Menu

2 Chronicles 15:3 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְיָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְלֹ֣א׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֱמֶ֗ת וּלְלֹ֛א כֹּהֵ֥ן מוֹרֶ֖ה וּלְלֹ֥א תוֹרָֽה׃

BSAFor manyrab [numerous, a long season] yearsyôwm IsraelYisrâʼêl has been withoutlôʼ [lacking, separated from] the trueʼemeth [faithful, trustworthy] Godʼĕlôhîym [Elohim, the supreme deity] withoutlôʼ [lacking, absent] a priestkôhên [teaching priest, spiritual leader] to instruct themyârâh [teach, guide] and withoutlôʼ [lacking, absent] the lawtôwrâh [instruction, divine guidance]

Word
Listen & take away2 Chronicles 15
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (to.Rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Chronicles 15:3quick helps
In a sentenceIsrael has been without God, a teaching priest, and the law for many years.
Who is speakingThe prophet Asa is addressing Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of Asa's speech to Judah and Benjamin.
The hard wordאֱלֹהֵי
Take awayIsrael's spiritual neglect has led to a lack of guidance and truth.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיָרָה 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 — 2 Chronicles 15:3

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 Spiritual Condition of Israelgenerated

2So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
4But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.
5In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.

2 Chronicles 15:3 describes a time when Israel was spiritually adrift, lacking the true God, a priest to teach them, and the law to guide their actions. This period of neglect highlights the importance of spiritual leadership and adherence to divine instruction, as seen in the surrounding verses where Asa calls the people back to God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 12:28–33After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
2Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
3Jeremiah 10:10But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
4John 17:3Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
51 Thessalonians 1:9For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

The Key Word אֱלֹהֵי, 'e.lo.Heigenerated

The Hebrew word אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) refers to the supreme God, emphasizing His authority and power. This term is often used in a plural form but denotes singular majesty when referring to the one true God of Israel.

In this verse, it illustrates the absence of divine presence among the people, indicating their spiritual desolation. The phrase אֱלֹהֵי אֱמֶת (God of truth) emphasizes the reliability and faithfulness of God, which Israel has forsaken.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the true God to convey the meaning of אֱלֹהֵי. The KJV also translates it similarly, maintaining the theological significance.

Where translations differ is in the rendering of רַבִּ֖ים. The BSB and others translate it as many, while the KJV and ASV use a long season, reflecting different interpretations of the duration.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is structured around the verb הָיָה (has been), with multiple prepositional phrases detailing what Israel has been without. This structure emphasizes the cumulative absence of spiritual resources.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the conditions of Israel, starting with the duration וְיָמִ֥ים (and years), which sets the tone for the lamentation of their spiritual state.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֱלֹהֵי as θεῷ (theos), which also means 'God' but does not carry the same emphasis on truth as in the Hebrew. This choice reflects a more general understanding of divinity.

The Greek term ἱερέως (hiereus) for 'priest' aligns closely with the Hebrew כֹּהֵן, indicating the role of spiritual leadership is preserved in translation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Chronicles 15:3 states that Israel has been without the true God, a teaching priest, and the law for many years. This highlights the importance of spiritual leadership and adherence to God's instructions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Israel was without the true God?

It indicates that Israel was not following or worshiping the one true God, leading to spiritual emptiness and disconnection.

Why is the role of a priest important in this context?

A priest serves as a spiritual leader and teacher, guiding the people in worship and understanding of God's laws, which Israel lacked during this time.

What is the significance of being without the law?

Being without the law means Israel had no divine guidance or moral instruction, leading to chaos and disobedience.

How can this verse apply to us today?

It serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual leadership and the need for a relationship with God and adherence to His teachings.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life might I feel spiritually adrift, like Israel?
  2. How can I seek out spiritual guidance and instruction in my daily life?
  3. What role does God's truth play in my understanding of right and wrong?
  4. How can I support others in their spiritual journeys, just as priests were meant to do?

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

Theodoret of Cyrus comments on this passage, highlighting the spiritual neglect of the ten tribes in Israel.

