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2 Chronicles 19:5 — Word Study

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WLCוַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים בָּאָ֗רֶץ בְּכָל־ עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת לְעִ֥יר וָעִֽיר׃

BSAHe appointedʻâmad [established, set in place] judgesshâphaṭ [to govern, vindicate] in the landʼerets [country, territory] in each ofkôl the fortifiedbâtsar [strong, walled] citiesʻîyr [towns, settlements] of JudahYᵉhûwdâh [the region of Judah, the tribe]

Word
Listen & take away2 Chronicles 19
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 (va.'Ir) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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2 Chronicles 19:5quick helps
In a sentenceJehoshaphat appointed judges to govern in Judah's fortified cities.
Who is speakingJehoshaphat, the king of Judah.
Where we areThe context is Jehoshaphat's reforms to ensure justice in his kingdom.
The hard wordשֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים
Take awayJudges were established to uphold justice in the land.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעָמַד 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 19:5

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 — Judicial Reforms of Jehoshaphatgenerated

4Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
5He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
6Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
7And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

2 Chronicles 19:5 describes how King Jehoshaphat took steps to appoint judges throughout the land of Judah to ensure that justice was administered fairly. This reform was part of his broader efforts to turn the people back to the LORD and establish righteous governance, as seen in the surrounding verses where he encourages the judges to act with integrity and fear of God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Chronicles 19:8Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites, priests, and heads of the Israelite families to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem.
2Deuteronomy 16:18–20You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
3Romans 13:1–5Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
41 Peter 2:13–14Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,2 Chronicles 19:8 Deuteronomy 16:18–20 Romans 13:1–5 1 Peter 2:13–14

The Key Word שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים, sho.fe.Timgenerated

The word שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים (sho.fe.Tim) is a masculine plural form derived from the verb שָׁפַט (shaphat), which means 'to judge' or 'to govern.' This term encompasses various aspects of judgment, including legal decisions and the execution of justice.

In this verse, it signifies the appointed officials responsible for maintaining order and fairness in the cities of Judah. The participial form indicates that these judges are actively engaged in the role of governance and oversight.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term judges consistently with the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is וַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד (vai.ya.'a.Med), meaning 'and he appointed,' which governs the object שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים (sho.fe.Tim). The structure includes a series of prepositional phrases that provide context for where these judges were appointed.

The sentence is organized to emphasize the action of appointing judges in a specific location, with the phrase 'in the land' preceding the description of the fortified cities, highlighting the geographical scope of Jehoshaphat's judicial reforms.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד as κατέστησεν (katestēsen), which means 'he established.' This choice emphasizes the formal act of setting up judges, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning of appointing.

This translation indicates a similar understanding of the role of judges in maintaining order, reflecting the importance of their establishment in the governance of Judah.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Chronicles 19:5 tells us that King Jehoshaphat appointed judges in the land of Judah to ensure justice in each fortified city. This action was part of his efforts to lead the people back to the LORD, emphasizing the importance of fair governance.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Jehoshaphat appoint judges?

Jehoshaphat appointed judges to ensure justice and righteousness in the land, as part of his reforms to turn the people back to the LORD.

What is the significance of judges in ancient Israel?

Judges played a crucial role in maintaining order and administering justice, reflecting God's desire for fairness and righteousness among His people.

How did Jehoshaphat's reforms impact the people of Judah?

His reforms aimed to establish a system of justice that would lead the people to live in accordance with God's laws, promoting a society based on integrity and accountability.

What can we learn from Jehoshaphat's appointment of judges?

We can learn the importance of having just and fair leaders who uphold the law and serve the community with integrity, reflecting God's character in governance.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think are essential for a judge or leader in your community?
  2. How can you encourage fairness and justice in your own environment?
  3. In what ways can you support leaders who seek to uphold integrity in their roles?
  4. How does Jehoshaphat's example inspire you to take action in your own community?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 19:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,.... Inferior judges in lesser courts of judicature than that at Jerusalem, and that in every city, that judgment

Read John Gill on 2 Chronicles 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, He set judges in the land. There had been judicial courts established at an early period.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

In every city, for itself and the country adjacent, that justice might be administered with the most ease and convenience to the people, and they might not all be forced to go up to Jerusalem.

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Chronicles 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Chronicles 19:5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,Ver. 5. And he set judges in the land.] Judges they had before; but some of them, haply, fell in the late war with the Syrians, or were otherwise wanting to their places and duties. It is a mercy to have judges, modo audeant quae sentiunt, saith the orator, so they be as they should be. Throughout all the fenced cities.] Lest soldiers should abuse their power unto violence and wrong, as they are apt to do. Cic., pro Milone.

Read John Trapp on 2 Chronicles 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) And he set.—Appointed, or stationed.The fenced cities.—As being the chief centres of each district. City by city.—For every city, according to the Law, Deuteronomy 16:18, “in all thy gates.” (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:4; 1 Chronicles 26:29.) The judges would be Levites, and probably also priests and family chiefs, as in the case of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 19:8).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. and he set judges] Cp. 2 Chronicles 19:11 “also the Levites shall be officers”; and Deuteronomy 16:18 “judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates.” In the earliest days justice was administered in Israel, as among the Bedouin of to-day, probably by all heads of families and (in difficult cases) by the one head who was distinguished above the rest for impartiality and for knowledge of tribal custom. In later days when Israel was settled in Canaan the “elders of the cities” and the “elders of the priests” exercised the same functions. Jehoshaphat’s measures were twofold, (1) to establish judges throughout the cities of Judah, (2) to establish (in accordance with Deuteronomy…

Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What exact change Jehoshaphat made in the judicial system of Judah Deuteronomy 16:18; 1 Chronicles 23:4, it is impossible to determine.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Chronicles 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5. Set judges in the land… city by city — Appointed local magistrates in all the principal cities to attend to the administration of justice, according to the directions of the law. Deuteronomy 16:18-20.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Chronicles 19 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And hee set iudges in the lande throughout all the strong cities of Iudah, citie by citie,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he set judges in the land throughout the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he establisheth judges in the land, in all the fenced cities of Judah, for every city,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he establishes judges in the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, for every city,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, in city by city.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He placed judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Juda, in every place.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He appointed judges throughout the country, in all of the fortified towns of Judah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he put judges through all the land, in every walled town of Judah,

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּעֲמֵ֨דhe.appointedobjectשֹֽׁפְטִ֜יםjudgesprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָּinnoun phrasetheאָ֗רֶץlandprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseכָלallnoun phrasenoun phraseעָרֵ֧יthe.citiesיְהוּדָ֛הof.Judahadjective phraseהַ(the)בְּצֻר֖וֹתfortifiedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseעִ֥ירa.cityוָandעִֽירa.city

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the content of 2 Chronicles 19:5. Eight of the nine words match, indicating a consistent transmission of the text across these ancient witnesses.

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

וַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים בָּאָ֗רֶץ בְּכָל־ עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת לְעִ֥יר וָעִֽיר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּעֲמֵ֨דκατέστησενשֹֽׁפְטִ֜יםκριτὰςבְּכָל־πάσαιςעָרֵ֧יπόλεσινיְהוּדָ֛הιουδαהַבְּצֻר֖וֹתὀξυραῖςלְעִ֥ירπόλειוָעִֽיר׃πόλει

8 of the 9 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 19:5עָמַדand he appoand he appointeעָמַדשָׁפַטjudgesjudgesשָׁפַטאֶ֫רֶץin the landin the landאֶ֫רֶץכֹּלin allin allכֹּלעִיר[the] citie[the] cities ofעִיריְהוּדָהJudahJudahיְהוּדָהבָּצַרfortifiedfortifiedבָּצַרעִירfor a cityfor a cityעִירעִירand a cityand a cityעִירעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַליָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהבָּצִירvintagevintageבָּצִירמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁלָכַדto captureto captureלָכַדאֵ֫צֶלbesidebesideאֵ֫צֶלעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָןשֹׁטֵרofficialofficialשֹׁטֵרצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּZedekiahZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּבֵּיתBethlehemBethlehemבֵּיתגַּלheapheapגַּלגָּבֹהַּhighhighגָּבֹהַּ
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 19:5

