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1 Samuel 20:40 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּתֵּ֤ן יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ אֶת־ כֵּלָ֔יו אֶל־ הַנַּ֖עַר אֲשֶׁר־ ל֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֵ֖ךְ הָבֵ֥יא הָעִֽיר׃

BSAThen JonathanYᵉhôwnâthân [Jehonathan, Jehovah has given] gavenâthan his equipmentkᵉlîy [article, utensil, or weapons] toʼêl the boynaʻar [youth, young person] and saidʼâmar take it backbôwʼ [carry, bring] to the cityʻîyr [town, settlement with a wall]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 40 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 (ha.'Ir) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 20:40quick helps
In a sentenceJonathan gives his equipment to a boy and instructs him to return to the city.
Who is speakingJonathan, son of Saul, is the one giving the instructions.
Where we areThis moment occurs during a secretive exchange between Jonathan and David.
The hard wordכֵּלָיו
Take awayJonathan's actions show loyalty and care for David.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיְהוֹנָתָן verbנָתַן 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 20:40

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 Exchange Between Jonathan and Davidgenerated

39But the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement.
40Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”
41When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
42And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

1 Samuel 20:40 describes a critical moment where Jonathan, the son of Saul, secretly aids his friend David by giving him his equipment. This act of loyalty occurs amidst a backdrop of tension and danger, as Saul seeks to harm David. Jonathan's actions reflect his commitment to their friendship and to God's plan for David's future.


Cross References


The Key Word יְהֽוֹנָתָן, ye.ho.na.Tangenerated

The name יְהוֹנָתָן (yehonathan) means 'Jehovah has given', highlighting the divine aspect of his character and role in the narrative. As a proper noun, it identifies Jonathan as a significant figure in the story, known for his bravery and loyalty to David.

In this context, Jonathan's name represents not only his identity but also the gifts and responsibilities he bears, particularly in relation to David, whom he supports even at personal risk.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַיִּתֵּ֤ן, and he gave, which governs the sentence. The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject, Jonathan, and several phrases indicating the object and direction of the action.

The Hebrew word order emphasizes Jonathan's action first, followed by the details of what he gave and to whom, creating a clear flow of action.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Greek word used for Jonathan is ἔδωκεν (edōken), which means 'he gave'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a straightforward translation of the action without additional interpretation.

The use of this Greek term reflects the translators' intent to convey the same sense of giving found in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 20:40 shows Jonathan giving his weapons to a young boy and telling him to return to the city. This moment highlights Jonathan's loyalty to David and the secretive nature of their friendship during a time of danger.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Jonathan's action signify?

Jonathan's giving of his equipment symbolizes his loyalty and support for David, even in the face of potential danger from his own father, King Saul.

Why is the boy important in this verse?

The boy serves as a messenger and a means for Jonathan to discreetly assist David, highlighting the secretive nature of their communication.

What does the city represent in this context?

The city represents a place of safety and normalcy, contrasting with the danger that David faces due to Saul's hostility.

How does this verse reflect the theme of friendship?

This verse illustrates the deep bond between Jonathan and David, showcasing Jonathan's willingness to risk his own safety for the sake of his friend.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I demonstrate loyalty to my friends, similar to Jonathan's actions?
  2. How can I support others in difficult situations without drawing attention?
  3. What does this passage teach about the nature of true friendship?
  4. How can I apply the principles of trust and loyalty found in this story to my own relationships?

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

The early Church Fathers have commented on this passage, noting Jonathan's actions as exemplary of loyalty and the importance of friendship in the faith.

BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
Jonathan therefore gave his weapons to the boy, etc. He gave examples of the learned, he gave the rules of good conduct to be imitated by his disciples in the Church, and said to them: Go, advancing from strength to strength,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 20 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 20:40 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad,.... "His vessels" (l) or instruments; his arms, as the Targum, his quiver, bow, and arrows: and said unto him, go, carry [them] to the city; to Gibeah,

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

And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. Gave his artillery - i:e., his missile weapons.

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

His artillery; his bow, and arrows, and quiver.

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

1 Samuel 20:40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry [them] to the city.Ver. 40. Go, carry them to the city.] The lad he sent away, that David and he might talk together the more freely; for he knew that little pitchers also have ears.

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

(40) His artillery.—Literally, his implements. The word “artillery,” expressive though it be, would scarcely now be used in this sense; we should now translate the Hebrew word by “arms.”

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

Verse 40. Jonathan gave his artillery] I believe this to be the only place in our language where the word artillery is not applied to cannon or ordnance. The original (כלי keley) signifies simply instruments, and here means the bow, quiver, and arrows.

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

40. his artillery] i.e. his bow and quiver. From Lat. ars, used in late Latin to mean ‘an implement,’ came the late Latin artillaria, and O. Fr. artillerie, ‘machines or equipment of war.’ The word was used of missile weapons long before the invention of gunpowder. See Bible Word-Book, p. 37.

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 20 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

40. Artillery — Rather, his implements. His bow, arrows, and quiver. Jonathan is not content to dismiss David with a mere signal; he covets one more interview and fond embrace.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 1 Samuel 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

Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant who was with him. He said to him, “Go, take these things back to the city.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Jonathan gave his arms to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Ionathan gaue his bowe and arrowes vnto the boy that was with him, and sayd vnto him, Goe, carrie them into the citie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Jonathan giveth his weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, 'Go, carry into the city.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Jonathan gives his weapons to the youth whom he has and says to him, “Go, carry into the city.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Jonathan gave his weapons unto the lad who was with him, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Jonathan gave his weapons to his young man and said to him, “Go, take them to the city.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Jonathan therefore gave his arms to the boy, and said to him: Go, and carry them into the city.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and said, “Take these back to town.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy, and said to him, Take these and go back to the town.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּתֵּ֤ןhe.gavesubjectיְהֽוֹנָתָן֙Jonathannoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseכֵּלָ֔יweaponsוhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtonoun phraseהַthenoun phraseנַּ֖עַרladrelpאֲשֶׁרwhoclauseprepositional phrase · predicateל֑[belonged].toוֹhimוַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמֶרhe.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֔toוֹhimclauseclauseverbלֵ֖ךְgoclauseverbהָבֵ֥יאtake.[them]noun phrase · adverbialהָtheעִֽירcity

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 largely agree in their rendering of this verse, with 11 of the 13 words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial agreements, with some words restored by editors, indicating the preservation of the core message.

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

וַיִּתֵּ֤ן יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ אֶת־ כֵּלָ֔יו אֶל־ הַנַּ֖עַר אֲשֶׁר־ ל֑וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֵ֖ךְ הָבֵ֥יא הָעִֽיר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּתֵּ֤ןιωναθανיְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ἔδωκενכֵּלָ֔יוαὐτοῦאֶל־ἐπὶהַנַּ֖עַרπαιδάριονל֑וֹαὐτοῦוַיֹּ֣אמֶרεἶπενל֔וֹαὐτοῦלֵ֖ךְπορεύουהָבֵ֥יאεἴσελθεהָעִֽיר׃πόλιν

11 of the 13 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q52a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויתן יונתן את כלי׳ו על הנער אשר ל׳ו ויאמר [ל׳ו] [לכ׳ה] [בא] [העיר׳ה]

8 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q51a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויתן] [יהונתן] [את] כלי׳ו

4 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.

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 20:40נָתַןand he gaveand he gaveנָתַןיְהוֹנָתָןJonathanJonathanיְהוֹנָתָןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתכְּלִיweapons hisweapons hisכְּלִיאֶלtotoאֶלנַ֫עַרthe ladthe ladנַ֫עַראֲשֶׁרwhowhoאֲשֶׁרוֹ[belonged] [belonged] to hוֹאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרוֹto himto himוֹהָלַךְgogoהָלַךְבּוֹאtake [them]take [them]בּוֹאעִירthe citythe cityעִיריהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתכָּלָהto end: fito end: finishכָּלָהנָעַרto shaketo shakeנָעַרעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעמְרִיבMerib-baalMerib-baalמְרִיבמַלְכִּישׁוּעַמַלְכִּישׁוּעַזָהָבgoldgoldזָהָבפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האֲבִישָׁלוֹםAbsalomAbsalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּה
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 20:40

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 gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
וַיִּתֵּ֤ןvai.yi.Ten and he gave H5414 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
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 gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ye.ho.na.Tan Jonathan H3083 Noun proper masculine
82× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jehonathan was a son of King Saul and a friend of David, meaning 'Jehovah has given'. He was also known as Jonathan.
Amplified meaning
Jehonathan, Jehovah has given
Tyndale gloss
Jonathan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוֹנָתָן (*Yhownathan*) means 'Jehovah has given' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, primarily Jonathan, the son of King Saul and a close friend of David. The entries detail various figures named Jonathan, including a high priest's son, warriors, and Levites, with notable mentions in Judges and 1 Samuel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹנָתָן, יוֹנָתָן n.pr.m. (י׳ hath given)

son of Saul

son of Abiathar

nephew of David

of David, i.e. his uncle?

one of David’s heroes

one of David’s treasurers

a scribe

Levites

a priest

priest to the tribe of Dan, son of Gershom

a Judaite captain, after fall of Jerus.

a Judaite

father of Ebed

son of Asahel

a priest

son of Joiada

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3083 יְהוֹנָתָן, יוֹנָתָן

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3083 Yhownathan yeh-ho-naw-thawn'

from 3068 and 5414; Jehovah-given; Jehonathan, the name of

four Israelites:--Jonathan. Compare 3129.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 05414

see HEBREW for 03129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹנָתָן (ye.ho.na.tan) — Jonathan.

A man living before Israel's Monarchy, only mentioned at Jdg.18.30;

son of: Gershom (H1647)(?)

§ Jonathan or Jehonathan = "Jehovah has given"

1) a son of king Saul and a friend of David

2) a son of the high priest Abiathar and the last descendant of Eli of whom we hear

3) a nephew of David who like David slew a giant of Gath

4) an uncle of David

5) one of David's mighty warriors

6) one of David's treasurers

7) a scribe in the time of Jeremiah

8) a Levite and father of Zechariah, a priest who blew the trumpet at the dedication of the wall

9) a son or descendant of Gershom, the son of Moses, and a priest to the tribe of Dan

10) a son of Kareah and a brother of Johanan; a Judaite captain after the fall of Jerusalem

11) another Judaite father of Peleth

12) father of Ebed in the time of Ezra

13) son of Asahel in the time of Ezra

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jonathan

Whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1.) A Levite descended from Gershom (Judg. 18:30). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30. The Rabbins changed this name into Manasseh “to screen the memory of the great lawgiver from the stain of having so unworthy an apostate among his near descendants.” He became priest of the idol image at Dan, and this office continued in his family till the Captivity.

(2.) The eldest son of king Saul, and the bosom friend of David. He is first mentioned when he was about thirty years of age, some time after his father’s accession to the throne (1 Sam. 13:2). Like his father, he was a man of great strength and activity (

that is, "the gift of Jehovah, " the eldest son of King Saul. (B.C. about 1095-1056.) He was a man of great strength and activity. (2 Samuel 1:23) He was also famous as a warrior, (1 Chronicles 12:2) as is shown by the courage he showing in attacking the garrison of the Philistines, in company with is armor-bearer only, slaying twenty men and putting an army to flight. (1 Samuel 14:6-16) During the pursuit, Jonathan, who had not heard of the rash curse, ch. (1 Samuel 14:24) which Saul invoked on any one who ate before the evening, tasted the honey which lay on the ground. Saul would have sacrificed him; but the people interposed in behalf of the hero of that great day, and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A Levite, son of Gershom, and grandson of Moses, who after the death of Joshua impiously served as a priest, first to Micah, and then to the Danites in Laish or Dan, where his posterity succeeded him until the captivity, Jud 17:1-18:31.

2. The eldest son of Saul, and one of the loveliest characters in Old Testament history. The narrative of his brilliant exploit in Michmash, 1Sa 13:1-14:52, illustrates his pious faith, his bravery, (see also 1Sa 13:3) and the favor borne him by the people, who would not suffer him to be put to death in consequence of Saul’s foolish vow. This valiant and generous prince loved David as his own soul, 1Sa 18:1-4 19:2 20:1-42; and though…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

given of God

and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
כֵּלָ֔יוke.Lav weapons his H3627 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
325× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to any object or tool, like a utensil or a piece of furniture. It is used to describe a wide range of items, from musical instruments to weapons. It emphasizes the object's purpose or function.
Amplified meaning
article, utensil, or weapons
Tyndale gloss
article/utensil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּלִי (kliy) refers to an article or utensil, encompassing a wide range of objects such as vessels, tools, and implements used for various purposes, including music and warfare. It is derived from a root meaning 'to prepare' and can denote anything from furniture to weapons. The entries highlight its general use in the Old Testament without significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּלִי 324 n.m. article, utensil, vessel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3627 כְּלִי article, utensil, vessel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3627 kliy kel-ee'

from 3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an

implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour

((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture,

instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that

which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool,

vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

see HEBREW for 03615

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּלִי (ke.li) — article/utensil.

1) article, vessel, implement, utensil

1a) article, object (general)

1b) utensil, implement, apparatus, vessel

1b1) implement (of hunting or war)

1b2) implement (of music)

1b3) implement, tool (of labour)

1b4) equipment, yoke (of oxen)

1b5) utensils, furniture

1c) vessel, receptacle (general)

1d) vessels (boats) of paper-reed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
הַנַּ֖עַרha.Na.'ar the lad H5288 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
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
youth, young person
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
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

In the Old Testament this word occurs as the translation of na`ar, "young person," "child," "servant," the Revised Version (British and American) properly substituting "servant" in 2Ki 4:19; Jud 16:26 is another passage where either sense of the original word may be intended. The word occurs in the New Testament in Joh 6:9 as the translation of paidarion; in Ac 20:12, pais (the King James Version "young man").

and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher- who H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTr — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
ל֑וֹlo [belonged] to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.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 gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
ל֔וֹlo to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
לֵ֖ךְlekh go H1980 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqv2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.

1. In the Old Testament:

In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare

Mt 9:13; 21:28; 28:7; Lu 10:37; Joh 8:11

--SEE Divine Direction, GUIDANCE

and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
הָבֵ֥יאha.Vei' take [them] H935 Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Amplified meaning
carry, bring
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine singular
HVhv2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he gave Jonathan the object marker weapons his to the lad who [belonged] to him and he said to him go take [them] the city
הָעִֽיר׃ha.'Ir the city H5892 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
town, settlement with a wall
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

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

sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…

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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