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2 Kings 10:20 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֵה֗וּא קַדְּשׁ֧וּ עֲצָרָ֛ה לַבַּ֖עַל וַיִּקְרָֽאוּ׃

BSAAnd JehuYêhûwʼ [the king of Israel, a prophet] commandedʼâmar [to say, spoke] Proclaimqâdash [sanctify, call out] a solemn assemblyʻătsârâh [special, sacred, gathering, meeting] for BaalBaʻal [the Phoenician deity, a false god] So they announced itqârâʼ [proclaimed, called out]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 10
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2 Kings 10:20quick helps
In a sentenceJehu commands a gathering for Baal, and the people respond.
Who is speakingJehu, the king of Israel.
Where we areThe narrative of Jehu's actions against Baal worship.
The hard wordקַדְּשׁ֧וּ
Take awayJehu's command leads to a significant assembly for a false god.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיֵהוּא verbאָמַר 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 Kings 10:20

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 — Jehu's Command to Gather for Baalgenerated

19Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
20And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.
21Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.
22And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.

2 Kings 10:20 describes Jehu's directive to proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal, reflecting his role in the political and religious landscape of Israel. This event is a part of Jehu's larger mission to eradicate Baal worship and establish the worship of Yahweh, as seen in the broader context of his reign and the narrative of the kings of Israel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 18:19–20Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
21 Kings 21:12They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
3Joel 1:14Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word קַדְּשׁ֧וּ, ka.de.Shugenerated

The Hebrew verb קָדַשׁ (qadash) means to consecrate or set apart as sacred. It indicates the act of making something holy, often used in the context of rituals and religious gatherings. In this verse, it is in the imperative form, commanding the people to sanctify the assembly for Baal.

The Piel stem indicates an intensive action, emphasizing the seriousness of the assembly being called. Jehu's use of this term shows his authority as king and the significance of the gathering, even though it is for a false god.


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 יֹּ֣אמֶר, he said, governs the entire verse, with a series of phrases detailing what was commanded and the action that followed. The structure highlights Jehu's authoritative voice in the command.

The main clause is followed by an imperative phrase and concludes with a verb phrase indicating the people's response. This arrangement emphasizes the command's significance and the immediate action taken by the assembly.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹּ֣אמֶר as εἶπεν, meaning 'he said', which closely aligns with the Hebrew meaning. This choice reflects the straightforward nature of Jehu's command.

For קַדְּשׁ֧וּ, the LXX uses ἁγιάσατε, which means 'to make holy'. This choice emphasizes the act of sanctification, paralleling the Hebrew's intent to set apart the assembly.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 10:20 shows Jehu commanding a solemn assembly for Baal, indicating a significant moment in Israel's history. The people responded to his command, demonstrating the influence of Jehu's leadership and the ongoing worship of Baal.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Jehu mean by 'proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal'?

Jehu is calling for a special gathering dedicated to Baal, indicating the importance of Baal worship in that context.

Why is the assembly for Baal significant?

The assembly for Baal is significant as it reflects the ongoing conflict between the worship of Yahweh and the false gods in Israel, highlighting Jehu's political maneuvering.

What does it mean to 'consecrate' an assembly?

To 'consecrate' an assembly means to set it apart as sacred, often involving rituals to make it holy, which in this case is done for a false god.

How does this verse connect to the broader narrative of Jehu's reign?

This verse connects to the broader narrative by showcasing Jehu's actions against Baal worship, which were part of his mission to eliminate idolatry in Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this command reveal about the religious practices in Israel at the time?
  2. How does Jehu's leadership reflect the tensions between worshiping Yahweh and Baal?
  3. In what ways can we see the consequences of idolatry in our own lives today?
  4. How can we apply the lessons from Jehu's actions in our own commitment to worship?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 10:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Jehu said, proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal,.... Such as with the Jews was an holy convocation, when they were forbidden and restrained from doing any work on that day; and such a day Jehu

Read John Gill on 2 Kings 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 10 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Proclaim, Heb. sanctify. Prepare yourselves and all things necessary for this solemn day, and sacrifice, and feast, which I intend to keep.