Theodoret of CyrusQUESTION 1, ON 2 CHRONICLES c. 393–460
The passage shows the impiety of the ten tribes: “For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law;
Early Church Fathers on 2 Chronicles 15 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 15:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Now for a long season Israel [hath been] without the true God,.... The fear, worship, and service of him being greatly neglected by them for a long time; what period of time is referred to is not

Read John Gill on 2 Chronicles 15 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 15 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Heb. For many days have been to Israel without the true God, & c, i.e. they have long lived without the sound knowledge and worship of the true God. The prophet confirms his foregoing exhortation, and the threatening annexed to it, that if they forsook God, he would forsake them, from the usual manner of God’ s dealing with Israel formerly, and therefore in the same case they may expect the same usage. Israel, here mentioned and propounded as an example, is here understood, either, 1. Specially of the ten tribes, distinguished by that name from the kingdom of Judah; whose condition had been, since Jeroboam’ s revolt, and now was such in some measure, as is here described, they having been…

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Chronicles 15 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Chronicles 15:3 Now for a long season Israel [hath been] without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.Ver. 3. Now for a long season.] For about thirty years. Israel.] The ten revolted tribes. Hath been without the true God.] So were our ancestors the old Britons, whose idols were portenta diabolica, saith Gildas, pene numero Aegyptiaca vincentia, monstrous idols. And without a teaching priest.] No wonder, therefore, that they were "without God in the world," stark atheists, sine lege, sine rege, sine fide, "without law, king or fidelity" as the Brazilians are said to be.

Read John Trapp on 2 Chronicles 15 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Now for a long season Israel hath been.—Literally, And many days to Israel, without true God, and without teaching priest, and without teaching. This is clearly an illustration of the general truth asserted in last verse. “Many a time hath Israel been without true God,” etc. Periods of religious decline, such as those recorded in the Book of Judges, as well as those of later times, especially since the division of the kingdom, are adduced as historical proof of the statement that the Lord was with Israel while they were with him. (Comp. Judges 2:11-19; Judges 3:7-10; also Hosea 3:4-5.) Without.—Lĕ ?lô’, only here in this sense. The true God.—Jeremiah 10:9 : “Jehovah is true God”…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 15 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Now for a long season Israel] "Israel hath followed Jeroboam, and they have not worshipped the true God. They have burnt incense to their golden calves; their priestlings [כומריא cumeraiya, their black, sooty sacrificers] have burnt perfumes with a strange worship, and have not exercised themselves in the law." - Targum. These priests could not teach, because they had not learnt; and as they had abandoned the law of the Lord, consequently they had no proper matter for instruction. There is a great diversity of opinions concerning the meaning of this text. Some consider it a prophecy relative to the future state of this people, and the final destruction of the Jews as to their…

Read AdamClarke on 2 Chronicles 15 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. for a long season] R.V. for long seasons. 2 Chronicles 15:3-6 contain the reflections of the Chronicler himself on the whole previous course of Israelite history. Azariah’s own exhortation is continued in 2 Chronicles 15:7. without a teaching priest, and without law] The connexion between these two is closer than the English suggests. “Law” (Heb. torah) is properly “teaching, guidance.” A “teaching” (Heb. moreh) priest is one who gives “torah” or “guidance” on doubtful points of morality or ritual. Cp. Malachi 2:7.

Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 15 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“Israel” here is used generally for the whole people of God; and the reference is especially to the many apostasies in the days of the Judges, which were followed by repentance and deliverance.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Chronicles 15 →

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

For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For a long time Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:

RVARevised Version, American1894

Now for long seasons Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Nowe for a long season Israel hath bene without the true God, and without Priest to teach and without Lawe.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Now for a long while Israel [was] without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and many days [are] to Israel without a true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and many days [are] to Israel without [the] true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And many days [had elapsed] for Israel, [they being] without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Now for a long period, Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without the law.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And many days shall pass in Israel without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

For many years Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the law.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Now for a long time Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without the law;

Word by word, the decisions they made

רַבִּ֖יםra.Bim many H7227 2 different renderings
manyBSB DRA FBV ILT LSV MSB YLT
a long seasonASV GNV KJV NWB

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.

וְandclausenoun phrase · subjectיָמִ֥יםdaysרַבִּ֖יםmanyprepositional phrase · predicateלְ[belonged].toיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsraelprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseלֹ֣אnotnoun phraseאֱלֹהֵ֣י[the].Godאֱמֶ֗תof.truthוּandprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseלֹ֛אnotnoun phraseכֹּהֵ֥ןa.priestמוֹרֶ֖ה[who].teachesוּandprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseלֹ֥אnotתוֹרָֽה[the].law

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 in their wording for this verse, with all eleven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency emphasizes the shared understanding of Israel's spiritual condition.

