִּשְׁתֶּ֑הtish.Teh you will drink H8354 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
217× 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 drink, and it's used in many ways, like drinking from a cup or feasting. It's also used to describe being drunk or taking part in a big celebration. We see it in stories like the Last Supper in Matthew 26:27.
Amplified meaning
from the stream, of the brook
Tyndale gloss
to drink
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and can refer to both literal drinking and figurative uses, such as feasting or experiencing God's wrath. It is a primitive root that appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like drinking and being drunk. The lexicons note its connection to the Aramaic equivalent שְׁתָה (she.tah), but do not present significant disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁתָה 217 vb. drink

Qal 216

Niph. all which is (may be) drunk

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8354 שָׁתָה drink

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8354 shathah shaw-thaw'

a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X

assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk

(X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)

see HEBREW for 08248

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁתָה (sha.tah) — to drink.

1) to drink

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to drink

1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig)

1a2) to feast

1b) (Niphal) to be drunk

Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See FOOD; DRINK, STRONG.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Drink

The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, “strong drink,” and vinegar. Their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or “basin,” the “cruse” or pitcher, and the saucer.

To drink water by measure (Ezek. 4:11), and to buy water to drink (Lam. 5:4), denote great scarcity. To drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter.

The Jews carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the law of Lev. 11:20, 23, 41, 42. (See Matt. 23:24. “Strain at” should be “strain out.”)

Nave's Topical Bible

→ INTOXICATING

See ABSTINENCE, TOTAL

→ See DRUNKARD

→ See DRUNKENNESS

→ See WINE

and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
הָעֹרְבִ֣יםha.'o.re.Vim the ravens H6158 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A raven is a dark-colored bird, first mentioned in the Bible as the bird Noah released from the ark in Genesis 8:7. The word is used to describe its dusky hue. It is a symbol of God's care in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
dark-colored birds
Tyndale gloss
raven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֹרֵב (oreb) means 'raven' and is derived from the root meaning related to its dark color. The entries consistently identify it as a raven without additional nuances or variations in meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֹרֵב n.m. raven

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6158 עֹרֵב raven

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6158 `oreb o-rabe'

or mowreb {o-rabe'}; from 6150; a raven (from its dusky

hue):--raven.

see HEBREW for 06150

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֹרֵב (o.rev) — raven.

raven

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
צִוִּ֔יתִיtzi.Vi.ti I have commanded H6680 Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
494× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To command or give orders, as seen in the Bible when God gives charge to his people. It can also mean to appoint or ordain someone for a task. This word is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
given orders, appointed
Tyndale gloss
to command
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָוָה (tsavah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to command or give orders. It is built from a primitive root and primarily used in the Piel form, indicating actions like appointing or charging someone with a task. The entries highlight its various applications, including laying charges and sending messengers. There are no noted disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָוָה] 485 vb. Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6680 צָוָה Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6680 tsavah tsaw-vaw'

a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute,

enjoin:--appoint, (for-)bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give

in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put,

(set) in order.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָוָה (tsa.vah) — to command.

1) to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order

1a)(Piel)

1a1) to lay charge upon

1a2) to give charge to, give command to

1a3) to give charge unto

1a4) to give charge over, appoint

1a5) to give charge, command

1a6) to charge, command

1a7) to charge, commission

1a8) to command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)

1b) (Pual) to be commanded

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singular
HVpp1cs
and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
לְכַלְכֶּלְךָ֖le.khal.kel.Kha to supply you H3557 Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffix
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to sustain or support something, like holding it in or keeping it going, and is used in various senses, such as nourishing or enduring, as seen in Psalm 55:22.
Amplified meaning
sustain, support
Tyndale gloss
to sustain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כּוּל (kuwl) is a primitive root meaning to sustain or contain. It covers a range of meanings including to measure, hold, nourish, and endure. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, such as Qal, Pilpel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of sustaining and containing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כּוּל] vb. comprehend, contain

Qal who hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a shalish-measure

Pilp. sustain, maintain, contain

Polp. were supplied with food

Hiph. contain, hold, hold in, endure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3557 [כּוּל] comprehend, contain .sustain, maintain, contain

. were supplied with food

. contain, hold, hold in, endure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3557 kuwl kool

a primitive root; properly, to keep in; hence, to measure;

figuratively, to maintain (in various senses):--(be able to,

can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing,

guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make

provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כּוּל (kul) — to sustain.

1) to seize, contain, measure

1a)(Qal) to measure, calculate

1b) (Pilpel) to sustain, maintain, contain

1b1) to sustain, support, nourish

1b2) to contain, hold in, restrain

1b3) to support, endure

1c) (Polpal) to be supplied

1d) (Hilpil) to contain, hold, hold in, endure

1d1) to contain

1d2) to sustain, endure

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-l-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vpcc/Sp2ms
and it will be from the wadi you will drink and the object marker the ravens I have commanded to supply you there
שָֽׁם׃Sham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Amplified meaning
in that place, at that time
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

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

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
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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