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1 Samuel 28:7 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לַעֲבָדָ֗יו בַּקְּשׁוּ־ לִי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־ א֔וֹב וְאֵלְכָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יהָ וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־ בָּ֑הּ וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ עֲבָדָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥שֶׁת בַּֽעֲלַת־ א֖וֹב בְּעֵ֥ין דּֽוֹר׃

BSAThen SaulShâʼûwl [the king of Israel] saidʼâmar to his servantsʻebed [attendants, those who served him] Findbâqash a womanʼishshâh [a female, a mistress] who isbaʻălâh a mediumʼôwb [a sorceress, one who consults the dead, with a familiar spirit] and consultdârash [seek, inquire of] There [is]hinnêh a mediumʼôwb [a woman with a familiar spirit, a spiritist] at EndorʻÊyn-Dôʼr [En-dor, the fountain of Dor] his servantsʻebed [those who served him] repliedʼâmar

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (Dor) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 28:7quick helps
In a sentenceSaul seeks a medium to consult after failing to receive guidance from the LORD.
Who is speakingSaul, the king of Israel, is addressing his servants.
Where we areThe context is a moment of desperation for Saul as he turns to forbidden practices.
The hard wordבַּעֲלַת־
Take awaySaul's actions highlight his desperation and the lengths he will go to seek answers.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשָׁאוּל 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 28:7

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 — Saul Seeks a Mediumgenerated

6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.
8So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
9But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”

1 Samuel 28:7 describes Saul's search for guidance after being ignored by the LORD. In a moment of desperation, he instructs his servants to find a woman who can consult the dead, revealing his willingness to turn to forbidden practices. This event foreshadows his further decline as king, as seen in the surrounding chapters.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Kings 1:2–3Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”
22 Kings 6:33While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. And the king said, “This calamity is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”
3Isaiah 8:19–20When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
4Lamentations 3:25–26The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
5Habakkuk 2:3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בַּעֲלַת־, ba.'a.lat-generated

The word בַּעֲלַת־ (ba'alah) refers to a mistress or female owner, but in this context, it specifically denotes a sorceress or necromancer. It indicates a woman who has authority over a particular practice, in this case, communicating with the dead.

The parsing shows that it is a feminine singular noun in construct form, suggesting a specific role or function. This highlights the cultural significance of women in such practices during this period.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of בַּעֲלַת־ as 'medium' or 'sorceress.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all convey this meaning without significant variation.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יֹּ֨אמֶר (he said) governs the entire verse, with various phrases detailing what Saul instructs his servants to do. The structure indicates a sequence of commands and responses.

The sentence is built around Saul's directive, emphasizing his desperation and the actions taken by his servants in response.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the term ἐγγαστρίμυθος for בַּעֲלַת־, which translates to 'ventriloquist' or 'medium.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the role, suggesting a focus on the act of speaking on behalf of the dead.

This translation indicates a nuanced understanding of the medium's role in ancient practices, emphasizing the connection with communication beyond the physical realm.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 28:7 shows Saul asking his servants to find a woman who can consult the dead. He is desperate for guidance since the LORD is not answering him. His servants inform him that there is a medium in Endor, highlighting Saul's turn to forbidden practices.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Saul seek a medium?

Saul sought a medium because he was desperate for guidance after receiving no answers from the LORD.

What does the term 'medium' refer to?

In this context, 'medium' refers to a woman who practices necromancy or communicates with the dead.

What is the significance of Saul consulting a medium?

Consulting a medium signifies Saul's decline and desperation, as he turns to forbidden practices in his search for answers.

What does the location 'Endor' represent?

Endor is the place where the medium resides, noted for its association with sorcery and necromancy.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does Saul's desperation reveal about his faith and reliance on God?
  2. How do the actions of Saul's servants reflect the cultural attitudes toward mediums?
  3. What lessons can we learn from Saul's choice to seek guidance from a medium?
  4. In what ways can we ensure we seek God's guidance rather than turning to forbidden practices?

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

Early commentators, like Bede, reference this passage to discuss Saul's desperate search for guidance through forbidden means.

BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, etc. Denied an answer by the Lord, Saul sought a woman with an unclean spirit, through whom he might inquire;
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 28 →
BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
And his servants said to her, etc. Correctly it is narrated that the woman with a familiar spirit, whom some call a ventriloquist, lived in Endor, which means in the fountain or eye of generation,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 28 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 28:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Then said Saul unto his servants,.... That waited upon him, to some of them, to such as he could place most confidence in to keep a secret; perhaps only the two after mentioned: seek me a woman that

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Seek me a woman, rather than a man; for he thought that sex most likely to be given to those wicked arts, as being the weaker sex, and so aptest to be deceived, and most prone to superstition, and ofttimes most malicious and revengeful. That hath a familiar spirit; one that converseth with the devil, and dead men’ s ghosts, and by them can discover future things. See . His servants said to him; instead of dissuading him from this wicked and destructive practice, which they should and would have done, if they had either loved God or their king, they further him in it. En-dor; a place in the tribe of Manasseh, within Jordan, not very fir from the place where the armies were encamped.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.Ver. 7. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit.] One Rufus I read of, who painted upon his shield, God on the one side, and the devil on the other, with this inscription, Si tu me nolis, iste rogitat, If thou refuse me, here is another that will be glad of me. Saul seemeth to be like-minded. “ Flectere cure nequeat superos, Acheronta movebit. ” - Virg. So Oedipus in Seneca, when he could not get an answer at the oracles, made use of necromancy. This great sin…

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 28 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit.—He was left alone to himself, and now the last spark of life, the religious zeal which he had once shown even to excess, then also vanished; or, rather. as must always be the case when it has thus swerved from the moral principle which alone can guide it, was turned into a wild and desperate superstition. The wizards and familiar spirits, whom in a fit of righteous indignation he had put out of the land, now became his only resource— Flectere si nequeo supcros, Acheronte movebo. STANLEY: Jewish Church, vol. ii., Lect. 21 Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.—One of these women, mistress or possessor of an ôb, or…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 28 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit] Literally, Seek me a woman, בעלת אוב baalath ob, the mistress of the Ob or Pythonic spirit - one who had a familiar spirit, whom she could invoke when she pleased, and receive answers from him relative to futurity. Strange that a man, who had banished all such from the land, as dangerous to the state, as impostors and deceivers, should now have recourse to them as the only persons in whom he could safely put his confidence in the time in which Jehovah had refused to help him! At En-dor.] This was a city in the valley of Jezreel, at the foot of Mount Gilboa, where the army of Saul had now encamped.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 28 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. that hath a familiar spirit] Lit. “possessor of an Ob.” See on 1 Samuel 28:3, and cp. Acts 16:16. Cp. Virg. Aen. VII. 312: “Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.”“If heaven bends not, I will stir hell beneath.”En-dor] = fountain of the dwelling, was on the northern slope of the Little Hermon (Neby Dûhy), where the village of Endôr still marks the site. It was famous as the scene of Sisera’s defeat and death (Psalms 83:10).

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 28 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Enquire - A different word from that in 1 Samuel 28:6, though nearly synonymous with it. It is more frequently applied to inquiry of a false god, as e. g. 2 Kings 1:2; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Samuel 28 →

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 Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.

NETBNew English Translation2006

So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then said Saul to his servants, seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her. And his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman that has a spirit of Python, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a spirit of Python at En-dor.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Saul saith to his servants, 'Seek for me a woman possessing a familiar spirit, and I go unto her, and inquire of her;' and his servants say unto him, 'Lo, a woman possessing a familiar spirit in En-dor.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Saul says to his servants, “Seek a woman for me possessing a familiar spirit, and I go to her, and inquire of her”; and his servants say to him, “Behold, a woman possessing a familiar spirit [is] in En-dor.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek out for me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at 'En-dor.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who talks with the dead, so that I may go to her and seek her advice.” His servants said to him, “See, there is a woman in Endor who claims to talk with the dead.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who is a medium so I can go and ask her advice.” “There's a woman who is a medium at Endor,” his officers replied.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Saul said to his servants, Get me a woman who has control of a spirit so that I may go to her and get directions. And his servants said to him, There is such a woman at En-dor.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֨אמֶרhe.saidsubjectשָׁא֜וּלSaulprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phraseעֲבָדָ֗יservantsוhisclauseclauseverbבַּקְּשׁוּseekprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִforי֙menoun phrase · objectאֵ֣שֶׁתa.womannoun phraseבַּעֲלַת(of).a.mistressא֔וֹבof.necromancyוְsoclauseverbאֵלְכָ֥הthat.I.may.goprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלֶ֖יtoהָherוְandclauseverbאֶדְרְשָׁהso.that.I.may.consultprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּ֑(in)הּherוַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֤וּthey.saidnoun phrase · subjectעֲבָדָיservantsו֙hisprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵלָ֔יtoוhimclauseclauseהִנֵּ֛הthere!clausenoun phrase · subjectאֵ֥שֶׁתa.womannoun phraseבַּֽעֲלַת(of).a.mistressא֖וֹבof.necromancyprepositional phrase · predicateבְּ[is]