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Kings 10 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 10:20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].Ver. 20. Proclaim a solemn assembly.] See on 2 Kings 10:18.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Proclaim a solemn assembly.—Rather, Sanctify a solemn meeting (Isaiah 1:13). Every person who wished to attend would have to “sanctify,” or purify, himself in due form. They proclaimed—i.e., gave notice of the festival by criers “through all Israel” (2 Kings 10:21).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. Proclaim [R.V. Sanctify] a solemn assembly] The verb is not the same which is correctly rendered ‘they proclaimed’ in the next clause. It is constantly rendered ‘Sanctify’ elsewhere. Cf. Exodus 13:12; Joshua 7:13; Joe 1:14; Joe 2:15-16; and is the word used of making a holy war. See Jeremiah 6:4; Jeremiah 51:27-28, &c., where ‘prepare’ is the appropriate translation. ‘Proclaim’ is found as the equivalent nowhere but here. a solemn assembly] The word (with a slightly different pointing) is used in Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; Deuteronomy 16:8; Nehemiah 8:18, of the solemn gatherings of God’s people for their sacred worship. Jehu by using such a term seems to be putting Baal entirely…

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 10 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A solemn assembly - Jehu applies to his proposed gathering the sacred name assigned in the Law to the chiefest festivals of Yahweh (see Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; Deuteronomy 16:8).

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Kings 10 →

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

And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it .

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Iehu sayd, Proclaime a solemne assemblie for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Jehu said, Hallow a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Jehu saith, 'Sanctify a restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim [it].

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Jehu says, “Sanctify a restraint for Ba‘al”; and they proclaim [it].

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Ba'al. And they proclaimed it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Jehu said, “Set a time to have an assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he said: Proclaim a festival for Baal. And he called,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Jehu gave the order, “Call a religious assembly to honor Baal!” So they did so.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Jehu said, Let there be a special holy meeting for the worship of Baal. So a public statement was made.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמֶרhe.saidsubjectיֵה֗וּאJehuclauseverbקַדְּשׁ֧וּconsecrateobjectעֲצָרָ֛הan.assemblyprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtonoun phrase(the)בַּ֖עַלBaalוַandclauseverbיִּקְרָֽאוּthey.proclaimed.[it]

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 match closely, with all six words corresponding directly. The Dead Sea Scrolls also reflect the same text, although some words were supplied by an editor due to damage. This consistency across witnesses highlights the reliability of the text.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֵה֗וּא קַדְּשׁ֧וּ עֲצָרָ֛ה לַבַּ֖עַל וַיִּקְרָֽאוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרεἶπενיֵה֗וּאιουקַדְּשׁ֧וּἁγιάσατεעֲצָרָ֛הἱερείανלַבַּ֖עַלβααλוַיִּקְרָֽאוּ׃ἐκήρυχαν

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 6Q4a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויאמר] [יהוא] [קדשו] [עצרה] [לבעל] [ויקראו]

nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

2 Kings 10:20אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַריֵהוּאJehuJehuיֵהוּאקָדַשׁconsecrateconsecrateקָדַשׁעֲצָרָהan assemblyan assemblyעֲצָרָהבַּ֫עַלto Baalto Baalבַּ֫עַלקָרָאand they prand they proclaקָרָאיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהעָצַרto restraito restrainעָצַרבַּעַלmastermasterבַּעַלקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאצוֹםfastfastצוֹםכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהנִמְשִׁיNimshiNimshiנִמְשִׁיחֲנָנִיHananiHananiחֲנָנִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתשְׁמִינִיeightheighthשְׁמִינִינָתַץto tearto tearנָתַץאֲשֵׁרָהAsherahAsherahאֲשֵׁרָהשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁם
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 Kings 10:20

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 said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
to say, spoke
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
יֵה֗וּאye.Hu' Jehu H3058 Noun proper masculine
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jehu was the name of several Israelites, including a king who overthrew the dynasty of Omri and a prophet who lived during the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat. His name means Jehovah is He.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel, a prophet
Tyndale gloss
Jehu
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֵהוּא (yehu) means 'Jehovah is He' and refers primarily to Jehu, a king of Israel known for overthrowing the Omri dynasty. The name also identifies several other individuals from the Old Testament, including a prophet and warriors from the tribes of Judah and Simeon, as well as a notable figure in David's court. The entries consistently highlight Jehu's significance during the Divided Monarchy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֵהוּא n.pr.m.