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

וְיָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְלֹ֣א׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֱמֶ֗ת וּלְלֹ֛א כֹּהֵ֥ן מוֹרֶ֖ה וּלְלֹ֥א תוֹרָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְיָמִ֥יםἡμέραιרַבִּ֖יםπολλαὶלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לισραηλלְלֹ֣א׀οὐאֱלֹהֵ֣יθεῷאֱמֶ֗תἀληθινῷוּלְלֹ֛אοὐξכֹּהֵ֥ןἱερέωςמוֹרֶ֖הὑποδεικνύοντοςוּלְלֹ֥אοὐתוֹרָֽה׃νόμῳ

11 of the 11 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.

2 Chronicles 15:3יוֹםand daysand daysיוֹםרַבmanymanyרַביִשְׂרָאֵל[belonged] [belonged] to Iיִשְׂרָאֵללֹאto notto notלֹאאֱלֹהִים[the] God o[the] God ofאֱלֹהִיםאֱמֶתtruthtruthאֱמֶתלֹאand to notand to notלֹאכֹּהֵןa priesta priestכֹּהֵןיָרָא[who] teach[who] teachesיָרָאלֹאand to notand to notלֹאתּוֹרָה[the] law[the] lawתּוֹרָהרָבַבto multiplto multiplyרָבַבשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהאָמַןbe faithfube faithfulאָמַןיָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאאֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּכָּהַןto ministeto ministerכָּהַןיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןNebuzaradaNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןטַבָּחguardguardטַבָּחשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶטקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁאַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵראֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹןחֶ֫סֶדkindnesskindnessחֶ֫סֶדשָׁלוֹםPeacePeaceשָׁלוֹם
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 2 Chronicles 15:3

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 days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
וְיָמִ֥יםve.ya.Mim and days H3117 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Ncmpa
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
רַבִּ֖יםra.Bim many H7227 Adj
454× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Amplified meaning
numerous, a long season
Tyndale gloss
many
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

(oft. opp. מְעַט)

much: of substances

esp. of collectives, numerous

pl. many

רַב as subst. coll. pers.

cstr. = abounding in

מִן comp. = more numerous than

רַב = abundant, enough

as adv. much, exceedingly

less oft. great

base

רַב 49 n.m. chief

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances

. esp. of collectives, numerous

. pl. many

. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

. cstr. = abounding in

. + מִן comp. = more numerous than

. רַב = abundant, enough

. as adv. much, exceedingly

. less oft. great

H7227b רַב chief

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7227 rab rab

by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,

number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),

captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,

one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,

things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)

much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,

populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

see HEBREW for 07231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַב (rav) — many.

adj

1) much, many, great

1a) much

1b) many

1c) abounding in

1d) more numerous than

1e) abundant, enough

1f) great

1g) strong

1h) greater than

adv

1i) much, exceedingly

רַב (rav) — chief.

captain, chief

Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)

רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.

Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)

§ captain, chief

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

MANY, adjective men'ny.

1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.

Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.

Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.

It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.

As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.

So many laws argue so many sins.

It is followed by as.

As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.

It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.

Full many a gem of purest ray serene.

2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.

MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.

O thou fond many

The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.

and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לle.Yis.ra.'El [belonged] to Israel H3478 Preposition · noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
לְלֹ֣א׀le.Lo' to not H3808 Preposition · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
lacking, separated from
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · particle
HR/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei [the] God of H430 Noun common · masculine plural construct
2,603× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
Elohim, the supreme deity
Tyndale gloss
God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

pl. in number.

rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

angels

gods

pl. intensive

god or goddess

godlike one

works of God, or things belongng to him

God

הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

אֱלֹהִים = God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

. angels

. gods

. pl. intensive . god or goddess

. godlike one

. works of God, or things belongng to him

. God

. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

. אֱלֹהִים = God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically

used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the

supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to

magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X

exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X

mighty.

see HEBREW for 0433

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.

This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.

Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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 days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
אֱמֶ֗ת'e.Met truth H571 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means truth, faithfulness, or stability, and is often used to describe God's character and promises. In Psalm 100:5, it says God's truth endures forever, and in Proverbs 12:17, it emphasizes the importance of truthful speech.
Amplified meaning
faithful, trustworthy
Tyndale gloss
truth: faithful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱמֶת (emeth) encompasses concepts of firmness, faithfulness, and truth. It signifies reliability and stability, often in the context of ethical or religious knowledge. The word can also function as an adverb meaning 'in truth' or 'truly.' There is a consistent emphasis on its meanings related to certainty and trustworthiness across the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱמֶת n.f. firmness, faithfulness

reliability, sureness

stability, continuance

faithfulness, reliableness

truth

adv. in truth, truly

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H571 אֱמֶת firmness, faithfulness . reliability, sureness

. stability, continuance

. faithfulness, reliableness

. truth

. adv. in truth, truly

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

571 'emeth eh'-meth

contracted from 539; stability; (figuratively) certainty,

truth, trustworthiness:--assured(-ly), establishment,

faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.

see HEBREW for 0539

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: faithful.

