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1 Kings 20:14 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ בְּמִ֔י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנַעֲרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מִֽי־ יֶאְסֹ֥ר הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽתָּה׃

BSABy whommîy AhabʼAchʼâb [the king of Israel] askedʼâmar And the prophet repliedʼâmar This is whatkôh the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saysʼâmar By the young officersnaʻar [servants of the princes, rulers] of the districtmᵉdîynâh governorssar [provinces, regions] Whomîy [what person, which one] will startʼâçar the battlemilchâmâh [war, conflict] asked [Ahab]ʼâmar You [will]ʼattâh [as the king, thou] answered the prophetʼâmar

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 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.tah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 20:14quick helps
In a sentenceAhab questions the prophet about who will lead the battle, and the prophet answers with God's instruction.
Who is speakingAhab, the king of Israel, is asking the prophet for guidance.
Where we areThis exchange occurs during a pivotal moment before a battle.
The hard wordיֶאְסֹ֥ר
Take awayThe battle is set to begin under God's direction through Ahab.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַחְאָב 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 20:14

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 — Ahab Seeks Guidance for Battlegenerated

13Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
14“By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.
15So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.
16They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.

1 Kings 20:14 captures a moment where Ahab, the king of Israel, seeks clarity from a prophet regarding the upcoming battle against the Arameans. The prophet conveys God's message, indicating that the young officers of the district governors will lead the charge. This interaction highlights Ahab's reliance on prophetic guidance and God's sovereignty in the face of conflict, as seen in the lead-up to the battle described in 1 Kings 20:13.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 14:14–16And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.
2Judges 7:16–20And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a ram’s horn in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch.
31 Samuel 17:50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
41 Corinthians 1:27–29But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
51 Kings 18:44On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

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


The Key Word יֶאְסֹ֥ר, ye'.Sorgenerated

The verb אָסַר (asar) means 'to bind' or 'to tie', but in this context, it refers to the initiation of an action, specifically beginning the battle. This verb is in the imperfect form, indicating a future action, which is significant as it shows the prophet's assurance that Ahab will take the lead.

The word carries implications of both physical and metaphorical binding, suggesting readiness and commitment to the task ahead. The context emphasizes Ahab's role in the unfolding events, as the prophet clearly states that it is Ahab who will start the battle.


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 sentence is structured around the main verb יֹּ֤אמֶר, he said, which governs Ahab's inquiry and the prophet's response. The order of the clauses emphasizes Ahab's question first, followed by the prophet's declaration of God's message.

The use of direct speech throughout the verse adds immediacy, with Ahab's questions leading into God's instructions delivered through the prophet. This structure highlights the dialogue and the unfolding divine plan.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, יֶאְסֹ֥ר is rendered as συνάψει, meaning 'to join' or 'to bring together'. This choice suggests a focus on the act of gathering forces for battle rather than merely starting it, indicating a broader interpretation of Ahab's role in the conflict.

The translation reflects a subtle shift in emphasis from the Hebrew's direct initiation of action to a more collaborative sense of preparation for battle.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 20:14 shows Ahab asking the prophet who will lead the battle against the Arameans. The prophet answers that it will be the young officers of the district governors, and when Ahab asks who will start the battle, the prophet tells him that he will. This exchange highlights Ahab's dependence on prophetic guidance and God's direction.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Ahab mean by asking 'by whom'?

Ahab is seeking to understand who will lead the attack against the enemy forces, indicating his need for clarity and direction.

Why does the prophet specify the young officers?

The young officers represent the leaders of the Israelite forces, suggesting that God will use them to achieve victory in battle.

What does it mean that Ahab will start the battle?

This signifies Ahab's role as the king and leader of Israel, highlighting his responsibility in the conflict and God's plan for victory.

How does this passage illustrate the relationship between Ahab and the prophet?

