Menu

2 Chronicles 16:5 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ בַּעְשָׁ֔א וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל מִבְּנ֖וֹת אֶת־ הָרָמָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֖ת אֶת־ מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ ס

BSAWhen BaashaBaʻshâʼ [the king of Israel] learned of thisshâmaʻ [heard the news, was informed] he stoppedchâdal [ceased, came to an end] fortifyingbânâh [building, establishing] RamahRâmâh [a city in Palestine, a place of battle] and abandonedshâbath [let cease, gave up] his workmᵉlâʼkâh [his occupation, labor]

Word
Listen & take away2 Chronicles 16
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (me.lakh.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Chronicles 16:5quick helps
In a sentenceBaasha, upon hearing news, stopped his work on Ramah.
Who is speakingThe narrative describes actions taken by Baasha, the king of Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of a larger account detailing the conflict between Israel and Judah.
The hard wordבַּעְשָׁא
Take awayBaasha ceases his fortifications and gives up his labor.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectבַּעְשָׁא verbהָיָה 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 16:5

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 Conflict Between Israel and Judahgenerated

4And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work.
6Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.
7At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

2 Chronicles 16:5 recounts how Baasha, upon learning of King Asa's actions, halted his efforts to fortify Ramah. This moment is significant in the ongoing tension between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, illustrating the political maneuvers of the time. The surrounding verses provide context for the conflict and the strategic decisions made by both kings in their attempts to gain the upper hand.


Cross References


The Key Word בַּעְשָׁא, Ba'.Sha'generated

The name בַּעְשָׁא (Ba`sha') refers to a historical figure, the king of Israel who established a dynasty after assassinating King Nadab. His reign is noted for significant military actions and conflicts with Judah.

Baasha's actions are pivotal in the narrative, as they reflect the political climate of the divided monarchy. The name itself, derived from a root meaning 'to stink', may carry connotations of his legacy and the nature of his rule.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase stopped fortifying and abandoned his work.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל, and he ceased, which governs the actions that follow. The sentence structure is straightforward, with a series of clauses detailing Baasha's actions in response to the news he received.

The order of the verbs emphasizes Baasha's immediate reaction to the news, showing a clear sequence of events: first learning, then ceasing to fortify, and finally abandoning his work.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל as κατέπαυσεν, which means 'he caused to cease'. This choice highlights the active role Baasha took in stopping his fortifications, rather than simply letting them stop.

This translation choice reflects a nuance in the Hebrew that emphasizes Baasha's deliberate action in response to the news, rather than a passive cessation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Chronicles 16:5 tells us that when Baasha learned about King Asa's actions, he stopped building up Ramah and gave up his work. This reflects the ongoing conflict between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, showing how political news could change military strategies.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Baasha's action of stopping fortifications signify?

Baasha's decision to cease fortifying Ramah indicates a strategic retreat in response to the changing political landscape and threats from Judah.

Why did Baasha abandon his work?

Baasha abandoned his work likely due to the realization that continuing would be futile in light of Asa's military maneuvers.

What can we learn from the conflict between Baasha and Asa?

The conflict illustrates the complexities of leadership and decision-making in times of political strife, as well as the impact of information on military actions.

How does this verse connect to the broader narrative of the divided kingdom?

This verse is part of a larger narrative that highlights the tensions and conflicts between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah during the divided monarchy.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways that political decisions can influence military actions in today's world?
  2. How can we apply the lessons from Baasha's response to our own decision-making processes?
  3. In what ways do we see the impact of news and information on leadership in our current context?
  4. How can understanding historical conflicts deepen our perspective on modern-day issues?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 16:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 16 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Chronicles 16:3 [There is] a league between me and thee, as [there was] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Ver. 3-6. See on 1 Kings 15:19-21, &c.