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 on the wording of this verse, with 18 out of 21 words matched. The Septuagint's structure differs, but the essential meaning remains intact.

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

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לַעֲבָדָ֗יו בַּקְּשׁוּ־ לִי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־ א֔וֹב וְאֵלְכָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יהָ וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־ בָּ֑הּ וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ עֲבָדָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥שֶׁת בַּֽעֲלַת־ א֖וֹב בְּעֵ֥ין דּֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרεἶπενשָׁא֜וּלσαουλלַעֲבָדָ֗יוαὐτοῦבַּקְּשׁוּ־ζητήσατέלִי֙μοιאֵ֣שֶׁתγυναῖκαא֔וֹבἐγγαστρίμυθονוְאֵלְכָ֥הπορεύσομαιאֵלֶ֖יהָαὐτὴνוְאֶדְרְשָׁה־ζητήσωבָּ֑הּαὐτῇוַיֹּאמְר֤וּεἶπανעֲבָדָיו֙αὐτοῦאֵלָ֔יוαὐτόνהִנֵּ֛הἰδοὺאֵ֥שֶׁתγυνὴא֖וֹבἐγγαστρίμυθοςבְּעֵ֥יןἐν

18 of the 21 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 28:7אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרשָׁאוּלSaulSaulשָׁאוּלעֶ֫בֶדto servantsto servants hisעֶ֫בֶדבָּקַשׁseekseekבָּקַשׁנִיfor mefor meנִיאִשָּׁהa womana womanאִשָּׁהבַּעֲלָה[the] owner[the] owner ofבַּעֲלָהאוֹבnecromancynecromancyאוֹבהָלַךְso let me gso let me goהָלַךְאֶלto herto herאֶלדָּרַשׁso I may coso I may consulדָּרַשׁהָherherהָאָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַרעֶ֫בֶדservants hiservants hisעֶ֫בֶדאֶלto himto himאֶלהִנֵּהthere!there!הִנֵּהאִשָּׁהa woman ofa woman ofאִשָּׁהבַּעֲלָהan owner ofan owner ofבַּעֲלָהאוֹבnecromancynecromancyאוֹבעֵין־דֹּר[is] in En-[is] in En-עֵין־דֹּרעֵין־דֹּר-dor-dorעֵין־דֹּרעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדאִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁבַּעַלmastermasterבַּעַלאָבfatherfatherאָבעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִןדּוֹרgenerationgenerationדּוֹרשָׁאַלto askto askשָׁאַלהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְהֵןlook!look!הֵןכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָהטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִיעֵין־דֹּרEn-dorEn-dorעֵין־דֹּראוֹבmediummediumאוֹב
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 28:7

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

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

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
שָׁא֜וּלsha.'Ul Saul H7586 Noun proper masculine
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shaul is a personal name meaning desired, given to several individuals in the Bible, including a Benjamite who became the first king of Israel and a Levite living during the time of the Divided Monarchy. He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and 1 Samuel.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Shaul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאוּל (Sha'uwl) means 'asked' and is associated with several figures in the Old Testament, most notably Saul, the first king of Israel from the tribe of Benjamin. The entries indicate that the name can refer to multiple individuals, including an early king of Edom and a Levite. The name is derived from a passive participle form, suggesting a connection to the act of asking.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאוּל n.pr.m. (= asked)

397 1st king of Isr.

a king of Edom

a son of Simeon

a Levite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7586 שָׁאוּל (= asked)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7586 Sha'uwl shaw-ool'

passive participle of 7592; asked; Shaul, the name of an

Edomite and two Israelites:--Saul, Shaul.

see HEBREW for 07592

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Saul.