It shows Ahab's reliance on prophetic insight and God's guidance in making strategic decisions for the nation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek guidance in difficult decisions, similar to Ahab's inquiry?
  2. How can I recognize and respond to God's direction in my life?
  3. What role do leaders play in guiding others, as seen with Ahab and the young officers?
  4. How can I prepare myself for challenges ahead, trusting in God's plan?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 20:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Ahab said, by whom?.... Knowing he had no army with him sufficient to go out with against the Syrian army: and he said, thus saith the Lord, even by the young men of the princes of the provinces;

Read John Gill on 1 Kings 20 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 20 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

By the young men of the princes of the provinces; not by old and experienced soldiers, but by those young men; either the sons of the princes and great men of the land, who were generally fled thither for safety; or their pages or servants that used to attend upon them, who are bred up delicately, and seem unfit for the business. He answered, Thou, partly to encourage the young men to fight courageously, as being in the presence of their prince; and partly that it might appear that the victory was wholly due to God’ s gracious and powerful providence, and not to the valour or worthiness of the instruments.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Kings 20 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, [Even] by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.Ver. 14. Even by the young men of the princes, &c.] By the noblemen’ s sons, the young courtiers, and cavaliers. These were fresh water soldiers, likely, and unexperienced; carpet knights, fitter for a canopy than a camp, for language than a lance; but God had therefore the more glory by the victory gotten by them. Who shall order the battle?] i.e., Set upon the Syrians, after that they are disordered by the young gallants. Gens una Fabiorum.

Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 20 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) Who shall order the battle?—The marginal reading seems right, “Who shall give battle?” “Who shall begin the fray?”

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Kings 20 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14. By the young men of the princes of the provinces.] These were probably some chosen persons out of the militia of different districts, raised by the princes of the provinces; the same as we would call lord-lieutenants of counties.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Kings 20 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. the young men of the princes of the provinces] The LXX. gives υἱοὶτῶνἡγεμόνων, ‘sons of the leaders’, and Josephus nearly the same. ‘The princes of the provinces’ were probably chieftains who had come from various parts of the kingdom of Israel. The ‘young men’ would be their attendants or squires. Evidently they are selected as persons who had no great experience though they might have the courage to go, few in number, against a much superior force. Who shall order the battle] The verb, as is seen from the margin of A.V., means ‘to bind’ or ‘tie’. The R.V. taking this to apply to the bringing of the armies together has rendered begin. Instead of remaining within the walls, God…

Read Cambridge on 1 Kings 20 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The “princes of the provinces” are the governors of districts, many of whom may have fled to the capital, as the hostile army advanced through Galilee and northern Samaria.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Kings 20 →

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

“By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Yahweh says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Ahab sayd, By whome? And he sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, By the seruants of the princes of the prouinces. He sayde againe, Who shall order the battel? And he answered, Thou.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he said, Thou.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Ahab saith, 'By whom?' and he saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, By the young men of the heads of the provinces;' and he saith, 'Who doth direct the battle?' and he saith, 'Thou.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Ahab says, “By whom?” And he says, “Thus said YHWH: By the young men of the heads of the provinces”; and he says, “Who directs the battle?” And he says, “You.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Achab said, By whom? And he said, Thus hath said the Lord, By means of the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then said he, Who shall order the battle? And he said, Thou.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Ahab replied, “By whom?” Yahweh replied and said, “By the young officers who serve the governors of the districts.” Then Ahab said, “Who will begin the battle?” Yahweh answered, “You.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Achab said: By whom? And he said to him: Thus saith the Lord: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. And he said: Who shall begin to fight? And he said: Thou.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“But who's going to do this?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered, “This is what the Lord says: It will be the young officers under the district commanders.” “And who's going to start the battle?” he asked. The prophet replied, “You are!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, The Lord says, By the servants of the chiefs who are over the divisions of the land. Then he said, By whom is the fighting to be started? And he made answer, By you.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֤אמֶרhe.saidsubjectאַחְאָב֙Ahabclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּbyמִ֔יwhom?וַandclauseverbיֹּ֨אמֶר֙he.saidclauseadverbialכֹּֽהthusverbאָמַ֣רhe.sayssubjectיְהוָ֔הYahwehclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּbynoun phraseנַעֲרֵ֖יthe.young.mennoun phraseשָׂרֵ֣יof.the.officialsnoun phraseהַofמְּדִינ֑וֹתthe.provincesוַandclauseverbיֹּ֛אמֶרhe.saidclausesubjectמִֽיwho?verbיֶאְסֹ֥רwill.he.beginnoun phrase · objectהַtheמִּלְחָמָ֖הbattleוַandclauseverbיֹּ֥אמֶרhe.saidclausesubjectאָֽתָּהyou

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


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

The Masoretic Text records Ahab's question and the prophet's response, detailing that the battle will be initiated by Ahab himself and the young officers of the district governors. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in its word-by-word correspondence, matching all 16 words, though it may differ in word order and articles due to its translation style. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency among the ancient witnesses.

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

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ בְּמִ֔י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנַעֲרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מִֽי־ יֶאְסֹ֥ר הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽתָּה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרεἶπενאַחְאָב֙αξααβבְּמִ֔יτίνιוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙εἶπενכֹּֽה־τάδεאָמַ֣רλέγειיְהוָ֔הκύριοςבְּנַעֲרֵ֖יπαιδαρίοιςשָׂרֵ֣יἀρξόντωνהַמְּדִינ֑וֹתξωρῶνוַיֹּ֛אמֶרεἶπενמִֽי־τίςיֶאְסֹ֥רσυνάψειהַמִּלְחָמָ֖הπόλεμονוַיֹּ֥אמֶרεἶπενאָֽתָּה׃σύ

16 of the 16 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 20:14אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראַחְאָבAhabAhabאַחְאָבמִיby whom?by whom?מִיאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהאָמַרhe sayshe saysאָמַריהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהנַ֫עַרby [the] yoby [the] young נַ֫עַרשַׂר[the] offic[the] officialsשַׂרמְדִינָהthe provincthe provincesמְדִינָהאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרמִיwho?who?מִיאָסַרwill he begwill he beginאָסַרמִלְחָמָהthe battlethe battleמִלְחָמָהאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראַתָּ֫הyouyouאַתָּ֫האָחbrother: mbrother: male-sאָחמָהwhat?what?מָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהנָעַרto shaketo shakeנָעַרשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרדִּיןto judgeto judgeדִּיןלָחַםto fightto fightלָחַםהוּאhe/she/ithe/she/itהוּאיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיָעַדto appointto appointיָעַדכְּמוֹlikelikeכְּמוֹיְהוֹרָםJoramJoramיְהוֹרָםיִזְרְעֶאל(Valley of(Valley of) JezיִזְרְעֶאלאָדוֹןLordLordאָדוֹןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאאֲבִישָׁלוֹםAbsalomAbsalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם
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 20:14

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 Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.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'.
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 Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
אַחְאָב֙'ach.'Av Ahab H256 Noun proper masculine
93× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ahab was a king of Israel who lived a long time ago. He was married to a queen named Jezebel and did many bad things. The prophet Jeremiah also wrote about a different man named Ahab.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Ahab
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַחְאָב (*Ach'ab*) refers to Ahab, a name associated with a king of Israel and a false prophet during the time of Jeremiah. It is derived from the words for 'brother' and 'father,' meaning 'father's brother.' The entries highlight Ahab's lineage, including his marriage to Jezebel and his role in the Divided Monarchy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחְאָב 91 n.pr.m. Ahab (father’s brother)

son of Omri, king of Isr.

false prophet, time of Jerem.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H256 אַחְאָב

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

256 'Ach'ab akh-awb'

once (by contraction) oEchab (Jer. 29:22) {ekh- awb'}; from

251 and 1; brother (i.e. friend) of (his) father; Achab, the

name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at Babylon:--Ahab.

see HEBREW for 0251

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחְאָב (ach.av) — Ahab.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.16.28;

son of: Omri (H6018); married to Jezebel (H0348);

father of: Joash (H3101H), Ahaziah (H0274), Joram (H3141H), Athaliah (H6271)

§ Ahab = "father's brother"

1) king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel

2) false prophet executed by Nebuchadrezzar, time of Jeremiah

אַחְאָב (ach.av) — Ahab.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.29.21;

son of: Kolaiah (H6964H)

§ Ahab = "father's brother"

1) king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel

2) false prophet executed by Nebuchadrezzar, time of Jeremiah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a'-hab ('ach'abh, Assyrian a-cha-ab-bu; Septuagint Achaab, but Jer 29:21 f, Achiab, which, in analogy with '-h-y- m-l-k, (')-h-y-'-l, etc., indicates an original 'achi'abh, meaning "the father is my brother"): The compound probably signifies that "the father," referring to God, has been chosen as a brother.

1. Ahab's Reign:

Ahab, son of Omri, the seventh king of Israel, who reigned for twenty-two years, from 876 to 854 (1Ki 16:28 ff), was one of the strongest and at the same time one of the weakest kings of Israel. With his kingdom he inherited also the traditional enemies of the kingdom, who were no less ready to make trouble for him than for his predecessors. Occupying a critical position at the best, with foes ever ready to take advantage of any momentary weakness, the kingdom…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ahab

Father’s brother. (1.) The son of Omri, whom he succeeded as the seventh king of Israel. His history is recorded in 1 Kings 16-22. His wife was Jezebel (q.v.), who exercised a very evil influence over him. To the calf-worship introduced by Jeroboam he added the worship of Baal. He was severely admonished by Elijah (q.v.) for his wickedness. His anger was on this account kindled against the prophet, and he sought to kill him. He undertook three campaigns against Ben-hadad II., king of Damascus. In the first two, which were defensive, he gained a complete victory over Ben-hadad, who fell into his hands, and was afterwards released on the condition of his restoring all the cities of Israel he then held, and granting certain other concessions to Ahab. After three years of peace, for some cause Ahab renewed war (1 Kings 22:3) with…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(uncle). Son of Omri, seventh king of Israel, reigned B.C. 919-896. He married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of Tyre; and in obedience to her wishes, caused temple to be built to Baal in Samaria itself; and an oracular grove to be consecrated to Astarte. See (1 Kings 18:19) One of Ahab’s chief tastes was for splendid architecture which he showed by building an ivory house and several cities. Desiring to add to his pleasure-grounds at Jezreel the vineyard of his neighbor Naboth, he proposed to buy it or give land in exchange for it; and when this was refused by Naboth in accordance with the Levitical law, (Leviticus 25:23) a false accusation of blasphemy was brought against him, and he was murdered, and Ahab took possession of the coveted fields. (

and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
בְּמִ֔יbe.Mi by whom? H4310 Preposition · pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · pronoun
HR/Pi
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
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'.
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 Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
כֹּֽה־koh- thus H3541 Adverb
577× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means thus or in this manner. It can also indicate a location or time, such as here or now. The KJV translates it in various ways, including also, here, and so.
Tyndale gloss
thus
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּה (koh) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'thus' or 'here.' It can indicate manner, place, or time, covering usages like 'thus,' 'here,' and 'until now.' The word is built from a prefix meaning 'like' and a root related to 'to be.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, כָּה (kah), which also means 'thus.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּה demonstr.adv. thus, here

of manner, thus

of place, here

of time, hitherto

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3541 כֹּה thus, here

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3541 koh ko

from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by

implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here

(or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like,

on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on)

this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while,

yonder.

see HEBREW for 01931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּה (koh) — thus.

1) thus, here, in this manner

1a) thus, so

1b) here, here and there

1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile

Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
אָמַ֣ר'a.Mar he says H559 Verb · Qal · perfect 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'.
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
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
יְהוָ֔הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

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

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

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

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

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

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

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

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

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
בְּנַעֲרֵ֖יbe.na.'a.Rei by [the] young men of H5288 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
239× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word means a young person, either a boy or a girl, from infancy to adolescence. It is used to describe the servants and attendants who worked for kings and other important people in the Old Testament, like King David's servants.
Amplified meaning
servants of the princes, rulers
Tyndale gloss
youth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַ֫עַר (na`ar) generally refers to a boy, lad, or youth, covering ages from infancy to adolescence. It can also imply a servant or retainer and, in some contexts, may refer to a girl of similar age. The term appears in various forms across different lexicons, with Brown-Driver-Briggs noting its usage as a shaking or scattering.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַ֫עַר 239 n.m. 1. boy, lad, youth. 2. retainer (not in P)

boy, lad, youth (c. 133 t.)

servant, retainer (c. 105 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5288a נַ֫עַר usu. interpr. as a shaking, scattering H5288b נַ֫עַר, נַ֫עַר . boy, lad, youth

. retainer

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5288 na`ar nah'-ar

from 5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of

infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by

interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):--babe,

boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young

(man).

see HEBREW for 05287

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַ֫עַר (na.ar) — youth.

1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer

1a) boy, lad, youth

1b) servant, retainer

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
שָׂרֵ֣יsa.Rei [the] officials of H8269 Noun common · masculine plural construct
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Amplified meaning
provinces, regions
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

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

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
הַמְּדִינ֑וֹתha.me.di.Not the provinces H4082 Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
53× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means a province or district, referring to a region or jurisdiction, like a judgeship or area ruled by a judge.
Tyndale gloss
province
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְדִינָה (mdiynah) refers to a province or district, often in the context of governance or jurisdiction. It is derived from a root meaning 'judgeship' and encompasses regions ruled by judges or officials. The term appears in discussions of various empires, including those of Ahab, Babylon, and Persia.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְדִינָה m.f. province

districts of realm of Ahab

of the Babylonian empire

of the Persian empire

provinces in general

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4082 מְדִינָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4082 mdiynah med-ee-naw'

from 1777; properly, a judgeship, i.e. jurisdiction; by

implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a

region:--(X every) province.

see HEBREW for 01777

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְדִינָה (me.di.nah) — province.