Read John Trapp on 2 Chronicles 16 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) And it came to pass.—See 1 Kings 15:21. And let his work cease.—Vay-yashbêth ’ethmelakhtô. Kings: “vay-yêsheb bëthirzah, “and dwelt in Tirzah.” The partial similarity of the Heb. is obvious. Kings appears to be correct, and the tautologous reading of the chronicler is to be ascribed to a fault in the writer’s MS.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. and let his work cease] In 1 Kin. and dwelt in Tirzah (Heb.), and returned to Tirzah (LXX.). Baasha (like Jeroboam; 1 Kings 14:17) fixed his seat of government at Tirzah in the centre of the Northern Kingdom in order to be able to watch Syria as well as Judah. The Chronicler takes no interest in the home of Baasha.

Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 16 →

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

When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work.

NETBNew English Translation2006

When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned the project.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it , that he left off the building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And when Baasha heard it, he left building of Ramah, and let his worke cease.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it came to pass when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And it cometh to pass, at Baasha's hearing, that he ceaseth from building Ramah, and letteth his work rest;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And it comes to pass, at Baasha’s hearing, that he ceases from building Ramah, and lets his work rest;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it came to pass, when Ba'sha heard this, that he left off the building of Ramah, and stopped his work.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

It came about that when Baasha heard this, he stopped building up Ramah, and let his work cease.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

When Baasha heard about it, he stopped fortifying Ramah and gave up his project.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then Baasha, hearing of it, put a stop to the building of Ramah, and let his work come to an end.

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.

וַandclauseverbיְהִי֙it.wasprepositional phrase · prepositionalכִּjustclauseverbשְׁמֹ֣עַas.heardsubjectבַּעְשָׁ֔אBaashaוַandclauseverbיֶּחְדַּ֕לhe.ceasedprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromclauseverbבְּנ֖וֹתbuildingnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהָ(the)רָמָ֑הRamahוַandclauseverbיַּשְׁבֵּ֖תhe.caused.to.ceasenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseמְלַאכְתּֽworkוֹhis

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for 2 Chronicles 16:5. However, the Septuagint's word order and articles differ, indicating a distinct interpretive approach while maintaining the core narrative.

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

וַיְהִי֙ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ בַּעְשָׁ֔א וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל מִבְּנ֖וֹת אֶת־ הָרָמָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֖ת אֶת־ מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְהִי֙ἐγένετοכִּשְׁמֹ֣עַἀκοῦσαιבַּעְשָׁ֔אβαασαוַיֶּחְדַּ֕לἀπέλιπενהָרָמָ֑הραμαוַיַּשְׁבֵּ֖תκατέπαυσενמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ סαὐτοῦ

7 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Chronicles 16:5הָיָהand it wasand it wasהָיָהשָׁמַעwhen heardwhen heardשָׁמַעבַּעְשָׁאBaashaBaashaבַּעְשָׁאחָדַלand he ceasand he ceasedחָדַלבָּנָהfrom buildifrom buildingבָּנָהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתרָמָהRamahRamahרָמָהשָׁבַתand he causand he caused tשָׁבַתאֵתthe object the object markאֵתמְלָאכָהwork hiswork hisמְלָאכָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָארָמָהhigh placehigh placeרָמָהמַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹלקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁבאֲחִיָּ֫הוּAhijahAhijahאֲחִיָּ֫הוּאָסָאAsaAsaאָסָאגִּלְעָד(Mount) Gi(Mount) GileadגִּלְעָדחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהמִזְבֵּחַaltaraltarמִזְבֵּחַנויתNaiothNaiothנויתגֶּ֫בַעGebaGebaגֶּ֫בַעמָשׂוֹשׂrejoicingrejoicingמָשׂוֹשׂגָּאוֹןprideprideגָּאוֹןעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשָׁבַתto ceaseto ceaseשָׁבַת
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 16:5