king of Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

prophet of N. Israel in time of Baasha & Jehoshaphat

one of David’s heroes

a Judahite

a Simeonite prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3058 יֵהוּא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3058 Yehuw' yay-hoo'

from 3068 and 1931; Jehovah (is) He; Jehu, the name of five

Israelites:--Jehu.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 01931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֵהוּא (ye.hu) — Jehu.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.16.1;

son of: Hanani (H2607)

§ Jehu = "Jehovah is He"

1) the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

2) son of Hanani and an Israelite prophet in the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat

3) the Antothite, a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors

4) a descendant of Judah of the house of Hezron

5) son of Josibiah and a chief of the tribe of Simeon

יֵהוּא (ye.hu) — Jehu.

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.19.16;

son of: Jehoshaphat (H3092J);

father of: Jehoahaz (H3059)

§ Jehu = "Jehovah is He"

1) the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri

2) son of Hanani and an Israelite prophet in the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat

3) the Antothite, a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors

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

je'-hu (yehu; meaning uncertain, perhaps "Yahweh is he"; 1Ki 19:16,17; 2Ki 9; 10; Eiou): Son of Jehoshaphat, and descendant of Nimshi, hence, commonly called "the son of Nimshi"; 10th king of Israel, and founder of its IVth Dynasty. Jehu reign for 28 years. His accession may be reckoned at circa 752 BC (some date a few years later).

1. Officer of Ahab:

A soldier of fortune, Jehu appears first as an officer in the body-guard of Ahab. To himself we owe the information that he was present at the judicial murder of Naboth, and that Naboth's sons were put to death with their father (2Ki 9:26). He was in attendance when Ahab drove from Samaria to inspect his new possession in Jezreel, and was witness of the dramatic encounter at the vineyard between the king and the prophet Elijah…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jehu

Jehovah is he. (1.) The son of Obed, and father of Azariah (1 Chr. 2:38).

(2.) One of the Benjamite slingers that joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).

(3.) The son of Hanani, a prophet of Judah (1 Kings 16:1, 7; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:34), who pronounced the sentence of God against Baasha, the king of Israel.

(4.) King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2), and grandson of Nimshi. The story of his exaltation to the throne is deeply interesting. During the progress of a war against the Syrians, who were becoming more and more troublesome to Israel, in a battle at Ramoth-gilead Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the living). The founder of the fifth dynasty of the kingdom of Israel, son of Jehoshaphat. (2 Kings 9:2) He reigned over Israel 28 years, B.C. 884-856. His first appearance in history is when he heard the warning of Elijah against the murderer of Naboth. (2 Kings 9:25) In the reigns of Ahaziah and Jehoram, Jehu rose to importance. He was, under the last-named king, captain of the host in the siege of Ramoth-gilead. During this siege he was anointed by Elisha’s servant, and told that he was appointed to be king of Israel and destroyer of the house of Ahab. (2 Kings 9:12) The army at once ordained him king, and he set off full speed for Jezreel. Jehoram, who was lying ill in Jezreel, came out to meet him, as it happened on the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Hanani, a prophet, sent with messages from God to Baasha king of Israel, and many years afterwards, to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 1Ki 16:1-7 2Ch 19:1-3 20:34.

The "son" of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, (compare 1Ki 19:16 2Ki 9:2) a general of the army of Joram, slew his master, and usurped the throne of Israel, B. C. 884. He reigned twentyeight years. See his history in 1Ki 19:16,17 2Ki 9:1-10:36. He fulfilled the divine purpose in extirpating the family of the impious Ahab, and zealously destroyed the priests of Baal and many other friends of Ahab. But…

and he said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
קַדְּשׁ֧וּka.de.Shu consecrate H6942 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To consecrate means to set something or someone apart as holy or sacred, like the priests in Exodus. This word is about making something clean or pure. It is used in the Bible to describe sacred rituals and moral purity.
Amplified meaning
sanctify, call out
Tyndale gloss
to consecrate: consecate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָדַשׁ (qadash) is a verb meaning to consecrate or set apart as sacred. It encompasses various actions such as being hallowed, treated as sacred, or dedicated, and can refer to both people and things. The entries detail its use in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating a range of meanings from purification to separation from the unclean.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָדַשׁ vb. denom. be set apart, consecrated

Qal

be set apart, consecrated, hallowed

be hallowed, by contact with sacred things, and so tabooed from profane use, or forfeited to sancturay

consecrated, tabooed (supr.)

