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1 Samuel 8:17 — Word Study

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WLCצֹאנְכֶ֖ם יַעְשֹׂ֑ר וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־ ל֥וֹ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃

BSAHe will take a tenthʻâsar [one tenth, to tithe] of your flockstsôʼn [sheep, or goats] and you yourselvesʼattâh [as servants] will becomehâyâh slavesʻebed [servants, bondmen, in a state of bondage]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 8
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (la.'a.va.Dim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 8:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe warning about a king's demands: he will take a portion of your flocks and make you his servants.
Who is speakingSamuel, relaying God's message to the people of Israel.
Where we areIn a section where the Israelites are asking for a king, and God is explaining the consequences.
The hard wordיַעְשֹׂ֑ר
Take awayThe people will lose their freedom and resources under a king.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאַתֶּם verbעָשַׂר 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 8:17

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 Warning About a Kinggenerated

16And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
19Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

1 Samuel 8:17 presents God's warning through Samuel regarding the implications of appointing a king. The Israelites desire a king to lead them like other nations, but God cautions them about the burdens that will come with such a decision, including loss of their resources and autonomy. This section highlights the tension between the people's desires and God's intended governance.


Cross References


The Key Word יַעְשֹׂ֑ר, ya'.Sorgenerated

The verb עָשַׂר (asar) means to tithe or take a tenth. It is a Qal imperfect form, indicating a future action — in this case, the king will take a portion of the people's flocks. The word emphasizes the act of giving a portion, often in a religious or financial context.

This verb is used in relation to tithing, which was a common practice in ancient Israel. The implication here is that the king will impose a tax on the people's livestock, which may lead to economic strain and loss of personal freedom.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses he will take a tenth for the Hebrew phrase יַעְשֹׂ֑ר.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יַעְשֹׂ֑ר, he will take a tenth, governs the main clause, with two phrases hanging off it: a noun phrase indicating the object of the verb and a prepositional phrase that describes the resulting state of the subjects. The structure shows a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the king's actions and the people's status.

The word order in Hebrew places the verb first, emphasizing the action of taking, which is central to the warning being conveyed.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַעְשֹׂ֑ר as ἀποδεκατώσει (apodekatōsei), which means 'he will tithe'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizes the taxation aspect, indicating a formal collection rather than a voluntary offering.

The use of δοῦλοι (doulous) for לַעֲבָדִֽים suggests a strong interpretation of servitude, reinforcing the idea of the people becoming bonded to the king.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 8:17 warns that if the Israelites choose a king, he will take a tenth of their flocks and they will become his servants. This highlights the potential loss of freedom and resources that comes with human leadership.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the king will take a tenth of the flocks?

It means that the king will impose a tax on the people's livestock, which they must give up as a portion of their resources.

Why does God warn the people about becoming slaves?

God warns them that choosing a king will lead to loss of autonomy and personal freedom, as they will be required to serve the king and give up their possessions.

How does this verse relate to the concept of tithing?

The word יַעְשֹׂ֑ר indicates a formal taking of a tenth, similar to the biblical practice of tithing, which was meant for religious purposes but here signifies taxation.

What does it mean to be a servant or slave in this context?

Being a servant or slave implies a loss of independence, where the people will be bound to serve the king and fulfill his demands.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are the implications of choosing human leadership over divine guidance in my own life?
  2. How can I recognize when I am becoming too dependent on others for my needs instead of relying on God?
  3. In what ways can I serve others without losing my sense of freedom and identity?
  4. How can I ensure that my contributions to my community do not lead to an imbalance of power or servitude?

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

Early commentators, like Gregory the Dialogist and Bede, reflect on the implications of this verse, discussing the burdens of choosing a king and the spiritual consequences of servitude.

Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 4, Chapter 2 c. 540–604
9. There follows: "He will also tithe your flocks, and you shall be his servants." As if to say: When a carnal pastor is placed over you, plunder of virtues is inflicted not only upon your possessions, but also upon yourselves.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 8 →
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 4, Chapter 4 c. 540–604
So that, namely, they may know themselves to be subject to his authority in such a way that they dare not transgress his commands.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 8 →
BedeCommentary on Samuel c. 673–735
Your male and female servants also, etc. Even the improper motions of mind or flesh, for example, anger, jealousy, gluttony, lust, and other such things, which must be restrained and curbed by the discipline of wise men;
Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 8 →

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 8:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He will take the tenth of your sheep,.... As well as of their seed and vineyards; and not the tithe of their flocks only, but of their herds also, which are here included, as Kimchi observes: and ye

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 8 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. He shall use you like slaves, and deprive you of that liberty which you now enjoy.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.Ver. 17. And ye shall be his servants.] His slaves to do his drudgery, more like peasants of France than yeomen of Kent, as he said.