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 it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
וַיְהִי֙vay.Hi and it was H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
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
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַkish.Mo.a' when heard H8085 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Amplified meaning
heard the news, was informed
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
בַּעְשָׁ֔אba'.Sha' Baasha H1201 Noun proper masculine
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Baasha was a king of Israel, mentioned in 1 Kings 15:16, who killed King Nadab and founded the second dynasty of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Baasha
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעְשָׁא (Ba`sha') refers to Baasha, a king of Israel during the Divided Monarchy. The name is derived from an unused root meaning 'to stink' or 'offensiveness.' Baasha is noted for being the third king of the northern kingdom of Israel and the founder of its second dynasty, having killed the previous king, Nadab.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּעְשָׁא n.pr.m. a king of Israel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1201 בַּעְשָׁא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1201 Ba`sha' bah-shaw'

from an unused root meaning to stink; offensiveness; Basha, a

king of Israel:--Baasha.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעְשָׁא (ba.sah) — Baasha.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.15.16;

son of: Ahijah (H0281I);

father of: Elah (H0425H)

§ Baasha = "wicked"

third king of the northern kingdom of Israel and the founder of its second dynasty having killed the second king, Nadab

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

ba'-a-sha ba`sha', ("boldness"): King of Israel. Baasha, son of Ahijah, and of common birth (1Ki 16:2), usurped the throne of Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, killed Nadab and exterminated the house of Jeroboam. He carried on a long warfare with Asa, the king of Judah (compare Jer 41:9), began to build Ramah, but was prevented from completing this work by Ben- hadad, the king of Syria. He is told by the prophet Jehu that because of his sinful reign the fate of his house would be like that of Jeroboam. Baasha reigned 24 years. His son Elah who succeeded him and all the members of his family were murdered by the usurper Zimri (1Ki 15:16 ff; 16:1 ff; 2Ch 16:1 ff). The fate of his…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Baasha

Bravery, the third king of the separate kingdom of Israel, and founder of its second dynasty (1 Kings 15; 16; 2 Chr. 16:1-6). He was the son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar. The city of Tirzah he made the capital of his kingdom, and there he was buried, after an eventful reign of twenty-four years (1 Kings 15:33). On account of his idolatries his family was exterminated, according to the word of the prophet Jehu (1 Kings 16:3, 4, 10-13).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(wicked), B.C. 953-931, third sovereign of the separate kingdom of Israel, and the founder of its second dynasty. He was son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar and conspired against King Nadab, (1 Kings 15:27) and killed him with his whole family. He appears to have been of humble origin. (1 Kings 16:2) It was probably in the 13th year of his reign that he made war on Asa, and began to fortify Ramah. He was defeated by the unexpected alliance of Asa with Ben-hadad I. of Damascus. Baasha died in the 24th year of his reign, and was buried in Tirzah, (Solomon 6:4) which he had made his capital. (1 Kings 16:6; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of Ahijah, and commander of the armies of Nadab, king of Israel. He killed his master treacherously at the siege of Gibbethon, and usurped the kingdom, B.C. 953, which he possessed twenty-three years. He exterminated the whole race of Jeroboam, as had been predicted, 1Ki 14:7-14; but by his bad conduct and idolatry incurred God’s indignation,

1Ki 15:1-16:7,12. God sent him a warning by the mouth of Jebu the prophet; which was fulfilled in the extermination of his family two years after his own death.

and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
וַיֶּחְדַּ֕לvai.yech.Dal and he ceased H2308 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To cease means to stop or end something, like when God told the Israelites to cease work on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. It can also mean to be idle or lacking. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a change in action or behavior.
Amplified meaning
ceased, came to an end
Tyndale gloss
to cease
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָדַל (chadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or come to an end. It conveys the idea of stopping, leaving off, or forgoing something. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including the Qal stem, which indicates simple action. There is a specific note in the Hophil form suggesting a passive sense of being made to leave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָדַל vb. cease

Qal

cease, come to an end

cease, leave off

Hoph. should I be made to leave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2308 חָדַל cease .. cease, come to an end

. cease, leave off

. should I be made to leave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2308 chadal khaw-dal'

a primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by

implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or

idle:--cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let

alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָדַל (cha.dal) — to cease.

1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cease, come to an end

1a2) to cease, leave off

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
מִבְּנ֖וֹתmi.be.Not from building H1129 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
376× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
building, establishing
Tyndale gloss
to build
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּנָה 373 vb. build

Qal build

Niph.

be built

be rebuilt

(fig.) of restored exiles, = established

established, made permanent

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1129 בָּנָה build .build

.. . be built

. be rebuilt

. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established

. established, made permanent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1129 banah baw-naw'

a primitive root; to build (literally and

figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,

repair, set (up), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.

1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to build, rebuild

1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be built

1b2) to be rebuilt

1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)

1b4) established (made permanent)

1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Building

Among the Jews was suited to the climate and conditions of the country. They probably adopted the kind of architecture for their dwellings which they found already existing when they entered Canaan (Deut. 6:10; Num. 13:19). Phoenician artists (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6, 18) assisted at the erection of the royal palace and the temple at Jerusalem. Foreigners also assisted at the restoration of the temple after the Exile (Ezra 3:7).

In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar were founded by…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ FIGURATIVE 2Co 5:1

and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
הָרָמָ֑הha.ra.Mah Ramah H7414 Particle · noun proper
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ramah, a city in Palestine, was a place of battle between Israel and Syria.
Amplified meaning
a city in Palestine, a place of battle
Tyndale gloss
Ramah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָמָה (Ramah) means 'the Height' or 'hill' and refers to several locations in ancient Palestine, including a fortified city in Naphtali and a town in Benjamin near Gibeah. It is associated with the Benjamites after their return from captivity and is mentioned in the context of battles, such as between Israel and Syria. The lexicons note various geographical references but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָמָה n.pr.loc. the Height, Rama

in Benj., on border of Ephr.

in hill-country of Ephr. (= 1 ?), home of Samuel

in Asher

in Naphtali

2 K 8:29

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7414 רָמָה the Height, Rama

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7414 Ramah raw-maw'

the same as 7413; Ramah, the name of four places in

Palestine:--Ramah.

see HEBREW for 07413

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a place rehabited by the Benjamites after the return from captivity

Also named: Rhama (Ῥαμᾶ "Ramah" G4471)

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

§ Ramah = "hill"

landmark on the boundary of Asher, apparently between Tyre and Zidon

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

§ Ramah = "hill"

a fortified city in Naphtali

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah

Another name of mits.pah (מִצְפָּה "Mizpah" H4709G)

רָמָה (ra.mah) — Ramah.

Ramah = "hill"

a place of battle between Israel and Syria

Another name of ra.mot gi.l.ad (רָמֹת "Ramoth" H7433)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun proper
HTd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ra'-ma (ha-ramah, without the definite article only in Ne 11:33; Jer 31:15): The name denotes height, from root rum, "to be high," and the towns to which it applied seem all to have stood on elevated sites.

(1) Codex Vaticanus Arael; Codex Alexandrinus Rhama: A fenced city in the lot assigned to Naphtali (Jos 19:36). Only in this passage is the place referred to. It is probably identical with the modern er-Rameh, a large Christian village on the highway from Cafed to the coast, about 8 miles West-Southwest of that city. To the North rises the mountain range which forms the southern boundary of Upper Galilee. In the valley to the South there is much rich land cultivated by the villagers. The olives grown here are very fine…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a hill). This is the name of several places in the holy land. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:25) Its site is at er-Ram , about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. (Judges 4:5; 19:13; 1 Samuel 22:6) Its people returned after the captivity. (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30) The home of Elkanah, Samuel’s father, (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11) the birthplace of Samuel himself, his home and official residence, the site of his altar ch. (1 Samuel 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18) and finally his…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Plural RAMOTH, an eminence; and hence many places in Palestine are named Ramah, Ramath, Ramath, Ramathaim, etc. Sometimes the same place is called by one or other of these names indiscriminately, all signifying the same, 2Ki 8:28,29. Sometimes Rama, Or Ramoth, is joined to another name, to determine the place of such city or eminence; and it is sometimes put simply for a high place, and signifies neither city nor village.

