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1 Samuel 12:4 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־ לָקַ֥חְתָּ מִיַּד־ אִ֖ישׁ מְאֽוּמָה׃

BSAYou have notlôʼ [not in any way, never] cheated usʻâshaq orlôʼ [defrauded, oppressed] oppressed usrâtsats they repliedʼâmar norlôʼ have you takenlâqach [received] anythingmᵉʼûwmâh [anything at all, no matter how small] from the handyâd [power, direction] of manʼîysh [a person, individual, male or female]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (me.'U.mah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 12:4quick helps
In a sentenceThe people affirm that Samuel has not wronged or oppressed them in any way.
Who is speakingThe people respond to Samuel's inquiry.
Where we areThis is part of Samuel's address to the Israelites, where he defends his integrity.
The hard wordעֲשַׁקְתָּ֖, ‘a.shak.Ta
Take awayThe people maintain their innocence regarding accusations of wrongdoing.
4 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 Samuel 12:4

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

Context — Samuel's Defense of His Leadershipgenerated

3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
4“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”
5Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
6Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

1 Samuel 12:4 captures the moment when Samuel calls upon the Israelites to testify against him, asking if he has ever wronged them. The people respond affirmatively, asserting that he has not oppressed or taken anything from anyone. This exchange highlights Samuel's integrity as a leader and sets the stage for the people's acknowledgment of his faithful service.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 37:5–6Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.
2Daniel 6:4Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
33 John 1:12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.Psalm 37:5–6 Daniel 6:4 3 John 1:12

The Key Word עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖, ‘a.shak.Tagenerated

The verb עָשַׁק (ashaq) means to oppress or defraud. It conveys actions of pressing upon or exploiting others, often with a connotation of violence or deceit. In this verse, it is used to affirm that Samuel has not committed such acts against the people.

The parsing as a perfect verb indicates a completed action, emphasizing that Samuel's conduct has been consistently upright throughout his leadership.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the verb וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ, and they said, which introduces the people's response. This structure highlights their collective affirmation.

The sentence includes several adverbial phrases of negation, emphasizing what Samuel has not done, followed by a series of verbs that outline their claims against him.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖ with κατεδυνάστευσας, indicating oppression. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may suggest a stronger emphasis on the act of oppression than the Hebrew itself.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 12:4 shows the people responding to Samuel's challenge about his leadership. They declare that he has not wronged or oppressed them in any way, nor has he taken anything from anyone. This highlights Samuel's integrity and the trust the people have in him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Samuel did not oppress the people?

It means that Samuel treated the Israelites fairly and justly, without exploiting or harming them in any way.

Why is it important for Samuel to defend his integrity?

Samuel's integrity as a leader is crucial for maintaining the trust of the people, especially as he transitions leadership to a king.

How does this verse reflect the relationship between leaders and their people?

This verse illustrates the expectation that leaders should act justly and be held accountable by those they lead.

What can we learn from the people's response to Samuel?

The people's affirmation of Samuel's integrity serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and accountability in leadership.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I ensure that I act justly in my own responsibilities?
  2. How do I respond when someone questions my integrity?
  3. What qualities do I value in leaders, and how can I embody those qualities myself?
  4. How can I support leaders in my community to act with integrity?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The commentary from Gregory the Dialogist highlights Samuel's integrity, arguing that he has not falsely accused or oppressed the people.

Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2 c. 540–604
Because indeed he had been known by all for such great contempt of worldly things, there follows: 'And they said: You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor taken anything from anyone's hand.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 12 →

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 12:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they said,.... One in the name of the rest, or they all cried out as one man: thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us; had done them no wrong, neither privately nor publicly, by fraud or by

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed?

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’ s hand.Ver. 4. Thou hast not defrauded us.] Happy is Samuel thus to be acquitted by himself in private, by others in public, in both by God. Quoad vixit, virtutum laude crevit, saith Cornelius Nepos concerning Cato. In maximis laboribus usque ad summam senectutem summa cum gloria vivit, saith Cicero of the same Cato. Invictus praeterea cupiditatibus animi et rigidae innocentiae, saith Pliny of him. How much better may all this be said of Samuel, and a great deal more?

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 12 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 4. They said, Thou hast not defrauded] Of what minister or governor can any nation under heaven say such things?

Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 12 →

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

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they said thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught from any man's hand.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, and thou hast not injured us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they say, 'Thou hast not oppressed us, nor hast thou crushed us, nor hast thou taken from the hand of any one anything.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they say, “You have not oppressed us, nor have you crushed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou oppressed us, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from any man's hand.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“No, you have never cheated or oppressed us,” they replied, “and you have never taken anything from anyone.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּthey.saidclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbעֲשַׁקְתָּ֖youobjectנוּhave.oppressed.usוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbרַצּוֹתָ֑youobjectנוּhave.crushed.usוְandclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbלָקַ֥חְתָּyou.have.takenprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseיַּדthe.handאִ֖ישׁof.anyoneobjectמְאֽוּמָהanything

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in this verse, with a word-for-word correspondence that maintains the meaning and structure of the original Hebrew.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־ לָקַ֥חְתָּ מִיַּד־ אִ֖ישׁ מְאֽוּמָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּεἶπανלֹ֥אοὐκעֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּκατεδυνάστευσαςוְלֹ֣אοὐκרַצּוֹתָ֑נוּἡμᾶςוְלֹֽא־οὐκלָקַ֥חְתָּεἴληφαςמִיַּד־ξειρὸςאִ֖ישׁοὐδενὸςמְאֽוּמָה׃οὐδέν

10 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 Samuel 12:4אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַרלֹאnotnotלֹאעָשַׁקyou have opyou have oppresעָשַׁקלֹאand notand notלֹארָצַץyou have cryou have crusheרָצַץלֹאand notand notלֹאלָקַחyou have tayou have takenלָקַחיָדfrom [the] from [the] handיָדאִישׁanyoneanyoneאִישׁמְא֫וּמָהanythinganythingמְא֫וּמָהכַּףpalmpalmכַּףעָשַׂקto contendto contendעָשַׂקאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁמאוּםblemishblemishמאוּםיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהגָּזֵלrobberyrobberyגָּזֵלרָצַץto crushto crushרָצַץמוֹטָהyokeyokeמוֹטָהמַשְׁעֵנָהsupportsupportמַשְׁעֵנָהמוּסָרdisciplinedisciplineמוּסָרחָזָקstrongstrongחָזָקנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַאַ֫יִןnothingnothingאַ֫יִן
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 Samuel 12:4

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

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

and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.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 not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 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
not in any way, never
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
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ'a.shak.Ta.nu you have oppressed us H6231 Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To oppress means to press upon or defraud someone, often violently. It is used to describe wrongdoing in the Bible, such as in the book of Exodus.
Tyndale gloss
to oppress
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשַׁק (ashaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to oppress, wrong, or extort. It conveys actions of pressing upon, defrauding, and committing violence. The word can also imply being exploited or crushed in its passive form. It is rooted in a primitive form and is related to the concept of deceitful gain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשַׁק oppress, wrong, extort

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6231 עָשַׁק oppress, wrong, extort

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6231 `ashaq aw-shak'

a primitive root (compare 6229); to press upon, i.e. oppress,

defraud, violate, overflow:--get deceitfully, deceive,

defraud, drink up, (use) oppress((-ion)), -or), do violence

(wrong).

see HEBREW for 06229

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשַׁק (a.shaq) — to oppress.

1) to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to oppress, wrong, extort

1a2) to oppress

1b) (Pual) to be exploited, be crushed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp2ms/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
וְלֹ֣אve.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
defrauded, oppressed
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 not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּra.tzo.Ta.nu you have crushed us H7533 Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To crush means to break or oppress something or someone, used to describe physical or emotional distress in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
to crush
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָצַץ (ratsats) means to crush, with various nuances including breaking, bruising, and oppressing. It can describe both literal and figurative actions, such as being crushed or oppressing others. The verb appears in multiple forms, indicating different aspects of crushing or being crushed, including reciprocal actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָצַץ] vb. crush

Qal crush

Niph. be crushed, broken

Pi. crush in pieces

Pō‛ēl acc. pers.

Hiph. she crushed his skull

Hithpō‛. recipr., the children crushed (thrust, struck) one another within her.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7533 רָצַץ crush

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7533 ratsats raw-tsats'

a primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or

figuratively:--break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress,

struggle together.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָצַץ (ra.tsats) — to crush.

1) to crush, oppress

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to crush, get crushed, be crushed

1a2) to crush, oppress (fig)

1a3) crushed (participle passive)

1b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be broken

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to crush in pieces

1c2) to grievously oppress (fig)

1d) (Poel) to oppress (fig)

1e) (Hiphil) to crush

1f) (Hithpoel) to crush each other

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp2ms/Sp1bp
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

US, pronoun objective case of we.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.

Us, pron. oblique case of we

and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
וְלֹֽא־ve.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.
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 not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
לָקַ֥חְתָּla.Kach.ta you have taken H3947 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
966× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Amplified meaning
received
Tyndale gloss
to take: take
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

take, take in hand

take and carry along with oneself

take from, or out of

take, carry away

take away from, so as to deprive of

esp. take away life

take to or for a person

take up, upon = put upon

= fetch

take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

take = capture, seize

take = carry off

in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

be captured, of ark

be taken away, removed

be taken, brought unto

Pu.

be taken from, out of

= be stolen from

be taken captive

be taken away, removed

Hoph.

be taken, brought unto

be taken out of

be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand

. take and carry along with oneself

. . take from, or out of

. take, carry away

. take away from, so as to deprive of

. esp. take away life

. take to or for a person

. take up, upon = put upon

. = fetch

. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

. take = capture, seize

. take = carry off

. in phr. take vengeance

. . be captured, of ark

. be taken away, removed

. be taken, brought unto

. . be taken from, out of

. = be stolen from

. be taken captive

. be taken away, removed

. . be taken, brought unto

. be taken out of

. be taken away from

. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3947 laqach law-kakh'

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of

applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,

get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,

seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.

: take

1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take, take in the hand

1a2) to take and carry along

1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away

1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept

1a5) to take up or upon, put upon

1a6) to fetch

1a7) to take, lead, conduct

1a8) to take, capture, seize

1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be captured

1b2) to be taken away, be removed

1b3) to be taken, brought unto

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be taken from or out of

1c2) to be stolen from

1c3) to be taken captive

1c4) to be taken away, be removed

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto

1d2) to be taken out of

1d3) to be taken away

1e) (Hithpael)

1e1) to take hold of oneself

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
HVqp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
מִיַּד־mi.yad- from [the] hand of H3027 Preposition · noun common both singular construct
1,619× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Amplified meaning
power, direction
Tyndale gloss
hand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָד (yad) means 'hand' and can also refer to strength or power in a figurative sense. It encompasses various technical uses, such as a sign or monument, parts or shares, and even specific components in construction, like axle-trees and supports for the laver. The word is versatile, appearing in both literal and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

hand

Fig. = strength, power

Fig. = side

יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

sign, monument

part, fractional part or share

time, repetition

axle-trees

stays, supports for laver

tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

a (beckoning) hand

יַד with prep.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3027 יָד hand . hand

. Fig. = strength, power

. Fig. = side

. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:— . sign, monument

. part, fractional part or share

. time, repetition

. axle-trees

. stays, supports for laver

. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

. a (beckoning) hand

. יַד with prep.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3027 yad yawd

a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power,

means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed

one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of

applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate

and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes,

at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad,

(broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, +

creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship,

force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in,

labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine,

ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain,

power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay,

draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by

them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing,

+ thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָד (yad) — hand.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: power.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)

1d) (various special, technical senses)

1d1) sign, monument

1d2) part, fractional part, share

1d3) time, repetition

1d4) axle-trees, axle

1d5) stays, support (for laver)

1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)

1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)

1d8) wrists

יָד (yad) — hand: themselves.

: hand/arm[anatomy]

1) hand

1a) hand (of man)

1b) strength, power (fig.)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular construct
HR/Ncbsc
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 they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
אִ֖ישׁ'ish anyone H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
a person, individual, male or female
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said not you have oppressed us and not you have crushed us and not you have taken from [the] hand of anyone anything
מְאֽוּמָה׃me.'U.mah anything H3972 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to something, no matter how small, or nothing at all. It's used in phrases like 'anything' or 'nothing'. The Bible uses it in various books to convey the idea of something or nothing.
Amplified meaning
anything at all, no matter how small
Tyndale gloss
anything
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְא֫וּמָה (muwmah) means 'anything' or 'nothing' in Hebrew. It is derived from a form of another word, מָוֶן (muwm), which suggests a speck or point. The entries indicate that it can imply a lack or absence, as well as a general reference to something.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְא֫וּמָה 32 pron.indef. anything

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3972 מְא֫וּמָה anything

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3972 muwmah meh-oo'-maw

apparently a form of 3971; properly, a speck or point, i.e.

(by implication) something; with negative, nothing:--fault, +

no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any ((no-))thing.

see HEBREW for 03971

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְא֫וּמָה (me.u.mah) — anything.

anything

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
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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