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 8 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) And ye shall be his servants.—This statement generally includes all that has gone before. In other words, “Ye elders and chiefs of the people must make up your minds, in the event of electing a king, to the loss of all political and social freedom.” How bitterly the nation, even in the successful and glorious reign of King Solomon, felt the pressure of the royal yoke, so truly foretold by their last judge, is shown in the history of the times which followed the death of Solomon, when the public discontent at the brilliant but despotic rule of the great king led to the revolution which split up the people into two nations. (See 1 Kings 12:4.) “This whole passage bears internal evidence…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 8 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. and ye shall be his servants] To sum up all briefly, ye will be slaves to the king ye have chosen.

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 8 →

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

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye will be his servants.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He will take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruants.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He will take the tenth of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

he tithes your flock, and you are for servants to him.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Of your flocks will he take the tenth: and ye yourselves will become his servants.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his slaves.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants.

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.

clausenoun phrase · objectצֹאנְflock[s]כֶ֖םyourverbיַעְשֹׂ֑רhe.will.take.a.titheוְandclausesubjectאַתֶּ֖םyouverbתִּֽהְיוּyou.will.becomeprepositional phrase · prepositionalל֥forוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַ(into)עֲבָדִֽיםservants

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the core message remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.

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

צֹאנְכֶ֖ם יַעְשֹׂ֑ר וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־ ל֥וֹ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
צֹאנְכֶ֖םὑμῶνיַעְשֹׂ֑רἀποδεκατώσειוְאַתֶּ֖םὑμεῖςתִּֽהְיוּ־ἔσεσθεל֥וֹαὐτῷלַעֲבָדִֽים׃δοῦλοι

6 of the 6 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 — 4Q51a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

וצאנ׳כם יעשר [ואתם] [תהיו] [ל׳ו] [לעבדים]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 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 8:17צֹאןflock[s] yoflock[s] yourצֹאןעָשַׂרhe will takhe will take a עָשַׂראַתָּ֫הand youand youאַתָּ֫ההָיָהyou will beyou will becomeהָיָהוֹof himof himוֹעֶ֫בֶדservantsservantsעֶ֫בֶדעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂרעָשַׁרto enrichto enrichעָשַׁרהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאבָּקַרcattlecattleבָּקַרבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדHouse of SHouse of Shepheבֵּית־עֵ֫קֶדלֵוִיLeviLeviלֵוִייָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָה
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 8:17

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.

flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
צֹאנְכֶ֖םtzon.Khem flock[s] your H6629 Noun common both singular construct · suffix
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a flock of sheep or goats, and is sometimes used to describe people in a figurative sense. It is also associated with the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, a significant location in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
sheep, or goats
Tyndale gloss
Sheep (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6629 tso'n tsone

or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root

meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or

goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock

(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֹאן (tson) — flock.

1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)

1b) of multitude (simile)

1c) of multitude (metaphor)

צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).

This name means sheep and goats

Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffix
HNcbsc/Sp2mp
flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
יַעְשֹׂ֑רya'.Sor he will take a tenth H6237 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to give or take a tenth, often in the context of tithing or giving to God, as instructed in Leviticus 27:30-32. It is translated as 'to tithe' or 'give a tithe' in the KJV.
Amplified meaning
one tenth, to tithe
Tyndale gloss
to tithe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשַׂר (asar) is a verb meaning to tithe or take a tenth part. It is derived as a denominative from another root, indicating its specific use in the context of giving or taking a tithe. The entries consistently emphasize its application in financial or religious contexts, particularly in relation to offerings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשַׂר vb. denom. tale the tenth of, tithe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6237 עָשַׂר vb. denom. tale the tenth of, tithe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6237 `asar aw-sar'

a primitive root (ident. with 6238); to accumulate; but used

only as denominative from 6235; to tithe, i.e. to take or give

a tenth:--X surely, give (take) the tenth, (have, take)

tithe(-ing, -s), X truly.

see HEBREW for 06238

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשַׂר (a.sar) — to tithe.

1) to tithe, take the tenth part of, give a tithe, take a tithe

1a) (Qal) to tithe

1b) (Piel) to give a tithe

1c) (Hiphil) to take a tithe

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

See TITHE.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
וְאַתֶּ֖םve.'a.Tem and you H859 Conjunction · pronoun
1,094× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Amplified meaning
as servants
Tyndale gloss
you(m.s.)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

base

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

base

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

base

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

base

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

859 'attah at-taw'

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).

you (second pers. sing. masc.)

אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

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

אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).

you (second pers. sing. fem.)

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

אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).

you (second pers. pl. masc.)

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

אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).

you (second pers. pl. fem.)

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
תִּֽהְיוּ־tih.yu- you will become H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
ל֥וֹlo of 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
flock[s] your he will take a tenth and you you will become of him servants
לַעֲבָדִֽים׃la.'a.va.Dim servants H5650 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
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
servants, bondmen, in a state of bondage
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 — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Early mention of

Ge 9:25,26

- DIVIDED INTO

. Male

Ge 24:34; 32:5

. Female

Ge 16:6; 32:5

. Bond

Ge 43:18; Le 25:46

. Hired

Mr 1:20; Lu 15:17

- Persons devoted to the service of another so called

Ps 119:49; Isa 56:6

- The subjects of a prince or king so called

Ex 9:20; 11:8

- Persons of low condition so called

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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