1. The principal Ramah was a city of Benjamin, near Gibeah, towards the mountains of Ephraim, six miles from Jerusalem north, and on the road from Samaria to Jerusalem, Jos 18:25 Jud 19:13 Ne 11:33. It was near the border line between Judah and Israel…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

same as Ram

and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֖תvai.yash.Bet and he caused to cease H7673 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
71× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep the Sabbath means to rest and stop working, as commanded by God in the book of Exodus. This Hebrew word is used to describe the act of observing the Sabbath day, and is an important part of Jewish tradition and worship.
Amplified meaning
let cease, gave up
Tyndale gloss
to cease
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁבַת (shabath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or rest, often in the context of stopping work. It can also imply causing something to cease or fail, and is associated with observing the Sabbath. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, covering a range of meanings from simple cessation to destruction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁבַת 71 vb. cease, desist, rest

Qal 27

cease

desist from labour, rest

Niph. cease

Hiph.

40 cause to cease, put an end to

= exterminate, destroy

cause to desist from

remove

cause to fail, let be lacking

base

[שָׁבַת] vb. denom. keep, observe (sabbath)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7673a שָׁבַת cease, desist, rest .. cease

. desist from labour, rest

. cease

. . cause to cease, put an end to

. = exterminate, destroy

. cause to desist from

. remove

. cause to fail, let be lacking

H7673b שָׁבַת vb. denom. keep, observe (sabbath)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7673 shabath shaw-bath'

a primitive root; to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used

in many implied relations (causative, figurative or

specific):--(cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause

(make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave,

put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁבַת (sha.vat) — to cease.

1) to cease, desist, rest

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cease

1a2) to rest, desist (from labour)

1b) (Niphal) to cease

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to

1c2) to exterminate, destroy

1c3) to cause to desist from

1c4) to remove

1c5) to cause to fail

שָׁבַת (sha.vat) — to keep.

(Qal) to keep or observe the sabbath

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ses: A remarkable array of 20 Hebrew and 6 Greek words is so translated. In the King James Version 15 of the former and 3 of the latter are used only once with this rendering. The originals most frequently in use are chadhal, "to leave off"; shabhath "to rest from" (labor); pauomai, "to make to cease." Few words illustrate better the fertility of the Hebrew in expressing limitless shades of meaning, impoverished by the use of one English word. This extensive variety is, however, well expressed by "cease": i.e. stop, come to an end, e.g. ceasing of tears (Jer 14:17); work (Ezr 4:24); grinders (Ec 12:3); thunder (Ex 9:29); the wicked (

and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

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

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

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

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

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

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it was when heard Baasha and he ceased from building the object marker Ramah and he caused to cease the object marker work his
מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ סme.lakh.To work his H4399 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
167× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means work or employment, like a job or business, and is used to describe someone's occupation or the result of their labor, as seen in the Bible's description of various professions and industries.
Amplified meaning
his occupation, labor
Tyndale gloss
work
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְלָאכָה (mla'kah) refers to work or occupation, encompassing various aspects such as business, craftsmanship, and service. It can denote both the act of working and the products resulting from labor. The term also extends to public and political business. There is a slight variation in emphasis among lexicons, with some highlighting its non-servile nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְלָאכָה 167 n.f. occupation, work

occupation, business

property in which one is occupied

work as something done or made

workmanship

service, use

public business

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4399 מְלָאכָה occupation, work . occupation, business

. property in which one is occupied

. work as something done or made

. workmanship

. service, use

. public business

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4399 mla'kah mel-aw-kaw'

from the same as 4397; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry;

generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or

concretely); also property (as the result of

labor):--business, + cattle, + industrious, occupation,

(+ -pied), + officer, thing (made), use, (manner of)

work((-man), -manship).

see HEBREW for 04397

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְלָאכָה (me.la.khah) — work.

1) occupation, work, business

1a) occupation, business

1b) property

1c) work (something done or made)

1d) workmanship

1e) service, use

1f) public business

1f1) political

1f2) religious

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

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