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 he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
וַיַּעֲמֵ֨דvai.ya.'a.Med and he appointed H5975 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
521× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means 'to stand' in a strong sense, like in Exodus 17:12 where Moses stood with his arms up to help Israel win a battle.
Amplified meaning
established, set in place
Tyndale gloss
to stand: stand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָמַד (amad) means to stand and encompasses a variety of related actions such as remaining, enduring, and taking a stand. It can refer to both literal and figurative stances, including presenting oneself or being appointed. The word appears in various contexts, including standing still, ceasing movement, and even serving. There are different forms of the verb, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, each with specific nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָמַד 620 take one's stand, stand

Qal 435

take one's stand, and (esp. pt.) stand, be in a standing attitude

stand forth

take a stand against, in opposition to

present oneself before

attend upon, be(come) servant of

stand afar

stand (silent)

stand (appealingly)

stand, subj. רֶגֶל

stand, of water

stand still, stop, cease moving

= be inactive

= be attentive

stop, cease doing a thing

tarry, delay

remain

continue, abide

endure

be steadfast

persist

make a stand, hold one's ground

stand upright

arise, appear, come on the scene

stand forth, appear = come into being

rise up as foe

rare usages

Hiph.

83station, set

cause to stand firm

cause to stand up, set up, erect

present one before king

appoint

other meanings

Hoph. be presented

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5975 עָמַד take one's stand, stand .. . take one's stand, and (esp. pt.) stand, be in a standing attitude

. stand forth

. take a stand against, in opposition to

. present oneself before

. attend upon, be(come) servant of

. stand afar

. stand (silent)

. stand (appealingly)

. stand, subj. רֶגֶל

. stand, of water

. . stand still, stop, cease moving

. = be inactive

. = be attentive

. stop, cease doing a thing

. . tarry, delay

. remain

. continue, abide

. endure

. be steadfast

. persist

. make a stand, hold one's ground

. stand upright

. . arise, appear, come on the scene

. stand forth, appear = come into being

. rise up as foe

. rare usages

. . station, set

. cause to stand firm

. cause to stand up, set up, erect

. present one before king

. appoint

. other meanings

. be presented

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5975 `amad aw-mad'

a primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal and

figurative, intransitive and transitive):--abide (behind),

appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed,

endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be)

present (self), raise up, remain, repair, + serve, set (forth,

over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-)stand (by,

fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָמַד (a.mad) — to stand: stand.

: stand/stop/establish

1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of

1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease

1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast

1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground

1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright

1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against

1a7) to stand with, take one's stand, be appointed, grow flat, grow insipid

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to station, set

1b2) to cause to stand firm, maintain

1b3) to cause to stand up, cause to set up, erect

1b4) to present (one) before (king)

1b5) to appoint, ordain, establish

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
שֹֽׁפְטִ֜יםsho.fe.Tim judges H8199 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To shaphat means to judge or govern, and can also mean to vindicate or punish. In the Bible, this term is often used to describe God's role as a judge, as well as human judges and rulers.
Amplified meaning
to govern, vindicate
Tyndale gloss
to judge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפַט (shaphat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to judge or govern. It encompasses a range of actions including pronouncing sentences, executing judgments, and deciding controversies in various contexts such as civil and religious matters. The word can also imply being judged or entering into legal disputes. There is a specific mention of its use in the context of final judgment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפַט 185 vb. judge, govern

Qal

act as law-giver, judge, governor

specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

execute judgment

Niph.

recipr., enter into controversy, plead

pass. be judged

Pô‛el = my opponent-at-law

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8199 שָׁפַט judge, govern .. act as law-giver, judge, governor

. specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

. execute judgment

. . recipr., enter into controversy, plead

. pass. be judged

.= my opponent-at-law

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8199 shaphat shaw-fat'

a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or

against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by

extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or

figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend,

execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead,

reason, rule.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפַט (sha.phat) — to judge.