Niph.

shew oneself sacred, majestic

be honored or treated as sacred

be consecrated, dedicated

Pi.

set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate

observe as holy, keep sacred

honor as sacred, hallow

consecrate by purification

Pu. consecrated, dedicated

Hiph.

set apart, consecrate

regard or treat, as sacred, hallowed

consecrate by purification

Hithp.

keep oneself apart from unclean things

of God, cause himself to be hallowed

be observed as holy

consecrate oneself by purification, of priests and Levites

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6942 קָדַשׁ vb. denom. be set apart, consecrated .. be set apart, consecrated, hallowed

. be hallowed, by contact with sacred things, and so tabooed from profane use, or forfeited to sancturay

. consecrated, tabooed (supr.)

. . shew oneself sacred, majestic

. be honored or treated as sacred

. be consecrated, dedicated

. . set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate

. observe as holy, keep sacred

. honor as sacred, hallow

. consecrate by purification

. consecrated, dedicated

. . set apart, consecrate

. regard or treat, as sacred, hallowed

. consecrate by purification

. . keep oneself apart from unclean things

. of God, cause himself to be hallowed

. be observed as holy

. consecrate oneself by purification, of priests and Levites

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6942 qadash kaw-dash'

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or

observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally):--appoint, bid,

consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er,

place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one,

self), X wholly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָדַשׁ (qa.dash) — to consecrate: consecate.

: consecate/sanctify

1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be set apart, be consecrated

1a2) to be hallowed

1a3) consecrated, tabooed

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to show oneself sacred or majestic

1b2) to be honoured, be treated as sacred

1b3) to be holy

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate

1c2) to observe as holy, keep sacred

1c3) to honour as sacred, hallow

1c4) to consecrate

1d) (Pual)

1d1) to be consecrated

1d2) consecrated, dedicated

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to set apart, devote, consecrate

1e2) to regard or treat as sacred or hallow

1e3) to consecrate

1f) (Hithpael)

1f1) to keep oneself apart or separate

1f2) to cause Himself to be hallowed (of God)

1f3) to be observed as holy

1f4) to consecrate oneself

קָדַשׁ (qa.dash) — to consecrate: dedicate.

: dedicate

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
and he said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
עֲצָרָ֛ה'a.tza.Rah an assembly H6116 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
11× 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 solemn assembly or a sacred meeting, often held on a festival or holiday. It appears in the book of Leviticus, describing a gathering of the Israelites. The word is used to describe a special and important event.
Amplified meaning
special, sacred, gathering, meeting
Tyndale gloss
assembly
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֲצָרָה (atsarah) refers to an assembly, particularly in a sacred or festive context. It is derived from the root related to gathering and encompasses meanings such as solemn assembly and group. The term is used in contexts involving festivals or holidays, highlighting its significance in communal gatherings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֲצָרָה, עֲצֶ֫רֶת n.f. assembly

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6116 עֲצָרָה, עֲצֶ֫רֶת assembly

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6116 `atsarah ats-aw-raw'

or matsereth {ats-eh'-reth}; from 6113; an assembly,

especially on a festival or holiday:--(solemn) assembly

(meeting).

see HEBREW for 06113

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֲצָרָה (a.tsa.rah) — assembly.

1) assembly, solemn assembly

1a) assembly (sacred or festive meeting)

1b) assemblage, company, group

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

a-sem'-bli (qahal; ekklesia): The common term for a meeting of the people called together by a crier. It has reference therefore to any gathering of the people called for any purpose whatsoever (Ex 12:6; Ps 22:16 the King James Version; Ps 89:7 the King James Version; Ac 19:32,41). The solemn assemblies of the Jews were their feasts or religious gatherings of any kind (Isa 1:13). The word paneguris, "a general festal assembly" (Heb 12:23), is transferred from the congregation of the people of Israel to the Christian church of which the congregation of Israel was a…