: faithful

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

1d3) of divine instruction

1d4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge

1d5) true doctrine

adv

2) in truth, truly

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: true.

: true

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

1d3) of divine instruction

1d4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge

1d5) true doctrine

adv

2) in truth, truly

אֱמֶת (e.met) — truth: certain.

: certain/fixed

1) firmness, faithfulness, truth

1a) sureness, reliability

1b) stability, continuance

1c) faithfulness, reliableness

1d) truth

1d1) as spoken

1d2) of testimony and judgment

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

trooth (`emeth, emunah, primary idea of "firmness," "stability" (compare Ex 17:12), hence "constancy," "faithfulness," etc.; the Septuagint's Apocrypha and the New Testament, aletheia (Ro 3:7), pistis (Ro 3:3); in adjectival and adverbial sense, "in truth," "of a truth," "faithful," etc.; alethos (Lu 21:3; Joh 6:14; 7:40; 1Th 2:13); alethinos (Joh 17:3); ontos (1Co 14:25); pistos (1Ti 3:1); in the King James…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Truth

Used in various senses in Scripture. In Prov. 12:17, 19, it denotes that which is opposed to falsehood. In Isa. 59:14, 15, Jer. 7:28, it means fidelity or truthfulness. The doctrine of Christ is called “the truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:5), “the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7; 4:4). Our Lord says of himself, “I am the way, and the truth” (John 14:6).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Saints should worship God in Joh 4:24; with Ps 145:18

→ Serve God in Jos 24:14; 1Sa 12:24

→ Walk in the presence of God in 1Ki 2:4; 2Ki 20:3

→ Keep religious feasts with 1Co 5:8

→ Esteem, as inestimable Pr 23:23

→ Love Zec 8:19

→ Rejoice in 1Co 13:6

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- God is a God of

De 32:4; Ps 31:15

- Christ is

Joh 14:6; 7:18

- Christ was full of

Joh 1:14

- Christ spoke

Joh 8:45

- The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of

Joh 14:17

- The Holy Spirit guides into all

Joh 16:13

- The word of God is

Da 10:21; Joh 17:17

- God regards, with favour

Jer 5:3

- The judgments of God are according to

and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
וּלְלֹ֛אu.le.Lo' and to not H3808 Conjunction · preposition · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
lacking, absent
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | Part — Conjunction · preposition · particle
HC/R/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
כֹּהֵ֥ןko.Hen a priest H3548 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
750× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Amplified meaning
teaching priest, spiritual leader
Tyndale gloss
priest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3548 כֹּהֵן priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3548 kohen ko-hane'

active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a

priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a

layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal

officer.

see HEBREW for 03547

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler

1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)

1b) pagan priests

1c) priests of Jehovah

1d) Levitical priests

1e) Zadokite priests

1f) Aaronic priests

1g) the high priest

Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

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

prest (kohen, "priest," "prince," "minister"; hiereus archiereus; for hiereus megas, of Heb 10:21, see Thayer's Lexicon, under the word hiereus:

I. NATURE OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE

1. Implies Divine Choice

2. Implies Representation

3. Implies Offering Sacrifice

4. Implies Intercession

II. THE TWO GREAT PRIESTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, MELCHIZEDEK AND AARON

III. PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTER

1. A Strictly Religious Order

2. Priestism Denied

3. The High Priest's Qualifications

4. Symbolism of Aaron's Rod

IV. CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS (EXODUS 29; LEVITICUS 8)

1. Symbolism of Consecration

2. Type and Archetype

LITERATURE

A priest is one who is duly authorized to minister in sacred things, particularly to offer sacrifices at the altar, and who acts as mediator between men and God. In the New Testament the term is applied to priests of the Gentiles…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Priest

The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices.

At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5).