1) province, district

1a) district

1b) province

Aramaic equivalent: me.di.nah (מְדִינָה "province" H4083)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absolute
HTd/Ncfpa
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
וַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.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'.
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 Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
מִֽי־mi- who? H4310 Pronoun
423× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.
Amplified meaning
what person, which one
Tyndale gloss
who?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons

מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

in the gen. whose

in an indirect qu.

מִי ב׳ who among … ?

strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

various rhetorical uses whose

מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

once, following a verb, any one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied

. in the gen. whose

. in an indirect qu.

. מִי ב׳ who among … ?

. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.

. various rhetorical uses whose

. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it

. once, following a verb, any one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4310 miy me

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also

(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction

with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!

what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.

see HEBREW for 04100

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִי (mi) — who?.

who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Pronoun
HPi
and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
יֶאְסֹ֥רye'.Sor will he begin H631 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to bind or tie something, like when God made a covenant with the Israelites. It can also mean to prepare for battle or to be imprisoned. In different contexts, it involves joining or fastening things together, whether physically or metaphorically.
Tyndale gloss
to bind
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָסַר (asar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tie or bind, with a range of applications including imprisonment and the figurative sense of obligation, such as oaths. It can also refer to preparing for battle or being taken prisoner. The entries indicate that it can be used in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, each with slightly different nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָסַר] vb. tie, bind, imprison

Qal

tie, bind, for security

tie, harness

bind, with cords

gird (rare & late)

begin the battle, make the attack

fig. of obligation of oath or vow

Niph. be bound, imprisoned

Pu. be taken prisoner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H631 [אָסַר] tie, bind, imprison .. tie, bind, for security

. tie, harness

. bind, with cords

. gird (rare & late)

. begin the battle, make the attack

. fig. of obligation of oath or vow

. be bound, imprisoned

. be taken prisoner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

631 'acar aw-sar'

a primitive root; to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in

any sense, to join battle:--bind, fast, gird, harness, hold,

keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds,

set in array, tie.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָסַר (a.sar) — to bind.

1) to tie, bind, imprison

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to tie, bind

1a2) to tie, harness

1a3) to bind (with cords)

1a4) to gird (rare and late)

1a5) to begin the battle, make the attack

1a6) of obligation of oath (figurative)

1b) (Niphal) to be imprisoned, bound

1c) (Pual) to be taken prisoner

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-gin': To make the first movement toward a given end (chalal; archomai). Those who interpret it in many passages pleonastically mean by this, that in such passages as "began to teach" or "began to speak," nothing more is intended than to express vividly and graphically the thought of the dependent infinitive. Mt 4:17; Lu 3:23; Ac 1:1 are so understood. For contrary opinion, see Thayer's Lexicon and Winer's Grammar of New Testament Greek.

The noun, arche, "beginning," in the writings of John, is used sometimes in an abstract sense, to designate a previous stage (Joh 1:1,2; 8:25; 1Jo 1:1; 3:8) and, sometimes, the Source or First Cause (

and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
הַמִּלְחָמָ֖הha.mil.cha.Mah the battle H4421 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
320× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means battle or war, describing a fight or conflict. It is used in the Bible to talk about wars and battles, like the ones in the book of Joshua. The KJV translates it as battle or fight.
Amplified meaning
war, conflict
Tyndale gloss
battle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'

from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the

engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,

fight(-ing), war((-rior)).

see HEBREW for 03898

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.

battle, war

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

See WAR.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Shouting in Jud 7:20; 1Sa 17:20

→ Priests in 2Ch 13:12

→ Prayer before

By Asa 2Ch 14:11

By Jehoshaphat 2Ch 20:3-12

→ See ARMIES

→ See WAR

and he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.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'.
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 Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you
אָֽתָּה׃'A.tah you H859 Pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
as the king, thou
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

base

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine

(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem

{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah

{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun

of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and

you:--thee, thou, ye, you.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp2ms
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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