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1 Kings 20:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֛יו כָּל־ הַזְּקֵנִ֖ים וְכָל־ הָעָ֑ם אַל־ תִּשְׁמַ֖ע וְל֥וֹא תֹאבֶֽה׃

BSAAnd the elderszâqên [old, experienced leaders] andkôl the peopleʻam [a nation, all the citizens] allkôl saidʼâmar Do notʼal [refuse to, never] listen to himshâmaʻ [hear and obey, pay attention] orlôʼ [under no circumstances] consent to his termsʼâbâh [agree, be willing, acquiesce, requests, demands, proposals]

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 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 (to.Veh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 20:8quick helps
In a sentenceThe elders and the people collectively reject the counsel of the king's messenger.
Who is speakingThe elders and the people of Israel.
Where we areIn the midst of a crisis, they respond to the king's inquiry.
The hard wordתֹאבֶֽה
Take awayThey firmly refuse to comply with the terms presented.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Kings 20:8

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Response of the Elders and the Peoplegenerated

7Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
8And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”
9So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.
10Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

1 Kings 20:8 captures a moment of decisive leadership among the elders and the people of Israel as they respond to the king's messenger. They express their collective refusal to listen to the terms being presented, emphasizing their unity in rejecting an unfavorable proposal. This response highlights the importance of communal decision-making in times of crisis, as seen in the preceding verse where the king seeks their counsel.


Cross References


The Key Word תֹאבֶֽה, to.Vehgenerated

The Hebrew word אָבָה (abah) means to be willing or to consent. It conveys the idea of acquiescence or acceptance, often in contexts where a decision is required. The parsing indicates it is a Qal verb in the imperfect form, suggesting a potential or ongoing action, specifically directed at the second person masculine singular.

In this verse, it emphasizes the people's unwillingness to agree to the terms set forth by the messenger, highlighting a refusal to yield to pressure or demands.


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 is יֹּאמְר֥וּ, and they said, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a series of noun phrases that identify the subjects — the elders and the people — and concludes with a jussive clause that expresses their refusal to comply.

The structure emphasizes the collective voice of the elders and the people, with the verb leading the sentence to highlight their unified response.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹּאמְר֥וּ as εἶπαν, indicating a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew verb meaning 'they said.' This choice maintains the original meaning without significant alteration.

The Greek word μὴ corresponds to the Hebrew אַל, reinforcing the prohibition against listening or consenting, which aligns closely with the Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 20:8 shows the elders and the people of Israel responding to the king's messenger. They all agree not to listen to him or accept his terms, demonstrating their unity and determination in the face of pressure.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to consent to his terms?

To consent means to agree or accept the terms being proposed, which the elders and people firmly reject.

Why do the elders and the people refuse to listen?

They perceive the terms as unfavorable or unjust, and they choose to stand united against them.

What is the significance of the elders' response?

Their response highlights the importance of collective decision-making and leadership in Israel, emphasizing their authority and wisdom.

How does this verse reflect the role of elders in Israel?

The elders serve as representatives of the people, guiding them in critical decisions and ensuring that their voices are heard.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I had to stand firm against pressure to conform to unfavorable terms?
  2. How can I learn from the elders' example of collective decision-making in my own community?
  3. What are some ways I can support others in their refusal to accept unjust demands?
  4. How do I discern when to listen to counsel and when to reject it?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 20:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And all the elders and all the people said unto him,.... They were unanimous in their advice: hearken not [unto him], nor consent; promising, no doubt, that they would stand by him.

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

And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have. No JFB commentary on these verses.

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

1 Kings 20:8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not [unto him], nor consent.Ver. 8. Hearken not unto him.] Stand to the issue of a bloody war rather. “ Victorem a victo superari saepe videmus. A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper. ”

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

Verse 8. Hearken not unto him] The elders had every thing at stake, and they chose rather to make a desperate defense than tamely to yield to such degrading and ruinous conditions.

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

8. Hearken not unto him, nor consent] The R.V. omits the needless italics and reads neither instead of nor. The shorter the form of such a decision the better and more natural.

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

“The people” had no distinct place in the ordinary Jewish or Israelite constitution; but they were accustomed to signify their approbation or disapprobation of the decisions of the elders by

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

And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen, and don’t consent.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And all the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not to him , nor consent.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And all the Elders, and all the people sayd to him, Hearken not vnto him, nor consent.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And all the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not, nor consent.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And all the elders and all the people say unto him, 'Do not hearken, nor consent.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And all the elderly and all the people say to him, “Do not listen, nor consent.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Thou must not hearken, nor consent.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

All the elders and all the people said to Ahab, “Do not listen to him or consent to his demands.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And all the ancients, and all the people said to him: Hearken not to him, nor consent to him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

All the elders and all the people present responded, “Don't listen to him. Don't agree to his demands.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And all the responsible men and the people said to him, Do not give attention to him or do what he says.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֥וּthey.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֛יtoוhimnoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseכָּלallnoun phraseהַtheזְּקֵנִ֖יםeldersוְandnoun phraseכָלallnoun phraseהָtheעָ֑םpeopleclauseclauseadverbialאַלdo.notverbתִּשְׁמַ֖עlistenוְandclauseadverbialל֥וֹאnotverbתֹאבֶֽהyou.must.be.willing

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 show agreement in the overall content of 1 Kings 20:8, with nine of the ten words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but its translation reflects the same refusal expressed in the Hebrew.