A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2;

son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532);

father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H)

§ Saul or Shaul = "desired"

1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel

2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah

3) a son of Simeon

4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Shaul.

A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095) and Canaanite_woman (H3669);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Zerah (H2226L);

father of: Shallum (H7967K)

Also named: sha.u.li (שָׁאוּלִי "Shaulite" H7587)

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

sol (sha'ul; Saoul):

(1) The first king of Israel.

I. EARLY HISTORY

1. Name and Meaning

2. Genealogy

3. Home and Station

4. Sources for Life

5. Election as King

6. Reasons for It

II. REIGN AND FALL

1. His First Action

2. Army Reorganized

3. Battle of Michmash

4. Defeats the Amalekites

5. Deposition Pronounced

6. David Introduced to Saul

7. Two Accounts

8. Saul's Envy of David

9. Attempts to Get Rid of David

10. David Spares Saul

11. Saul's Divided Energies

12. Consults a Necromancer

13. Battle of Gilboa

14. Double Accounts

15. Saul's Posterity

III. CHARACTER

1. Book of Chronicles

2. Saul's Failings

3. His Virtue

4. David's Elegy

I. Early History.

1. Name and Meaning:

The name Saul is usually regarded as simply the passive participle of the verb "to ask," and so meaning "asked" (compare 1Sa 8:4 ff), but the gentilic adjective sha'uli (

Saul

Asked for. (1.) A king of Edom (Gen. 36:37, 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48.

(2.) The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, “asked for”), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in 1 Sam. 8-10. His father’s she-asses had strayed, and Saul was sent with a servant to seek for them. Leaving his home at Gibeah (10:5, “the hill of God,” A.V.; lit., as in R.V. marg., “Gibeah of God”), Saul and his servant went toward the north-west over Mount Ephraim, and then turning north-east they came to “the land of Shalisha,” and thence eastward to the land of Shalim, and at length came to the district of Zuph, near Samuel’s home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(desired), more accurately Shaul. One of the early kings of Edom, and successor of Samlah. (Genesis 36:37,38; 1 Chronicles 1:48) (B.C. after 1450.) The first king of Israel, the son of Kish, and of the tribe of Benjamin. (B.C, 1095-1055.) His character is in part illustrated by the fierce, wayward, fitful nature of the tribe and in part accounted for by the struggle between the old and new systems in which he found himself involved. To this we must add a taint of madness. which broke out in violent frenzy at times leaving him with long lucid intervals. He was remarkable for his strength and activity, (2 Samuel 1:25) and, like the Homeric heroes, of gigantic stature, taller by head and shoulders than the rest of the people, and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Israelites, anointed by Samuel, B. C. 1091, and after a reign of forty years filled with various events, slain with his sons on Mount Gilboa. He was succeeded by David, who was his son-in-law, and whom he had endeavored to put to death. His history is contained in 1Sa 10:1-31:13. It is a sad and admonitory narrative. The morning of his reign was bright with special divine favors, both providential, and spiritual, 1Sa 9:20 10:1-11,24,25. But he soon began to disobey God, and was rejected as unworthy to found a line of kings; his sins and misfortunes multiplied, and his sun went down in gloom. In his first war with the Ammonites, God was with him; but then follow his presumptuous sacrifice, in the absence of Samuel…

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
לַעֲבָדָ֗יוla.'a.va.Dav to servants his H5650 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
attendants, those who served him
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/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 said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
בַּקְּשׁוּ־ba.ke.shu- seek H1245 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to seek or search for something. In Psalm 105:4, it's used to encourage seeking God's face. It's also used in 1 Samuel 28:8 where Saul seeks a medium.
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek

Pi.

seek to find

seek to secure

seek the face

desire, demand

require, exact

exact equivalent or penalty for

(late) ask, request

Pu. be sought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1245 baqash baw-kash'

a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically

in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,

beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,

(make) request, require, seek (for).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.