1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)

1a1a) to rule, govern, judge

1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man)

1a3) to execute judgment

1a3a) discriminating (of man)

1a3b) vindicating

1a3c) condemning and punishing

1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together

1b2) to be judged

1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors; not supreme magistrates, succeeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua. Their power only extended over portions of the country, and some of them were contemporaneous. Their first work was that of deliverers and leaders in war; they then administered justice to the people, and their authority supplied the want of a regular government. Even while the administration of Samuel gave something like a settled government to the south, there was scope for the irregular exploits of Samson on the borders of the Philistines; and Samuel at last established his authority as judge and prophet, but still as the servant of Jehovah, only to see it so abused by his sons as to exhaust the patience of the people, who at length demanded a king , after the pattern of the surrounding nations. The…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Hebrew Shophetim, were the rulers, chiefs, or leaders of Israel, from Joshua to Saul. They were very different from the ordinary administrators of justice among the Hebrews, respecting whom, see JUSTICE. The Carthaginians, a colony of the Tyrians, had likewise governors, whom they called Suffetes, or Sophetim, with authority almost equal to that of kings.

The dignity of judge was for life; but the succession was not always constant. There were anarchies, or intervals, during which the commonwealth was without rulers. There were likewise long intervals of foreign servitude and oppression, under which the Hebrews groaned without deliverers. Although God alone regularly appointed the judges, yet the people, on some occasions, chose that individual who appeared to them most proper to deliver them from oppression; and as it often happened that the oppressions which occasioned recourse to…

and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
בָּאָ֗רֶץba.'A.retz in the land H776 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
country, territory
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

((1) 'erets;

(2) 'adhamah;

(3) sadheh,

"a piece of land";

(4) ge, "earth";

(5) agros, "field";

(6) chora, "region";

(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;

(8) xeros, "dry land";

(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):

'Erets occurs hundreds of times and is used in much the same way as 'adhamah, which also occurs often: e.g. "land of Egypt," 'erets mitsrayim (Ge 13:10), and 'adhmath mitsrayim (Ge 47:20). The other words occur less often, and are used in the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9

→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23

→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8

→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18

and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
בְּכָל־be.khol in all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
עָרֵ֧י'a.Rei [the] cities of H5892 Noun common · masculine plural construct
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
towns, settlements
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

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

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

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

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

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — 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 he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
יְהוּדָ֛הye.hu.Dah Judah H3063 Noun proper
820× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
the region of Judah, the tribe
Tyndale gloss
(Baalah of)Judah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah

n.pr.m.

son of Jacob and Leah

tribe descended from Judah

nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel

Levite, Ezra’s time

an overseer of Jerus.

Levite musician

priest

n.pr.terr. land of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'

from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five

Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of

its territory:--Judah.

see HEBREW for 03034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);

father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

§ Judah = "praised"

1) the son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob

3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon

5) a Levite in Ezra's time

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

Judah

Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).

It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).

Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

the praise of the Lord; confession

and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
הַבְּצֻר֖וֹתha.be.tzu.Rot fortified H1219 Particle
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to gather or fortify, often used to describe harvesting grapes or building strong walls. It appears in the Bible to describe the gathering of crops, such as in the book of Isaiah. It can also mean to restrain or make something inaccessible.
Amplified meaning
strong, walled
Tyndale gloss
to gather/restrain/fortify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּצַר (batsar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off or make inaccessible, often through fortification. It can refer to gathering grapes, as well as to restraining or enclosing something. The word encompasses various forms, including being withheld or fortified, and is associated with secrets or inaccessible things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּצַר] vb. cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose

Qal cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

Niph. be withheld

Pi. fortify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1219 [בָּצַר] cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose .cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

. be withheld

. fortify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1219 batsar baw-tsar'

a primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative

from 1210) to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e.

inaccessible by height or fortification):--cut off,

(de-)fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things,

restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold.

see HEBREW for 01210

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּצַר (ba.tsar) — to gather/restrain/fortify.

1) to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut off

1a2) fortified, cut off, made inaccessible (pass participle)

1a3) secrets, mysteries, inaccessible things (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be withheld

1c) (Piel) to fortify

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aafpa
and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
לְעִ֥ירle.'Ir for a city H5892 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

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

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

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

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

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

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

and he appointed judges in the land in all [the] cities of Judah fortified for a city and a city
וָעִֽיר׃va.'Ir and a city H5892 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

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

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

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

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

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

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

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

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

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

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncfsa — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

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

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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