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

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֛יו כָּל־ הַזְּקֵנִ֖ים וְכָל־ הָעָ֑ם אַל־ תִּשְׁמַ֖ע וְל֥וֹא תֹאבֶֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּεἶπανאֵלָ֛יוαὐτῷהַזְּקֵנִ֖יםπρεσβύτεροιוְכָל־πᾶςהָעָ֑םλαόςאַל־μὴתִּשְׁמַ֖עἀκούσῃςוְל֥וֹאμὴתֹאבֶֽה׃θελήσῃς

9 of the 10 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 20:8אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַראֶלto himto himאֶלכֹּלallallכֹּלזָקֵןthe eldersthe eldersזָקֵןכֹּלand alland allכֹּלעַםthe peoplethe peopleעַםאַלmay notmay notאַלשָׁמַעyou listenyou listenשָׁמַעלֹאand notand notלֹאאָבָהyou must beyou must be wilאָבָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלזָקֵןbe oldbe oldזָקֵןעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםלֹאnotnotלֹאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הבָּחוּרyouthyouthבָּחוּרשִׁבְעִיםseventyseventyשִׁבְעִיםחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹלקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁביָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹד
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 20:8

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
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-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
אֵלָ֛יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
הַזְּקֵנִ֖יםha.ze.ke.Nim the elders H2205 Particle
178× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means old or elderly, as in the case of the elderly men who appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18:11. It can also refer to those in positions of authority, like the elders who helped Moses in Exodus 24:1. The term is used to describe respect and leadership.
Amplified meaning
old, experienced leaders
Tyndale gloss
old
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָקֵן (zaqen) means 'old' and is used to refer to human beings, often as a noun for 'old man' or 'elder.' It encompasses meanings related to age and authority, indicating both age and leadership roles. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be old,' and it is consistently associated with the concept of elders in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָקֵן adj. old

old, of human beings

usu. as subst.

old man (or woman)

elder

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2205 זָקֵן old . old, of human beings

. usu. as subst. . old man (or woman)

. elder

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2205 zaqen zaw-kane'

from 2204; old:--aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man,

men and...women), senator.

see HEBREW for 02204

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָקֵן (za.qen) — old: elder.

: elder/leader

1) old

1a) old (of humans)

1b) elder (of those having authority)

זָקֵן (za.qen) — old.

: old

1) old

1a) old (of humans)

1b) elder (of those having authority)

Also means: za.qen (זָקֵן ": elder" H2205)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aampa
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
וְכָל־ve.khol and all H3605 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
הָעָ֑םha.'Am the people H5971 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Amplified meaning
a nation, all the citizens
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

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

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
אַל־'al- may not H408 Particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Amplified meaning
refuse to, never
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
תִּשְׁמַ֖עtish.Ma' you listen H8085 Verb · Qal · jussive second person masculine singular
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Amplified meaning
hear and obey, pay attention
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Juss-2ms — Verb · Qal · jussive second person masculine singular
HVqj2ms
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
וְל֥וֹאve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
under no circumstances
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing
תֹאבֶֽה׃to.Veh you must be willing H14 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
54× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be willing or consent is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which involves being acquiescent or accepting. It is used in various contexts, including being willing to obey or follow.
Amplified meaning
agree, be willing, acquiesce, requests, demands, proposals
Tyndale gloss
be willing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָבָה (*abah*) means to be willing or to consent. It is a primitive root that conveys ideas of acquiescence and desire. The word appears in various forms and contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating a willingness to yield or accept, sometimes in both positive and negative senses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָבָה vb. be willing, consent (cf. As. abîtu, command, Dl W, Eth. Ethiopic refuse, Ar. Arabic, id., Nejd be willing So De Jes 3, p. 26; LCB 1880, 817)—

Qal (c. לֹא, אַל exc. Is 1:19 Jb 39:9; in Hex. rare & Only JED, incl. Lv 26:21); Pf. אָבָה Ex 10:27 + אָבוּ Ju 19:25 + 7 t.; אָבוּא Is 28:12 (Sta § 31 R.2; Kö I, 414); Impf. יֹאבֶה Dt 29:19 + 2 t.; 2 ms. juss. תֹּבֵֽא Pr 1:10 (Sta § 143 e 1 nn; Kö I, 578 f) etc.; Pt. אֹבִים Ez 3:7;—be willing, sq. Inf.…

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H14 אָבָה be willing, consent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

14 'abah aw-baw'

a primitive root; to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be

acquiescent:--consent, rest content will, be willing.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָבָה (a.vah) — be willing.

1) to be willing, consent

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be willing

1a2) to consent, yield to, accept

1a3) to desire

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
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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