1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to seek to find

1a2) to seek to secure

1a3) to seek the face

1a4) to desire, demand

1a5) to require, exact

1a6) to ask, request

1b) (Pual) to be sought

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
לִי֙li for me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp1bs
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
אֵ֣שֶׁת'E.shet a woman H802 Noun common · feminine singular construct
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
a female, a mistress
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):

I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN

II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Prominence of Women

2. Social Equality

3. Marriage Laws

4. Inheritance

5. Domestic Duties

6. Dress and Ornaments

7. Religious Devotion and Service

(1) in Idolatry and False Religion

(2) in Spiritual Religion

III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA

IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Mary and Elisabeth

2. Jesus and Women

3. In the Early Church

4. Official Service

5. Widows

6. Deaconesses

IV. LATER TIMES

1. Changes in Character and Condition

2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood

3. Woman in the 20th Century

The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Woman

Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Origin and cause of the name

Ge 2:23

- ORIGINALLY MADE

. By God in his own image

Ge 1:27

. From one of Adam's ribs

Ge 2:21,22

. For man

1Co 11:9

. To be an helpmeet for man

Ge 2:18,20

. Subordinate to man

1Co 11:3

. To be the glory of man

1Co 11:7

- Deceived by Satan

Ge 3:1-6; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14

- Led man to disobey God

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
בַּעֲלַת־ba.'a.lat- [the] owner of H1172 Noun common · feminine singular construct
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mistress or female owner, also a sorceress, is what baalah refers to in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
mistress
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעֲלָה (ba`alah) is a feminine noun meaning 'mistress' or 'female owner.' It can also refer to a 'sorceress' or 'necromancer,' indicating a relationship-based role. The word is derived from a related term, בַּעַל (ba`al), which means 'lord' or 'master.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בַּעֲלָה] n.f.

mistress

necromancer; sorceress

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1172 בַּעֲלָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1172 ba`alah bah-al-aw'

feminine of 1167; a mistress:--that hath, mistress.

see HEBREW for 01167

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעֲלָה (ba.a.lah) — mistress.

1) mistress, female owner

2) sorceress, necromancer (noun of relationship)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
א֔וֹב'ov necromancy H178 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a medium or a person who tries to contact the dead, often using a hollow object like a water skin to make it seem like a spirit is speaking. This practice is forbidden in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a sorceress, one who consults the dead, with a familiar spirit
Tyndale gloss
medium
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹב (owb) refers to a skin-bottle and is also associated with necromancy and spirits of the dead. The term is built from the idea of a hollow sound, linking it to both a physical object and a practice involving communication with the dead. The entries highlight its meanings as a water skin, a necromancer, and a familiar spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹב n.m. skin-bottle, necromancer, etc.

skin-bottle

necromancer

ghost

necromancy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H178 אוֹב skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. . skin-bottle

. necromancer

. ghost

. necromancy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

178 'owb obe

from the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling

a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water skin (from

its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from

a jar):--bottle, familiar spirit.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹב (ov) — medium.

1) water skin bottle

2) necromancer

1b) necromancer, one who evokes the dead

1c) ghost, spirit of a dead one

1d) practice of necromancy

3) one that has a familiar spirit

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

nek'-ro-man-si.

See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION; WITCHCRAFT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning De 18:11; 26:14; Isa 8:19; 29:4

→ INSTANCE OF

The witch of En-dor 1Sa 28:7-19

See FAMILIAR SPIRITS

See SORCERY

See WITCHCRAFT

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
וְאֵלְכָ֥הve.'e.le.Khah so let me go H1980 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common 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
HC/Vqc1cs — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
HC/Vqc1cs
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 said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
אֵלֶ֖יהָ'e.Lei.ha to her H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3fs
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־ve.'ed.re.shah- so I may consult H1875 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To seek or ask is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe seeking God or worshiping him. It can also mean to investigate or enquire about something.
Amplified meaning
seek, inquire of
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּרַשׁ (darash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or inquire. It encompasses a range of actions from frequenting a place to consulting deities in prayer and worship. The word can imply a diligent search or demand, and it appears in both Qal and Niphal forms, indicating various nuances of seeking and being sought. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּרַשׁ 162 vb. resort to, seek

Qal

(tread a place,) resort to, frequent

seek, consult, inquire of

seek deity in prayer and worship

seek, with idea of demanding, require

inquire, investigate (a matter)

ask for, require, demand

seek with application, study, follow, practise

seek with care, care for

Niph.

let oneself be inquired of, consulted, only of God

be sought out

be required, of blood

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1875 דָּרַשׁ resort to, seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1875 darash daw-rash'

a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to

follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or

ask; specifically to worship:--ask, X at all, care for, X

diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-)mancer,

question, require, search, seek (for, out), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) — to seek.