The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Lev. 21:16-23. There are ordinances also regarding the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct of sin. Men feel that they have broken a law. The power above them is holier than they are, and they dare not approach it. They crave for the intervention of some one of whom they can think as likely to be more acceptable than themselves. He must offer up their prayers, thanksgivings, sacrifices. He becomes their representative in "things pertaining unto God." He may become also (though this does not always follow) the representative of God to man. The functions of the priest and prophet may exist in the same person. No trace of a hereditary or caste priesthood meets us in the worship of the patriarchal age. Once and once only does the word cohen meet us as…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One who officiated in the public worship of God, especially in making expiation for sin, being "ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In the Old Testament, the priesthood was not annexed to a certain family till after the promulgation of the law by Moses. Before that time, the firstborn of each family, the fathers, the princes, the kings, were priests in their own cities and in their own houses. Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job, Abimelech and Laban, Isaac and Jacob offered personally their own sacrifices. In the solemnity of the covenant made by the Lord with his people, at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the office of mediator, and young men were chosen from among Israel to perform the office of priests, Ex 24:5. But after the Lord had chosen the tribe of Levi to…

and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
מוֹרֶ֖הmo.Reh [who] teaches H3384 Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
80× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To show or teach something, like pointing it out or shooting an arrow. It is used in Psalms and Proverbs to describe instructing or directing others.
Amplified meaning
teach, guide
Tyndale gloss
to shoot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרָא (*yarah*) encompasses meanings related to shooting, pouring, and throwing. It can refer to actions like shooting arrows or casting water, as well as figurative uses such as teaching or directing. The entries indicate that it has both a literal and a figurative range, with roots in the idea of flowing or pointing out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָרָא] vb. shoot, pour

Qal shoot with arrows

Hiph. and they shot at; Pt. pl. the shooters, archers

Hoph. he that watereth shall himself also be watered

base

יָרָה vb. throw, shoot

Qal

throw, cast

cast (= lay, set), corner-stone; pillar

shoot arrows

throw water, rain

Niph. shot through (with arrows)

Hiph.

throw, cast

shoot (arrows)

throw water, rain

point out, shew

direct, teach, instruct

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3384a יָרָא shoot, pour H3384b יָרָה throw, shoot .. throw, cast

. cast (= lay, set), corner-stone; pillar

. shoot arrows

. throw water, rain

. shot through (with arrows)

. . throw, cast

. shoot (arrows)

. throw water, rain

. point out, shew

. direct, teach, instruct

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3384 yarah yaw-raw'

or (2 Chr. 26:15) yara; {yaw-raw'}; a primitive root;

properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to

lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot);

figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to

teach:--(+) archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew,

shoot, teach(-er,-ing), through.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרָא (ya.ra) — to shoot.

1) to shoot, pour

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to shoot arrows

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to shoot at

1b2) part. shooter, archer

1c) to throw water, rain

יָרָה (ya.rah) — to show.

1) to point out, show

1b) to direct, teach, instruct

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular
HVhrmsa
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
וּלְלֹ֥אu.le.Lo' and to not H3808 Conjunction · preposition · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
lacking, absent
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | Part — Conjunction · preposition · particle
HC/R/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and days many [belonged] to Israel to not [the] God of truth and to not a priest [who] teaches and to not [the] law
תוֹרָֽה׃to.Rah [the] law H8451 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
219× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for instruction or law, referring to the Ten Commandments or the first five books of the Bible, guiding human behavior and moral code.
Amplified meaning
instruction, divine guidance
Tyndale gloss
instruction
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law

instruction

law (prop. direction)

custom, manner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction

. law (prop. direction)

. custom, manner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8451 towrah to-raw'

or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,

especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.

see HEBREW for 03384

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.

1) law, direction, instruction

1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)

1a1) body of prophetic teaching

1a2) instruction in Messianic age

1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction

1a4) body of legal directives

1b) law

1b1) law of the burnt offering

1b2) of special law, codes of law

1c) custom, manner

1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Law

A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.

(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.

(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized authority; but when the word is used with the article, and without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way; the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word, however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos , when used by him with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses; but when used without the article, so as to embrace any manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, signifies sometimes the whole word of God, Ps 19:7-11 119:1-176 Isa 8:20; sometimes the Old Testament, Joh 10:34 15:25, and sometimes the five books of Moses, which formed the first of the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures, Lu 24:44 Ac 13:15. The Pentateuch was probably "the law," a copy of which every king was to transcribe for himself and study, and which was to be made known to young and old, in public and in private, De 6:7 17:18,19 31:9-19,26. In other places the Mosaic institutions as a whole are intend by "the law," in distinction from the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 19:7-9; 119:1-8; Pr 28:4,5; Mt 22:21; Lu 16:17; 20:22-25; Ro 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 13:10; 1Ti 1:5,8-10; Jas 1:25; 1Jo 3:4; 5:3

→ See LITIGATION

→ See COMMANDMENTS

→ See DUTY TO GOD

→ OF MOSES

→ (Contained in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

Given at Sinai Ex 19; De 1:1; 4:10-13; 33:2; Hab 3:3

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate