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2 Chronicles 4:10 — Word Study

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WLCוְאֶת־ הַיָּ֗ם נָתַ֞ן מִכֶּ֧תֶף הַיְמָנִ֛ית קֵ֖דְמָה מִמּ֥וּל נֶֽגְבָּה׃

BSAHe putnâthan the Seayâm [a large body of water] on the southyᵉmânîy [Negeb, southern district] sidekâthêph at the southeast cornerqedem [right side, eastward, facing south, over against the south]

Word
Listen & take away2 Chronicles 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 10 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 (Neg.bah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Chronicles 4:10quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes where Solomon placed the Sea, indicating its location relative to the temple.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the actions of Solomon in the construction of the temple.
Where we areThis verse is part of the description of the temple's construction, detailing specific placements.
The hard wordהַיָּ֗ם
Take awayThe Sea is strategically placed, emphasizing its significance in the temple's layout.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbנָתַן 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 4:10

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 Construction of the Templegenerated

9He made the courtyard of the priests and the large court with its doors, and he overlaid the doors with bronze.
10He put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.
11Additionally, Huram made the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work that he had undertaken for King Solomon in the house of God:
12the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars; the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars;

2 Chronicles 4:10 describes how King Solomon organized the elements of the temple, specifically mentioning the placement of the Sea. This verse is part of a larger narrative detailing the construction and furnishing of the temple, which is significant in the history of Israel as a place of worship and sacrifice. The surrounding verses provide context about the overall structure and its components, illustrating the grandeur and importance of the temple in ancient Israelite society.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 7:39He set five stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north, and he put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.1 Kings 7:39

The Key Word הַיָּ֗ם, hai.Yamgenerated

The word יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to large bodies of water, such as the Mediterranean or the Red Sea. In this context, it specifically denotes the Sea that was made for the temple, highlighting its importance as a significant feature of the temple's design.

The parsing indicates that יָם is a masculine singular noun, emphasizing its role as a central object in the sentence. The use of the definite article suggests that this Sea is a known and important entity, specifically designed for the temple.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb נָתַ֞ן, he put, governs the entire clause, with several phrases detailing the action. The structure includes a noun phrase for the object, a prepositional phrase indicating location, and additional descriptors that provide context for the placement.

The order of the Hebrew words emphasizes the action of placing the Sea, followed by its specific location. This structure highlights the significance of both the Sea and its placement in relation to the temple.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הַיָּ֗ם as θάλασσαν (thalassan), which also means 'sea.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the significance of the large body of water in the temple's context.

The use of ἔθηκεν (ethēken) for נָתַ֞ן indicates a straightforward translation, emphasizing the act of placing or setting, which is consistent with the Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Chronicles 4:10 tells us that Solomon placed the Sea on the south side of the temple, specifically at the southeast corner. This placement is part of the detailed description of the temple's construction, showing the careful planning involved in its design.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the Sea represent in the temple?

The Sea symbolizes a large body of water used for purification rituals in the temple, reflecting the importance of water in the worship practices of ancient Israel.

Why is the placement of the Sea significant?

The placement of the Sea at the southeast corner indicates its accessibility for the priests and its role in the temple's sacrificial system, emphasizing the importance of ritual purity.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of the temple's construction?

This verse is part of a larger narrative that details the meticulous planning and execution of the temple's design, showcasing Solomon's dedication to creating a fitting place for worship.

What can we learn from Solomon's actions in this verse?

Solomon's actions demonstrate the importance of careful planning and attention to detail in fulfilling responsibilities, especially in matters of worship and service to God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does the placement of the Sea reflect the importance of water in worship?
  2. What can we learn from Solomon's attention to detail in the construction of the temple?
  3. In what ways does this verse illustrate the significance of the temple in ancient Israel?
  4. How can we apply the principles of careful planning and execution in our own lives?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 4:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Chronicles 4:10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.Ver. 10. And he set the sea.] See 1 Kings 7:39.

Read John Trapp on 2 Chronicles 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) And he set the sea . . .—Literally, And he set the sea on the right shoulder, eastward, in front of the southward; i.e., on the south-east side of the house (1 Kings 7:39, b.). The LXX. and some MSS. add “of the house,” which appears to have fallen out of the text.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. the sea] See 2 Chronicles 4:2-5. on the right side of the east end, over against the south] R.V. on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south; cp. 1 Kings 7:39. 11–18 (= 1 Kings 7:40-47). The Works of Huram This section is taken from the parallel passage of 1 Kings. The variations are few.

Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 4 →

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 put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.

NETBNew English Translation2006

He put “The Sea” on the south side, in the southeast corner.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And he set the Sea on the right side Eastward toward the South.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he set the sea on the right side eastward, over against the south.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the sea he hath placed on the right shoulder eastward, over-against the south.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he has placed the sea on the right shoulder eastward, from toward the south.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the sea he placed on the right side toward the east, opposite to the south.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He placed the basin known as “The Sea” on the east side of the temple, facing toward the south.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he set the sea on the right side over against the east toward the south.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He placed the Sea on the south side, by the southeast corner.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He put the great water-vessel on the right side of the house to the east, facing south.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheיָּ֗םseaverbנָתַ֞ןhe.putprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseכֶּ֧תֶףthe.sideadjective phraseהַof.(the)יְמָנִ֛יתrightadverb phrase · adverbialקֵ֖דְמָeastwardהatprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמִfromמּ֥וּלin.front.ofnoun phraseנֶֽגְבָּsouthה(to).[the]

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all eight words matching in their respective translations. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this text across these ancient witnesses.

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

וְאֶת־ הַיָּ֗ם נָתַ֞ן מִכֶּ֧תֶף הַיְמָנִ֛ית קֵ֖דְמָה מִמּ֥וּל נֶֽגְבָּה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֶת־καὶהַיָּ֗םθάλασσανנָתַ֞ןἔθηκενמִכֶּ֧תֶףγωνίαςהַיְמָנִ֛יתδεχιῶνקֵ֖דְמָהπρὸςמִמּ֥וּלἀνατολὰςנֶֽגְבָּה׃κατέναντι

8 of the 8 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 4:10אֵתand the objand the object אֵתיָםthe seathe seaיָםנָתַןhe puthe putנָתַןכָּתֵףfrom [the] from [the] sideכָּתֵףיְמָנִיsouthsouthיְמָנִיקֶ֫דֶםeast -wardeast -wardקֶ֫דֶםמוּלfrom in frofrom in front oמוּלנֶ֫גֶב[the] south[the] southנֶ֫גֶבאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיָמַןto go righto go rightיָמַןקָדַםto meetto meetקָדַםמוּלto circumcto circumciseמוּלפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁסוּףreedreedסוּףנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַעיְמָנִיrightrightיְמָנִימוּלoppositeoppositeמוּלבֹּ֫הֶןthumb/big thumb/big toeבֹּ֫הֶןתְּנוּךְlobelobeתְּנוּךְמִזְרָחeasteastמִזְרָחבֵּיתof Jordanof JordanבֵּיתכָּתֵףshouldershoulderכָּתֵףשְׁפֵלָהShephelahShephelahשְׁפֵלָהתֵּימָןsouthsouthתֵּימָן
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 4:10

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 the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
וְאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · 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
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
הַיָּ֗םhai.Yam the sea H3220 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
396× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to a large body of water like the Mediterranean Sea or a sea in general, sometimes specifically the west or seaward direction.
Amplified meaning
a large body of water
Tyndale gloss
(Mt. Ephron in the) West
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָם 390 n.m. sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3220 יָם sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3220 yam yawm

from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in

noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the

article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or

an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the

south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,

side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָם (yam) — sea.

: sea

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — sea: west.

: west

1) sea

1a) Mediterranean Sea

1b) Red Sea

1c) Dead Sea

1d) Sea of Galilee

1e) sea (general)

1f) mighty river (Nile)

1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)

1h) seaward, west, westward

יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.

This name means sea, seaward, westward

Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se (yam; thalassa; in Ac 27:5 pelagos): The Mediterranean is called ha-yam ha-gadhol, "the great sea" (Nu 34:6; Jos 1:4; Eze 47:10, etc.); ha-yam ha-'acharon, "the hinder," or "western sea" (De 11:24; 34:2; Joe 2:20; Zec 14:8); yam pelishtim, "the sea of the Philis" (Ex 23:31); the King James Version translates yam yapho' in Ezr 3:7 by "sea of Joppa," perhaps rightly.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The sea, yam , is used in Scripture to denote-- "The gathering of the waters," "the Ocean." (Genesis 1:2,10; 30:13) etc. Some portion of this, as the Mediterranean Sea, called the "hinder," the "western" and the "utmost" sea, (11:24; 34:2; Joel 2:20) "sea of the Philistines," (Exodus 23:31) "the great sea," (Numbers 36:6,7; Joshua 15:47) "the sea." Genesis49:13; Psal 80:11 Also frequently of the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:4) [RED SEA SEA] Inland lakes termed seas, as the Salt or Dead Sea. [See the special article] Any…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews give the name of sea to any large collection of water, Job 14:11; as to the lakes of Tiberias and Asphaltites, and also to the rivers Nile and Euphrates, Isa 11:15 18:2 21:1 Jer 51:36,42. The principal seas mentioned in Scripture are the following:

1. The GREAT SEA, the Mediterranean, called also the Hinder or Western Sea. Indeed, the Hebrew word for sea, meaning the Mediterranean, is often put for the west. The Great Sea is 2,200 miles long, and in the widest part 1,200 miles in width. In many places it is so deep as to give no soundings. It is little affected by tides, but is often agitated by violent winds. The prevailing direction of the wind in spring is from the southeast and southwest and from the northeast…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ge 1:9,10; Ps 95:5; 148:4,5

→ Lake Galilee calmed by Jesus Mt 8:24-26; Mr 4:37-39

→ Jesus walked upon Lake Galilee Mt 14:25-31

→ The Dead, to be given up by the, at the resurrection Re 20:13

→ SYMBOLICAL

In Daniel' s vision Da 7:2,3

In John' s apocalyptic vision Re 4:6; 8:8,9; 10:2,5,6,8; 13:1; 15:2; 16:3; 21:1

and the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
נָתַ֞ןna.Tan he put H5414 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

put (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):

1. Renderings:

In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Libyes" and "Libya"; the King James Version "Phut."

2. Son of Ham:

In the "Table of Nations" Put is the third son of Ham (Ge 10:6), the first and second being Cush and Misraim, and the fourth Canaan. Put is the only one of the sons of Ham who is not credited with descendants.

3. As Nationality:

In the Prophets, warriors from Put are referred to, principally in connection with the forces of Egypt. They appear as shield-bearers (Jer 46:9

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See PHUT

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
מִכֶּ֧תֶףmi.Ke.tef from [the] side of H3802 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
67× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for shoulder describes the upper end of the arm, where garments hang, and is used in Exodus 28:7 to describe the shoulder pieces of the ephod.
Tyndale gloss
shoulder
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּתֵף (katheph) means 'shoulder' and can refer to the shoulder-blade, side, or slope of a mountain. It is derived from a root meaning to clothe, indicating the shoulder as the place where garments hang. The term can also describe shoulder-pieces of animals and supports, as well as lateral projections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּתֵף n.f. shoulder, shoulder-blade, side

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3802 כָּתֵף shoulder, shoulder-blade, side

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3802 katheph kaw-thafe'

from an unused root meaning to clothe; the shoulder (proper,

i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the

garments hang); figuratively, side-piece or lateral projection

of anything:--arm, corner, shoulder(-piece), side,

undersetter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּתֵף (ka.teph) — shoulder.

1) shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope

1a) shoulder, shoulder-blade (of man)

1b) shoulder, shoulder-pieces (of animals)

1c) side, slope (of mountain)

1d) supports (of laver)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
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 the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
הַיְמָנִ֛יתhay.ma.Nit south H3233 Particle
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means right or right hand, and is also used to mean south, as in the southern direction, in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
Negeb, southern district
Tyndale gloss
right
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְמָנִי (ymaniy) primarily means 'right' or 'right hand.' It is derived from the root word for 'right' and can also refer to 'south' in some contexts. The entries indicate that the term is used in relation to direction, specifically the right side or hand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְמָנִי adj. right hand, right

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3233 יְמָנִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3233 ymaniy yem-aw-nee'

from 3231; right (i.e. at the right hand): -(on the) right

(hand).

see HEBREW for 03231

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְמָנִי (ye.ma.ni) — right.

: right

right, right hand

Also means: ye.ma.ni (יְמָנִי ": south" H3233H)

יְמָנִי (ye.ma.ni) — right: south.

: south

right, right hand

A sub-meaning of ye.ma.ni (יְמָנִי ": right" H3233)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aafsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

south:

(1) neghebh, according BDB from [?] naghabh, meaning "to be dry," the word most often used, in the Revised Version (British and American) capitalized (South) in those places where it seems to denote a particular region, i.e. to the South of Judah.

(2) yamin, "right hand," "right." The derived meaning, "south," seems to imply an eastern posture in prayer in which the right hand is toward the South; compare Arabic yamin, "right," and yemen, "Yemen," a region in Southwestern Arabia.

(3) teman, from the same root as (2) is often used for the south; also for the south wind (Ps 78:26; So 4:16).

(4) yam, literally, "sea" (Ps 107:3).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

South

Heb. Negeb, that arid district to the south of Palestine through which lay the caravan route from Central Palestine to Egypt (Gen. 12:9; 13:1, 3; 46:1-6). “The Negeb comprised a considerable but irregularly-shaped tract of country, its main portion stretching from the mountains and lowlands of Judah in the north to the mountains of Azazemeh in the south, and from the Dead Sea and southern Ghoron the east to the Mediterranean on the west.” In Ezek. 20:46 (21:1 in Heb.) three different Hebrew words are all rendered “south.” (1) “Set thy face toward the south” (Teman, the region on the right, 1 Sam. 33:24); (2) “Drop thy word toward the south” (Negeb, the region of dryness,

and the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
קֵ֖דְמָהKe.de.mah east -ward H6924 Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
87× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The front or east direction, often used to describe a location or time, such as in the book of Ezekiel where it describes the direction of the temple. It can also mean something is ancient or from the past, like the stories in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
right side, eastward, facing south, over against the south
Tyndale gloss
front: east
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קֶ֫דֶם (*qedem*) means 'east' and also refers to 'front' or 'ancient time.' It is derived from another root and can indicate direction (eastward) or time (aforetime, antiquity). The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including geographical and temporal references, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫דֶם n.[m.] front, east, aforetime

loc.

front

East; elsewh. מִקּ׳ = eastward

temp., ancient time, aforetime:

הַרְרֵי ק׳ Dt 33:15 ancient mts.

בִּימֵי ק׳ ψ 44:2 in ancient days

מִקּ׳ from of old

ק׳ alone, as adv. anciently, of old

beginning

base

[קֵ֫דֶם], קֵ֫דְמָה adv. eastward, to, toward the E.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6924a קֶ֫דֶם front, east, aforetime . loc. . front

. East

. temp. ancient time, aforetime

H6924b קֵ֫דֶם, קֵ֫דְמָה eastward, to, toward the E.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6924 qedem keh'-dem

or qedmah {kayd'-maw}; from 6923; the front, of place

(absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time

(antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently,

eastward):--aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end,

part, side, -ward), eternal, X ever(-lasting), forward, old,

past. Compare 6926.

see HEBREW for 06923

see HEBREW for 06926

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — East.

This name means east, antiquity, front

קֵ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — east.

adv

eastward, to or toward the East

Another spelling of qe.dem (קֶ֫דֶם ": east" H6924)

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: east.

: east

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

1a) front, from the front or east, in front, mount of the East

1b) ancient time, aforetime, ancient, from of old, earliest time

1c) anciently, of old (adverb)

1d) beginning

1e) east

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: old.

: old/ancient

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

1a) front, from the front or east, in front, mount of the East

1b) ancient time, aforetime, ancient, from of old, earliest time

1c) anciently, of old (adverb)

1d) beginning

1e) east

קֶ֫דֶם (qe.dem) — front: forward.

: forward

1) east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv | Suff — Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
HNcmsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

and the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
מִמּ֥וּלmi.Mul from in front of H4136 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means opposite or in front of, often used to describe location or direction. In Exodus 14:2, the Israelites camped in front of Pi-ha-hiroth, facing the sea. It provides a sense of spatial awareness and orientation in biblical contexts.
Tyndale gloss
opposite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּל (mul) means 'front' or 'in front of,' and is used adverbially to indicate position or direction. It can refer to being opposite or toward the front of something. The word is derived from a root meaning 'abrupt' or 'precipice,' and appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, such as in Deuteronomy 1:1 and Numbers 22:5.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּל, מוֹל, מוֹאל subst. and prep. front, in front of

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4136 מוּל, מוֹל, מוֹאל front, in front of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4136 muwl mool

or mowl (Deuteronomy 1:1) {mole}; or mowtl (Nehemiah 12:38)

{mole}; or mul (Numbers 22:5) {mool}; from 4135; properly,

abrupt, i.e. a precipice; by implication, the front; used only

adverbially (with prepositional prefix) opposite:--(over)

against, before, (fore-)front, from, (God-)ward, toward, with.

see HEBREW for 04135

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּל (mul) — opposite.

1) front

1a) front

1b) in the opposite direction

prep

2) in front of

2a) in front of

2b) (with prefix)

2b1) towards the front of, to the front of, on the front of

2b2) from the front of, off the front of, close in front of, on the forefront of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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 the object marker the sea he put from [the] side of south east -ward from in front of [the] south
נֶֽגְבָּה׃Neg.bah [the] south H5045 Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
112× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Negeb is the southern district of Judah, also known as the south country, and can occasionally refer to Egypt, which is south of Palestine.
Tyndale gloss
Negeb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֶ֫גֶב (negev) refers to the southern region of Judah, often characterized by its dry, parched landscape. The term can mean 'south-country' or simply 'south.' It is derived from an unused root associated with drought. The entries consistently identify it with the Negeb area, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫גֶב n.[m.] south-country, Negeb, south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5045 נֶ֫גֶב south-country, Negeb, south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5045 negeb neh'-gheb

from an unused root meaning to be parched; the south (from

its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of

Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine):--south

(country, side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — Negeb.

region of southern Judah

Also named: ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "south" H5045H)

This name means south-country

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — south.

A sub-meaning of ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "Negeb" H5045)

§ 1) south-country, Nekeb, south

1a) south-country

1a1) region of southern Judah, boundaries not specific

1b) south

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa/Sd — Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffix
HNcmsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

south:

(1) neghebh, according BDB from [?] naghabh, meaning "to be dry," the word most often used, in the Revised Version (British and American) capitalized (South) in those places where it seems to denote a particular region, i.e. to the South of Judah.

(2) yamin, "right hand," "right." The derived meaning, "south," seems to imply an eastern posture in prayer in which the right hand is toward the South; compare Arabic yamin, "right," and yemen, "Yemen," a region in Southwestern Arabia.

(3) teman, from the same root as (2) is often used for the south; also for the south wind (Ps 78:26; So 4:16).

(4) yam, literally, "sea" (Ps 107:3).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

South

Heb. Negeb, that arid district to the south of Palestine through which lay the caravan route from Central Palestine to Egypt (Gen. 12:9; 13:1, 3; 46:1-6). “The Negeb comprised a considerable but irregularly-shaped tract of country, its main portion stretching from the mountains and lowlands of Judah in the north to the mountains of Azazemeh in the south, and from the Dead Sea and southern Ghoron the east to the Mediterranean on the west.” In Ezek. 20:46 (21:1 in Heb.) three different Hebrew words are all rendered “south.” (1) “Set thy face toward the south” (Teman, the region on the right, 1 Sam. 33:24); (2) “Drop thy word toward the south” (Negeb, the region of dryness,

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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