1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place)

1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek

1a2a) of God

1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers

1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship

1a3a) God

1a3b) heathen deities

1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require

1a5) to investigate, enquire

1a6) to ask for, require, demand

1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application

1a8) to seek with care, care for

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God)

1b2) to be sought, be sought out

1b3) to be required (of blood)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
HC/Vqc1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kon-sult' (sha'al, malakh, ya`ats (Aramaic) ye`aT; sumbouleuomai):

(1) "To ask," "inquire," "seek advice." Ezekiel speaks of the king of Babylonian consulting the teraphim (Eze 21:21) and the Israelites were admonished to have noting to do with "a consulter with a familiar spirit" (De 18:11).

See ASTROLOGY; COMMUNION WITH DEMONS; DIVINATION.

(2) "To take counsel," "devise," "plan." The various officials of Babylon "consulted together to establish a royal statute" (Da 6:7; compare Mt 26:4).

(3) "To deliberate with one's self," "make up one's mind." Nehemiah consulted with himself as to what might be done for Jerusalem (Ne…

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
בָּ֑הּBah her H9034 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָ (ha) — her.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3fs
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּvai.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 he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
עֲבָדָיו֙'a.va.Dav servants his H5650 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
those who served him
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

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 said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
אֵלָ֔יו'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

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

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

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

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

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

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

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

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

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

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

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

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

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

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

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

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

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

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

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

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

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

5) in addition to, to

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

7) according to (rule or standard)

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

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
הִנֵּ֛הhi.Neh there! H2009 Particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
אֵ֥שֶׁת'E.shet a woman of H802 Noun common · feminine singular construct
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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

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

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

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

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

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

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

Lamentations 3:1.

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

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

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

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

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
בַּֽעֲלַת־ba.'a.lat- an owner of H1172 Noun common · feminine singular construct
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mistress or female owner, also a sorceress, is what baalah refers to in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
mistress
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעֲלָה (ba`alah) is a feminine noun meaning 'mistress' or 'female owner.' It can also refer to a 'sorceress' or 'necromancer,' indicating a relationship-based role. The word is derived from a related term, בַּעַל (ba`al), which means 'lord' or 'master.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בַּעֲלָה] n.f.

mistress

necromancer; sorceress

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1172 בַּעֲלָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1172 ba`alah bah-al-aw'

feminine of 1167; a mistress:--that hath, mistress.

see HEBREW for 01167

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעֲלָה (ba.a.lah) — mistress.

1) mistress, female owner

2) sorceress, necromancer (noun of relationship)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
א֖וֹב'ov necromancy H178 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a medium or a person who tries to contact the dead, often using a hollow object like a water skin to make it seem like a spirit is speaking. This practice is forbidden in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a woman with a familiar spirit, a spiritist
Tyndale gloss
medium
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹב (owb) refers to a skin-bottle and is also associated with necromancy and spirits of the dead. The term is built from the idea of a hollow sound, linking it to both a physical object and a practice involving communication with the dead. The entries highlight its meanings as a water skin, a necromancer, and a familiar spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹב n.m. skin-bottle, necromancer, etc.

skin-bottle

necromancer

ghost

necromancy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H178 אוֹב skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. . skin-bottle

. necromancer

. ghost

. necromancy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

178 'owb obe

from the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling

a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water skin (from

its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from

a jar):--bottle, familiar spirit.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹב (ov) — medium.

1) water skin bottle

2) necromancer

1b) necromancer, one who evokes the dead

1c) ghost, spirit of a dead one

1d) practice of necromancy

3) one that has a familiar spirit

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

nek'-ro-man-si.