Thompson Chain Reference topics

the meeting of the early Christians, so called

Mt 18:20; Joh 20:19; Ac 1:4,14; 2:1; 4:31; 16:13; 20:7; 1Co 11:33

--SEE United Prayer, PRAYER

and he said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
לַבַּ֖עַלla.Ba.'al to Baal H1168 Preposition · noun
82× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to the Phoenician deity Baal, mentioned in the books of Numbers and Judges as a false god.
Amplified meaning
the Phoenician deity, a false god
Tyndale gloss
Baal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּעַל (ba'al) means 'owner' or 'lord' and is notably used as a divine name for Baal, a Phoenician deity. It can refer to husbands, rulers, and inhabitants as well. The term also denotes specific individuals and locations, including a town in Simeon and men from the tribes of Benjamin and Reuben. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as 'lord'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּעַל 166 n.m. owner, lord

owner

husband

citizens, inhabitants

rulers, lords

n. of relation

Esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.

base

בַּ֫עַל

n.pr.loc. city in tribe of Simeon

n.pr.m.

a Reubenite

a Gibeonite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1168 בַּ֫עַל owner, lord . . owner

. husband

. citizens, inhabitants

. rulers, lords

. n. of relation

. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1168 Ba`al bah'-al

the same as 1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity:--Baal, (plural)

Baalim.

see HEBREW for 01167

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּעַל (ba.al) — Baal.

§ Baal = "lord"

esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal

supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites

בַּ֫עַל (ba.al) — Baal.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.8.30;

son of: Abiel (H0022) and Maacah (H4601N);

brother of: Kish (H7027), Ner (H5369), Abdon (H5658J), Zur (H6698I), Nadab (H5070J), Gedor (H1446I), Ahio (H0283I), Zecher (H2144) and Mikloth (H4732)

§ Baal = "lord"

בַּ֫עַל (ba.al) — Baal.

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.5.5;

son of: Reaiah (H7211);

father of: Beerah (H0880)

§ Baal = "lord"

בַּ֫עַל (ba.al) — Baal.

Baal = "lord"

a town of Simeon, probably identical to Baalath-beer

Another name of ba.a.lat be.er (בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵר "Baalath-beer" H1192)

בַּעַל (ba.al) — (Bamoth)-baal.

Baal = "lord"

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun
HRd/Ntmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Baal

Lord. (1.) The name appropriated to the principal male god of the Phoenicians. It is found in several places in the plural BAALIM (Judg. 2:11; 10:10; 1 Kings 18:18; Jer. 2:23; Hos. 2:17). Baal is identified with Molech (Jer. 19:5). It was known to the Israelites as Baal-peor (Num. 25:3; Deut. 4:3), was worshipped till the time of Samuel (1 Sam 7:4), and was afterwards the religion of the ten tribes in the time of Ahab (

geographical. This word occurs as the prefix or suffix to the names of several places in Palestine, some of which are as follows: BAAL a town of Simeon, named only in (1 Chronicles 4:33) which from the parallel list in (Joshua 19:8) seems to have been identical with BAALATH-BEER. BAALAH (mistress). A. Another name for KIRJATH-JEARIM, or KIRJATH BAAL, the well-known town now Kuriet el Enab . (Joshua 15:9,10; 1 Chronicles 13:6) b. A town in the south of Judah, (Joshua 15:29) which in Josh 19:3 Is called BALAH, and in the parallel list, (

Lord,

1. In the Old Testament denotes an idol of the Phoenicians, and particularly of the Tyrians, whose worship was also introduced with great solemnities among the Hebrews, and especially at Samaria, along with that of Astarte, Jud 6:25-32 2Ki 10:18,28. See ASHTORETH, plural ASH’TAROTH. The plural, Baalim, signifies images or statues of Baal, Jud 2:11 10:10. Of the extent to which the worship of this idol was domesticated among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, we have an evidence in the proper names of persons; as, among the former, Ethbaal, Jerubbaal; and among the latter, Hannibal, Asdrubal, etc. Among the Babylonians, the same idol was worshipped under the name of BEL, which is only another form of the word Baal,

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

master; lord

and he said Jehu consecrate an assembly to Baal and they proclaimed [it]
וַיִּקְרָֽאוּ׃vai.yik.Ra.'u and they proclaimed [it] H7121 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
proclaimed, called out
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
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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