See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION; WITCHCRAFT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning De 18:11; 26:14; Isa 8:19; 29:4

→ INSTANCE OF

The witch of En-dor 1Sa 28:7-19

See FAMILIAR SPIRITS

See SORCERY

See WITCHCRAFT

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
בְּעֵ֥יןbe.'Ein [is] in En- H5874 Preposition · noun proper
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
En-Dor, meaning fountain of Dor, is a place in the territory of Issachar, where the spiritist consulted by King Saul resided. The Bible mentions En-Dor in 1 Samuel, where it is associated with the witch of Endor. It is located near Mount Tabor.
Amplified meaning
En-dor, the fountain of Dor
Tyndale gloss
En-dor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵין־דֹּר (Eyn-Do'r) refers to a location in Palestine, specifically a place known as En-dor, which means 'fountain of dwelling.' It is situated in the territory of Issachar, though it was possessed by Manasseh. This site is noted for being the residence of a spiritist consulted by King Saul.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵין־דֹּר n.pr.loc. in Manasseh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5874 עֵין־דֹּר, עֵין־דּאֹר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5874 `Eyn-Do'r, ane-dore'

or mEyn Dowr {ane dore}; or Eyn-Dor {ane-dore'}; from 5869

and 1755; fountain of dwelling; En-Dor, a place in

Palestine:--En-dor.

see HEBREW for 01755

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵין־דֹּר (en-dor) — En-dor.

§ En-dor = "fountain of Dor"

a place in the territory of Issachar yet possessed by Manasseh; located 4 miles (6.5 km) north of Tabor

place of residence of the spiritist consulted by king Saul

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

at the beginning of many Hebrew words, signifies a spring or fountain.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A fountain compounded with many names of towns and places; as En- dor, En-gedi, En-eglaim, En-shemesh, that is, the fountain of Dor, etc.

and he said Saul to servants his seek for me a woman [the] owner of necromancy so let me go to her so I may consult her and they said servants his to him there! a woman of an owner of necromancy [is] in En- -dor
דּֽוֹר׃Dor -dor H5874 Noun proper
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
En-Dor, meaning fountain of Dor, is a place in the territory of Issachar, where the spiritist consulted by King Saul resided. The Bible mentions En-Dor in 1 Samuel, where it is associated with the witch of Endor. It is located near Mount Tabor.
Tyndale gloss
En-dor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵין־דֹּר (Eyn-Do'r) refers to a location in Palestine, specifically a place known as En-dor, which means 'fountain of dwelling.' It is situated in the territory of Issachar, though it was possessed by Manasseh. This site is noted for being the residence of a spiritist consulted by King Saul.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵין־דֹּר n.pr.loc. in Manasseh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5874 עֵין־דֹּר, עֵין־דּאֹר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5874 `Eyn-Do'r, ane-dore'

or mEyn Dowr {ane dore}; or Eyn-Dor {ane-dore'}; from 5869

and 1755; fountain of dwelling; En-Dor, a place in

Palestine:--En-dor.

see HEBREW for 01755

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵין־דֹּר (en-dor) — En-dor.

§ En-dor = "fountain of Dor"

a place in the territory of Issachar yet possessed by Manasseh; located 4 miles (6.5 km) north of Tabor

place of residence of the spiritist consulted by king Saul

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dor

Dwelling, the Dora of the Romans, an ancient royal city of the Canaanites (Josh. 11:1, 2; 12:23). It was the most southern settlement of the Phoenicians on the coast of Syria. The original inhabitants seem never to have been expelled, although they were made tributary by David. It was one of Solomon’s commissariat districts (Judg. 1:27; 1 Kings 4:11). It has been identified with Tantura (so named from the supposed resemblance of its tower to a tantur, i.e., “a horn”). This tower fell in 1895, and nothing remains but debris and foundation walls, the remains of an old Crusading fortress. It is about 8 miles north of Caesarea, “a sad and sickly hamlet of wretched huts on a naked sea-beach.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(dwelling), (Joshua 17:11; 1 Kings 4:11) an ancient royal city of the Canaanites, (Joshua 12:23) whose ruler was an ally of Jabin king of Hazor against Joshua. (Joshua 11:1,2) It appears to have been within the territory of the tribe of Asher, though allotted to Manasseh, (Joshua 17:11; Judges 1:27) Solomon stationed at Dor one of his twelve purveyors. (1 Kings 4:11) jerome places it on the coast, "in the ninth mile from Caesarea, on the way to Ptolemais." Just at the point indicated is the small village of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A royal city of the Canaanites, on the Mediterranean between Caesarea and mount Carmel; after the conquest it was assigned to Manasseh, Jos 11:2; 12:23; 17:11; 1Ki 4:11; 1Ch 7:29. There is now a small port there, with about 500 inhabitants.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

generation, habitation

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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